Activision CEO wants to take all the fun out of making games

[neckthrough]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6226758.html

 

When he wasn't promoting the company's games or technology, Kotick was celebrating its laser-like focus on the bottom line. He pointed to changes he implemented in the past as being particularly beneficial, such as designing the employee incentive program so it, "really rewards profit and nothing else."

...

He later added, "We have a real culture of thrift. The goal that I had in bringing a lot of the packaged goods folks into Activision about 10 years ago was to take all the fun out of making video games."

...

If that sounds like it would create a corporate culture that isn't all sunshine and hugs, then it's "mission accomplished" for Kotick.

 

Nothing surprising, but I haven't heard anyone explain it quite so bluntly before.

[Matthew Rorie]

In this kind of economy I can see his point. You shouldn't be going to work for a publisher with the expectation that you're going to be playing video games all day; you should be trying to make money.

 

Which isn't to say that there shouldn't be fun benefits to working at a publisher, but in the end your goal is to deliver products that make a lot of money for your shareholders.

[Pop]

Yeah, tech firms and Silicon Valley in particular are kind of notorious for having really ridiculous company cultures with exorbitant creature comforts, spas in the workplace and the like. It's all endemic of the dumb optimism that came out of the dot com bubble.

 

Thing is I've never heard of that sort of opulence in a game developer, with one exception - Harmonix, who make it a point (at least from a PR perspective) to really push the music-friendliness of their culture. For example, any employee can take unlimited unpaid vacation hours for the purposes of touring or performing as the member of a band.

 

Given Activision's history with Harmonix I wouldn't be at all surprised if this was specifically a dig at them. Seems kind of late, though. You know Kotick is banging his head against a wall for not getting the Beatles license first.

[Morgoth]

Well, Kotick is a turbo-capitalist in it's purest form.

 

He only cares about making profit, not about the actual quality of the product. It must suck to work under his wings.

 

The richer you get, the more you're focusing on making money only. I just don't get it. I'd rather invest it in new innovative projects, tech etc.

[J.E. Sawyer]

During a 45-minute presentation today at the Deutsche Bank Securities

This explains the motivation for every single thing he said.

[Kaftan Barlast]

Sounds like an attempt to make the inudstry sem more serious and stable to stuffy old bank people. But one thing he said; the problem with bringing in "packaged goods people" is that games are not toilet paper, or garden tools, or household electronics or recycled aluminium.

[Nepenthe]

During a 45-minute presentation today at the Deutsche Bank Securities

This explains the motivation for every single thing he said.

 

Yeah, but hasn't he been playing that record for quite a while now?

 

I'm thinking he subscribes to the Vince McMahon school of PR...

[Humodour]

In this kind of economy I can see his point.

 

Except this economy will last maybe two years while he's been doing this for 10 years and has no plans to stop.

[Guest Slinky]

But one thing he said; the problem with bringing in "packaged goods people" is that games are not toilet paper

Speak for yourself, I have wiped my arse with many games in my time.

[Meshugger]

During a 45-minute presentation today at the Deutsche Bank Securities

This explains the motivation for every single thing he said.

 

I would like to hear him trying to do a motivational speech to the developers.

 

- "Yeah, our shareholders expect a certain percent of return for this project. Yeaaaaah, um. What i would like you guys to do, is to streamline the development process so that the activities for each asset are maximized according to their corresponding criteria and responsibilities. Um, oh yeah, we have also determined that the marketing department will be more active in the creative process and general design decisions. Umm, this will ensure that through collaboration of inter-displinary programs, the product will be reactive to the current customer climate needs, thus generating better results."

 

Nothing would fuel your creative energies more when being encouraged on such a level.

[Slowtrain]

In this kind of economy I can see his point. You shouldn't be going to work for a publisher with the expectation that you're going to be playing video games all day; you should be trying to make money.

 

Which isn't to say that there shouldn't be fun benefits to working at a publisher, but in the end your goal is to deliver products that make a lot of money for your shareholders.

 

 

If you hate your job because it is oppressive and totally focused on generating X dollars/hour worked, all you're going to generate when you work is hate.

 

ANy worthwhile company worls hard to develop and maintain an extremely positive environment for their employees. Because ultimately that makes more money and success than whipping them with chains.

[Oner]

If you hate your job because it is oppressive and totally focused on generating X dollars/hour worked, all you're going to generate when you work is hate.

Hey, Avellone runs on hate, so it's win-win for us!

[Purkake]

Obligatory PA strip that I have to link because of its potential CoC breaking properties:

 

Interesting Choice of Words

 

 

The language policy here seems rather unnecessary, but your house, your rules

Edited September 15, 2009 by Purkake

[Syraxis]

During a 45-minute presentation today at the Deutsche Bank Securities

This explains the motivation for every single thing he said.

 

I would like to hear him trying to do a motivational speech to the developers.

 

"Work hard everyone, you're all talented, this development cycle isn't short at all! A few late nights at the office (unpaid of course, you'll be properly compensated if our stock value hits our expected projection,) and good team effort will accomplish this easily."

 

"Make sure this product sells, or we'll have to terminate a few positions to increase our share value. It might be yours... remember!"

[Darth InSidious]

He does have a point, in that the purpose of making video games is to a) entertain and b) make money. It does seem that sometimes b) goes out of the window with a) following shortly after, and the executives three weeks after that.

[Gromnir]

During a 45-minute presentation today at the Deutsche Bank Securities

This explains the motivation for every single thing he said.

 

I would like to hear him trying to do a motivational speech to the developers.

 

 

 

"Thank you for showing up this morning. The coffee we provided is terrible, but the bear claws are pretty good. Feel free to grab a pastry on the way out. This pep talk isn't going to take very long, so the bad coffee should still be warm and the boston cr

[Malcador]

Yeah, but most of the time you'll end up with just enough. Darth Vader school of managing isn't really the best, as you just get what you think is best, not necessarily what is. Still though, Activision does sound fun to work for.

[Morgoth]

It makes be kinda sick knowing that Blizzard has technically speaking to take orders from these bloodsuckers. I bet once Wow subscibers go down, Activision is gonna start pushing Blizzard....

[Gromnir]

darth vader works pretty good in this sorta economy. whenever there is a sharp decline in employment, overall production actually increases. 'course this means that even when economy turns 'round business not immediately start rehires.

 

am recalling a story 'bout building of Hoover Dam(n) during the depression. work conditions were horrendous and fatalities were common. eventually 'bout 1/3 of the +7 thousand workers created a work stopage. the Hoover Dam project manager simply fired the malcontents and replaced 'em the next day... though he did incrimental improve working conditions afterwards.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Malcador]

You're right. Although even that has its limits, if you keep firing and replacing people for technical work you're shooting yourself in the foot.

[Bos_hybrid]

Activision CEO reaction to dropping profits:

 

[Calax]

Yeah, tech firms and Silicon Valley in particular are kind of notorious for having really ridiculous company cultures with exorbitant creature comforts, spas in the workplace and the like. It's all endemic of the dumb optimism that came out of the dot com bubble.

 

Thing is I've never heard of that sort of opulence in a game developer, with one exception - Harmonix, who make it a point (at least from a PR perspective) to really push the music-friendliness of their culture. For example, any employee can take unlimited unpaid vacation hours for the purposes of touring or performing as the member of a band.

 

Given Activision's history with Harmonix I wouldn't be at all surprised if this was specifically a dig at them. Seems kind of late, though. You know Kotick is banging his head against a wall for not getting the Beatles license first.

Well, Insomniac is similar to this (see the recruiting video they included in Resistance 2)

[Gromnir]

You're right. Although even that has its limits, if you keep firing and replacing people for technical work you're shooting yourself in the foot.

 

that assumes that you would have to "keep firing" people... which is unlikely. fire a couple malcontents and the rest get the message: nobody is irreplaceable.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Meshugger]

During a 45-minute presentation today at the Deutsche Bank Securities

This explains the motivation for every single thing he said.

 

I would like to hear him trying to do a motivational speech to the developers.

 

 

 

"Thank you for showing up this morning. The coffee we provided is terrible, but the bear claws are pretty good. Feel free to grab a pastry on the way out. This pep talk isn't going to take very long, so the bad coffee should still be warm and the boston cr

Edited September 15, 2009 by Meshugger

[Slowtrain]

A lot of people probablty consider working in game development a dream job, so they are probablt willing to take more abuse. Fpr a while. Buit even dream jobs cab get old pretty fast if it is a bad enviroment,

 

 

There's a cafe down the street from me that turns over its entire staff on what seems almost a monthly basis. I don't know what's going on there, but it can't be a very good place to work. I rarely go there anymore, though it is very close to where I live because the service is always slow and the drinks poor. Because the staff doesnt known what they are doing.

 

 

Instead I walk a few blocks further to another cafe where the same satff has been working fora long time and they are quick and efficient and know what drinks I like and how to make a good espresso without being told.

 

 

A well trained, skilled, and happy employee is any companies greatest asset. It alwasy amazes me how shortsighted employers can think they are saving a few bucks by treating their staff badly.