Activision boss: “We might have to stop supporting Sony”
Activison CEO Bobby Kotick certainly doesn’t pull any punches. Speaking to The Times Online, he was less-than-positive about a certain struggling Japanese electronics corporation. ““I’m getting concerned about Sony; the PlayStation 3 is losing a bit of momentum and they don’t make it easy for me to support the platform. It’s expensive to develop for the console, and the Wii and the Xbox are just selling better. Games generate a better return on invested capital on the Xbox than on the PlayStation.”
According to Big Boss Bobby, his company paid around $500 million to Sony in royalties and other fees last year. As Sony’s gaming division lost $597million in that same period, it’s certainly not an unsubstantial figure. Activision are hardly penniless however, making $179million in profits just in the first quarter of this year.
Despite those losses, Kotick feels that Sony need to make further sacrifices if the PS3 is to be successful. “They have to cut the price, because if they don’t, the attach rates are likely to slow. If we are being realistic, we might have to stop supporting Sony.” Asked when this might be, he replied, “When we look at 2010 and 2011, we might want to consider if we support the console — and the PSP too.”
It seems a bit of a drastic move to suggest that Activision would stop supporting Sony platforms completely. But if there’s anything that we’ve learned, it’s that Activision’s money-grabbing attitude means that they will doing anything to maximise their return on an investment. That’s probably why they’re the most evil successful gaming publisher in the world.
But if there’s any company who has the influence to force Sony into dropping the price of the Playstation 3, it’s Activision.
6 comments ↓
manuel
June 19th, 2009
I think sony will do a new bundle / model again, i do not foresee a cut price with the same models that are available right now in the market, they are having hughe losses as we speak, therefore the solution will be another “illusion cut price”.
Seth
June 19th, 2009
Bring on the cheaper PS3 slim!
Sony have done enough to make me want their console now. The price is the only barrier remaining.
Alasdair
June 19th, 2009
If they ever drop the bloody price to a competitive one, I’d get a PS3 eventually. Never a PSP though, no matter what they do.
Nogert
June 19th, 2009
Cut or fail, I’m so glad I stuck to my guns I’ve had both consoles on the game last gen, xbox and Ps2 but this time round the PS3 just didn’t seem to deliver and it still hasn’t, and the price is just another reason not to buy it.
Alan
June 19th, 2009
Sony arn’t exactly failing. If you look at how fast the PS3 is selling compared to the Xbox 360 it’s clear an overtake is possible, leaving MS in 3rd place.
Ms sit with 30 million, ps3 has 22million, they’ve bridged the game pretty quickly.
Activision are dicks tho, how dare they run an entertainment corporation like a business.
SiNTAX
June 19th, 2009
there was no need for this from Activision. we all the know the PS3 will drop in price, someday, just wanted flap their e.penis about I guess.
also, Activision are evil.