Tim Schafer hits back at Bobby Kotick

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 27 September, 2010

"Sad it took him two months to think of a comeback."

Brütal Legend creator Tim Schafer has hit back at this morning's scathing criticism from Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick.

Kotick criticised Schafer's ability to meet deadlines and labelled Brütal Legend a poor game in an interview with Edge.

The slur was a response to a Eurogamer interview from July in which the Double Fine boss called Kotick a "total prick".

That was the result of Activision's high-profile effort to prevent EA from releasing Brütal Legend, a game dropped by Kotick's company after it merged with Vivendi.

Speaking exclusively to Eurogamer, Schafer responded to Kotick, calling his comments "sad".

"It's sad is that instead of just insulting me personally, he goes after the product of my hard-working team - a group of people he almost put out of work a while back," Schafer said.

"But what's even sadder is that it took him two months to think of a comeback."

Schafer's just announced that old LucasArts pal Ron Gilbert has joined Double Fine to work on an unnanounced game.

Kotick, for his part, insists his comments are taken out of context by the vocal minority, and in fact loves games and the people who make them.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (106) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Pirotic #1 1 year ago

    EG you bunch of s**t stirrers you.

  • mcmonkeyplc #2 1 year ago

    Oi! Stop turning into a fucking tabloid site.

  • frankfurter209 #3 1 year ago

    This is getting embarrassing, for EG more than anyone.

  • Iain815 #4 1 year ago

    Gotta love all this cock measuring.

  • ZeroAX #5 1 year ago

    Schafer, the Luke Skywalker of this story.

  • karooo #6 1 year ago

    That was a fast response.

    @Pirotic don't blame EG. You think Shafer wouldn't know if Bobby made a comment about him to EDGE?

  • Rubakai #7 1 year ago

    This stuff is brilliant, keep them coming.

  • DarthInsinuate #8 1 year ago

    Oh, Mr. Schafer, have you forgotten the golden rule of the internet: Don't feed the trolls.

  • Goodfella #9 1 year ago

    I haven't read it but did Tim Schafer slag off Bobby Kotick, or maybe his mum?

  • waynenot #10 1 year ago

    He defended his position after being demonized by a herd of internet sheep. What did Shafer expect - for a professional businessman to contact a fansite and call him a cocksucker?

    He said Double Fine missed all deadlines and went over budget - I'm not sure whether it's even a comeback, the guys just stating why they cancelled the project.

    In the end, I think Schafer's ended up looking unprofessional and a bit of a twat over all this.

  • darkmorgado #11 1 year ago

    Schafer, the Luke Skywalker of this story.

    Nah, he's obviously the Han Solo. Gilbert is the Luke Skywalker :-)

    The real question is, who's the Princess Leia, getting all these people to fight each other in the first place? EG?

  • YoctoYotta #12 1 year ago

    Stop it EG, we all love Tim Schafer and apparently think Bobby Kottick is the devil, but who cares, screw your advertisement impressions!

  • darkmorgado #13 1 year ago

    Can we expect a story tomorrow where Kuntick responds to Schafers response to his response to Schafer's insult?

  • Woffls #14 1 year ago

    Both of them need to grow the fuck up, especially Tim.

  • darkmorgado #15 1 year ago

    Maybe Ron Gilbert is going to get involved now, just to make things interesting. Or perhaps West and Zampella have something they feel they need to get out in the open.

    This is all getting a bit Eastenders - which is at least more entertaining (albeit marginally).

  • jonbwfc #16 1 year ago

    Jesus , what next. 'My Dad is bigger than your Dad' say Kotick?

    Just shut up the pair of you, you're acting like spoiled children rather than adults.
    Edited by 1 at 27/09/10 @ 19:08

  • joeymoto108 #17 1 year ago

    Scraping the bottom of the barrel are we, Eurogamer? ;)

  • Goodfella #18 1 year ago

    I think they should all have a fight, Anchorman style, armed with games related hardware for weapons.

  • joeymoto108 #19 1 year ago

    @ dark morgado

    Princess Leia is obviously the thing that businessmen think makes the world go round ;)

    MONEY
    Edited by 1 at 27/09/10 @ 19:19

  • darkmorgado #20 1 year ago

    Ok, I think I've nearly worked out the whole Star Wars analogy.

    Darth Vader = Bobby Kottick
    Han Solo = Tim Schafer
    Luke Skywalker = Ron Gilbert
    Princess Leia = Eurogamer.net (Ellie?)
    C3PO and R2D2 = West and Zampella
    Lando Calrissian = Bungie
    Jabba the Hut = ?
    Chewbacca = ?
    Boba Fett = ?
    Yoda = ?

    So, we have Bobby Kottick being appointed as Acti CEO (The Phantom Menace), before releasing wave after wave of annual franchise updates and endless peripheral-based games (Attack of the Clones - see what I did there?) and finally rising to power in the sector (Revenge of the Sith). Luckily, some plucky young upstarts rebel and we think that the Empire has met its match (A New Hope). But then the Empire score a major victory and all hope of successful rebellion seems lost (Empire Strikes Back). But luckily the rebels regain their confidence and launch a series of stunning blows to the Empire that leaves their grasp on power in tatters (Return of the Jedi).

    The only big question is, if Kottick is Darth Vader, who the f*ck is Emperor Palpatine? Is there an even more evil cunt waiting in the shadows at Activision HQ that we don't know about yet?
    Edited by 2 at 27/09/10 @ 21:48

  • riceNpea #21 1 year ago

    this just in...Kotick claims Schafer's mum is a slag and love tea bagging

  • darkmorgado #22 1 year ago

    @EarlBasset

    Haha! Hadn't thought of that. His cocky attitude just seemed a better fit for Han Solo. Any ideas for the missing cast? I'm desperate to fit Jabba the Hut in there somewhere. Maybe John Riccotello (or whatever his name is) should be Obi-Wan?

    God, I am such a geek.

  • Gylfi #23 1 year ago

    Schafer will think twice before making a new game only for console pricks.

    And Gilbert, thank you for assfucking PC gamers. Prick doesn't qualify him quite well.
    Edited by 1 at 27/09/10 @ 19:27

  • darkmorgado #24 1 year ago

    You just know this Kottick thing is going to run and run, at least until the IW court case in May, and then it will run even further with stories about some people being "crushingly disappointed" and other people being "delighted", and then some stories about how people will appeal the judgement...

    EG must be delighted, the whole thing is practically keeping them in news stories single-handedly!

  • TheBlackBandit #25 1 year ago

    HOOORAY FOR SCHAFER!

  • M4RV #26 1 year ago

    The two of them should get laid or whatever and be done with it... They sure look like they want to.

  • toy_brain #27 1 year ago

    I have the perfect solution.
    Everybody involved, should kill themselves.
    Everybody.

    Kotick - for obvious reasons
    Scafer - for taking ages and spedning too much money to make passable games that are really not -that- funny.
    Wesley - for shitting up Eurogamers news for the 4th time today.
    Ron Gilbert - for also not being -that- funny, and making Deathspank...... twice!

    I know it seems harsh, but I really think its the best solution.

    /Is going to get soooooo negged for this.

  • darkmorgado #28 1 year ago

    Bramwell?

    MEESA CHEESA DOOKY WOOKIE!

    Does this mean he has Ellie on a leash in a metal bikini?

  • darkmorgado #29 1 year ago

    My reasoning for Gilbert being Skywalker - the plucky young upstart being drawn into a huge conflict against his will.

  • MiniAmin #30 1 year ago

    EG I love you, and i've defended you vociferously to the point of sheer fanboyism in the past, but these constant gossip reports are very annoying. This isn't why I come to EG. Tossing in a few gaming related sentences after paragraphs of tabloid nonsense doesn't validate the article's appearance either.

  • darkmorgado #31 1 year ago

    It would be amusing if we end up with a Digital Foundry face-off of all of this. Or analysis.

  • darkmorgado #32 1 year ago

    This isn't why I come to EG

    Maybe they should just create an Industry Gossip channel and be done with it.

  • shadow1979 #33 1 year ago

    And in other related gaming news, Britney Spears has grown a third nipple...

  • fragjam #34 1 year ago

    Spot the massive cauldron of poo in the centre of the EG offices surrounded by EG gimps stirring the cack like their lives depended on it. Surprisingly, it's quite fun to watch.

  • man.the.king #35 1 year ago

    table-tennis?

  • Vyggo #36 1 year ago

    "Sad it took him two months to think of a comeback."

    Seriously Schafer? I thought you were better than that.

  • rivuzu #37 1 year ago

    More game news, less bitchfest please, Eurogamer.

  • Tangled #38 1 year ago

    I'd prefer them to go the Uwe Boll way of responding to criticism.

  • darkmorgado #39 1 year ago

    I'd prefer them to go the Uwe Boll way of responding to criticism.

    Oh god yes. I would pay real money to see Kottick get his head punched in. He could make a fortune.

    There's a business opportunity right there, Bobby. I'll even let you take it, free of charge.

  • Segnit #40 1 year ago

    Haha... I love this stuff. Keep it coming (though not on a busy news day, we need important news to stay up for longer).

  • andrewjcmillar #41 1 year ago

    Schafer>Kotick

  • Kain201 #42 1 year ago

    Kotick + Prick = Koprick

    Let's start a meme here

  • Boomerang #43 1 year ago

    Someone already did with the frankly superior "Kuntick" :)

  • Der_tolle_Emil #44 1 year ago

    This has probably been said on the first comments page already but it really needs to be said: EG, stop it. Link to the complete interview on Edge if you must but please stop slicing up a news story into tiny little pieces to get 5 or more headlines out of it.

  • HermitArcader #45 1 year ago

    Post deleted at 09:17:39 22-12-2011

  • ThreeOutsideDown #46 1 year ago

    and people wonder why video game journalolism gets a bad reputation...

  • Lord_Gremlin #47 1 year ago

    Kotick:Schafer - 1:2

    Let the battle continue!

  • Kain201 #48 1 year ago

    Someone already did with the frankly superior "Kuntick" :)

    Unfortunately, Tim Schafer never callled him a cunt. At least, not that we know about it.

    And while were at it, did you know that "Kotick" sounds like the German adjective "kotig"?
    Edited by 1 at 27/09/10 @ 21:02

  • darkmorgado #49 1 year ago

    @Boomerang

    Someone already did with the frankly superior "Kuntick" :)

    That would be me!

  • Shikasama #50 1 year ago

    For fucks sake. Grow up EG.

    I'd love to know the job title of whoever is responsible for the utter crap posted on the site in the past week. The biggest piece of news would be if they called themselves a journalist.

  • Diogo_Ribeiro #51 1 year ago

    I love Tim Schafer. Not 100% of his games but at least those have a heart, unlike most of what the industry produces. I also think this kind of conversation between developers and publishers is important, if not necessarily required to be as public.

    However, I can't entirely agree with Schafer's response. It's become too easy to let sarcasm and irony pervade discourse, and he's only preaching to the converted. He doesn't address Kotick's claims that his work methodology may have been subpar for what is required of the industry - and whether one likes it or not, the industry has its rules. Instead, he comments with something analogous to "your mom" jokes, the crowd goes wild, Kotick is still a villain. Is this right?

    I don't care for Kotick. I don't need to know if he likes games or not in order to understand his work (and people would be surprised at how many in the industry, in particular new arrivals are just busy making ends meet instead of a pure love for the medium), but for all his trashy talk and thugish demeanour, he may have a point. Why do people reject his claims - which are, for all we know, pretty damn accurate - but applaud Schafer, who just sidesteps the whole argument in order to just flip the bird?

    Again, I love Schafer, but I wonder how much populism is involved in this one. It'd be curious to see if any other dev answered the same way to any other publisher, if the public's perception of him would also be as positive.

  • Seehuusen #52 1 year ago

    hahaha kotick the fat bastard just got owned, in your face

  • darkmorgado #53 1 year ago

    I'd love to know the job title of whoever is responsible for the utter crap posted on the site in the past week

    IIRC when Tom announced his hiring, Wesley's position is "News Editor."

    There is some slight irony to be found there, perhaps.

  • alcides #54 1 year ago

    Can someone please moderate Wesley's trolling?

  • vegard #55 1 year ago

    every since EG got this new news editor things have been going downhill imho.

  • hiddenranbir #56 1 year ago

    Eurogamer...

    Can you please just REVIEW GAMES?!

  • darkmorgado #57 1 year ago

    What annoys me is that the other day, I made EG aware of a BBC news article showing that download sales have surpassed retail for the first time. They didn't report on it, probably (IMO) because it undermined the entire download-roundup that was on the front page at the time that spent ages saying that download games aren't selling.

  • riceNpea #58 1 year ago

    never let the facts spoil a good story darkmorgado


    EDIT: i agree with you


    Inbetweeners on now : )
    Edited by 1 at 27/09/10 @ 21:53

  • hiddenranbir #59 1 year ago

    It just amazes me they had time to post half a dozen nonsense articles yet they can only manage two page reviews for games such as Civ 5; and even then the review was very weak and did very little examination of the game.

  • darkmorgado #60 1 year ago

    To be clear, I have no problem with EG reporting this sort of stuff - it is industry-related, after all, and the attitudes of developers and executives is interesting if only to get an idea of where the industry is heading, what they think sells and doesn't sell, etc.

    What I do have a problem with is when that is milked to the hilt, split into multiple articles, and is done so at the expense of arguably more relevant and interesting news stories (the aforementioned one about downloads surpassing retail being just one).

    If EG don't nip this in the bud, they are going to really find themselves with a tarnished reputation when it comes to journalistic standards, and the last thing in the world I want is for EG to turn into f*cking IGN or CVG, god help us all.
    Edited by 1 at 27/09/10 @ 21:42

  • darkmorgado #61 1 year ago

    never let the facts spoil a good story darkmorgado

    Exactly.

    If I can point out though, your comment reads as if you are accusing me of deliberately overlooking facts rather than agreeing with me. Might want to edit that in the interests of clarity :-)

  • alcides #62 1 year ago

    This place is going to the underdogs. I don't mean the community.

  • darkmorgado #63 1 year ago

    @hiddenrabir

    Have to agree with that (leaving aside the fact that the news stories and the reviews are written by different people - Wes isn't a reviewer that I am aware of). The thing in the Civ review that really struck me was complaints of not having enough time to respond to things. It's a f*cking turn-based strategy game. You have all the bloody time in the world! It's not like someone is there with a gun to your head telling you to push the "end turn" button!

    EDIT: Typo
    Edited by 1 at 27/09/10 @ 21:47

  • riceNpea #64 1 year ago

    'If EG don't nip this in the bud, they are going to really find themselves with a tarnished reputation when it comes to journalistic standards'

    constant sales reviews, pointless face offs and lack lustre 2 page reviews of major releases ain't helping either

  • Spekingur #65 1 year ago

    @darkmorgado:
    Chewbacca is obviously the gaming community.
    All the dev teams under Activision are personel on the Death Star, where Darth enjoys an occasional Force choke hold.

    Here is what I hope. Some of this will bleed over to some major paper news medium where more people get interested in this - people who do not come to gaming websites very often.

  • darkmorgado #66 1 year ago

    Chewbacca is obviously the gaming community.

    So WHY CANT EG JUST LET THE WOOKIE WIN!

  • VandelayIndustries #67 1 year ago

    Kotick Soda: Burns like a bastard.

  • darkmorgado #68 1 year ago

    @Astro-Creature

    Nice to know that, just when you think we are in a civilised society, a racist c*nt can pop up and spout garbage like that. Thanks for being a blemish on the gaming community.

  • riceNpea #69 1 year ago

    steady on dark.

    he's obviously a bit retarded to make such an ill-judged, witless and inflammatory statement but i don't think it was meant in a racist way. let's not start beating people with the racist stick just yet. he's stupid, no more and probably though he was being hilarious. that's how i read it anyway.

    pity him, don't let him get a rise out of you like that.

  • JahB #70 1 year ago

    @Astro Creature

    haven't heard that in a long time. it's the sound of the banhammer in motion.

  • darkmorgado #71 1 year ago

    he's obviously a bit retarded

    Oh so you have something against retards?

    /joke

    Yeah I know, I shouldn't rise to it. That sort of crap just p*sses me off.
    Edited by 1 at 27/09/10 @ 22:55

  • electrolite #72 1 year ago

    Why is every body crying like tarts over the subject of news stories? It's games-related and if you don't like it don't read it. Wind your collective necks in.

  • riceNpea #73 1 year ago

    ' Why is every body crying like tarts over the subject of news stories? It's games-related and if you don't like it don't read it. Wind your collective necks in. '



    alternatively if you don't like the comments you could read something else and not comment yourself. wind your neck in as such


  • darkmorgado #74 1 year ago

    @electrolite

    Read all the comments. Some of them are pretty clear. As I've already said, I have no problem with it being reported, but I do have a problem when it comes at the expense of other, more relevant news and when it starts to dominate the site.

  • darkmorgado #75 1 year ago

    Well the fact that you felt the need to highlight their Jewish heritage, as if it was somehow an influencing factor on their behaviour for one. Also the connotations that people with money must be jewish, for another.

  • darkmorgado #76 1 year ago

    If you find a simple play-on-words joke offensive, then god help you.

    Dear lord
    Edited by 1 at 27/09/10 @ 22:51

  • riceNpea #77 1 year ago

    actually i think too much is being read into astro's comment. things are in danger of going down the ' is it coz i iz black? ' route.

    it was a poor attempt at humour juxtaposing popular trash tv with the fact that they're jewish and at odds with each other.

    i don't believe it was meant to be racist at all.

    EDIT: grammatical error
    Edited by 1 at 27/09/10 @ 22:58

  • Inertia #78 1 year ago

    It's hardly racist, or the mildest kind ever.


  • alcides #79 1 year ago

    mild racism! mild holocaust?

    idiot.

  • riceNpea #80 1 year ago

    what the hell are you on about alcides?

    holocaust? you taking things up a few notches there mate!

  • captainrentboy #81 1 year ago

    Everyone's over reacting a bit over the Jew comment aren't they? :/ Panties are being twisted all over the place! Oh and these Kotick stories are getting tedious, we get it, he's a stupendous douchebag! Let it rest.

  • darkmorgado #82 1 year ago

    @riceNpea

    I think that he is using an exagerrated example to ridicule the notion of something being "mildly" racist. Something is either racist, or it's not (and to be honest, intent/ignorance isn't particularly an excuse).

  • darkmorgado #83 1 year ago

    But anyway, enough of this. Let's get back on topic.

    Kotick is a cunt, this constant back-and-forth ends up reflecting badly on everyone involved, and EG shouldn't stoop to milking it for everything they can.
    Edited by 1 at 27/09/10 @ 23:07

  • alcides #84 1 year ago

    @darkmorgado

    this.

  • darkmorgado #85 1 year ago

    I really would like EG to respond to the community about some of the issues raised in this thread. Or at least to just acknowledge that they have been raised. It would be nice if there was a CCP-style level of interaction with the community, but I understand this is probably too much to hope for.

  • alcides #86 1 year ago

    I suggest a "ignore button" for anything Wess writes.

  • Death-Jester #87 1 year ago

    Oh, just admit your feelings and touch each other inappropriately after gym class.
    Either that or call him a poo-poo head and not let him play with your mates in the playground.

  • JimmyHart84 #88 1 year ago

    So we get 2 god awful sound quality Skype podcasts and 4 new articles stolen from Edge? I hate to be a little bitch, but ffs, sort it out EG. I can't wait to see what people are gonna ask during the "Ask Eurogamer" session on Saturday!

    I'm actually quite interested in reading the interview with Kotick in Edge, to see if it's just EG picking little bits of the interview out to stir the shit, or if he's actually a total twat.

  • TwitchyMcTwitch #89 1 year ago

    "Sad it took him two months to think of a comeback."

    Ohhhhhh... fight! fight!

    I have 5 dollars on Schafer! Who wants in?

  • chasejamie #90 1 year ago

    Lulz

  • Zomoniac #91 1 year ago

    Was it really racist? Judaism confuses me. It seems to be both a race and a religion, so if you make a comment that is perfectly acceptable in this company to make about any other religion you're automatically branded a racist.

  • darkmorgado #92 1 year ago

    Judaism confuses me. It seems to be both a race and a religion

    I agree it's a bit confusing. I think general consensus is that pre-WW2 it was considered more of a religion, but post-WW2 and with Israel being created as a "Jewish Nation" they are considered a race.

    Either way, if it's not racist then it's religious discrimination. I've got no problem with satire or honest criticism of religious practices (re: Stephen Fry's incredibly erudite debate regarding the Catholic church), but there is a line and IMHO, that line is when you deliberately use someone's race/religion/disability/sexuality as the basis of an insult or to further a stereotype.
    Edited by 2 at 28/09/10 @ 01:26

  • chasejamie #93 1 year ago

    Lulz

  • Astro-Creature #94 1 year ago

    Yesterday, in the Big Brother House........

  • Number1Laing #95 1 year ago

    Brutal Legend was mediocre at best, pretty much bombed in sales. I would say Activision made the right call there. Of course, DF had to cancel the sequel and reorient their entire development structure in response. Maybe Kotick was more correct than Schafer would like to admit. Of course, Schafer was in charge of the game, and missing milestones/being late reflects poorly on Tim more than it does his staff.

  • Loghorn #96 1 year ago

    "Sad it took him two months to think of a comeback."

    LOL, Bobby got owned. It's so nice to hear from someone that wants to shut Bobby's trap up for once.

  • darkmorgado #97 1 year ago

    To be honest, regardless of the overall quality of the game (and I appreciate critical opinion was pretty divided), the originality of the setting of Brutal Legend is something to be applauded, and promoted, and it highlights the creative bankruptcy of companies that rely on endless annual franchise updates.

  • toa_boa #98 1 year ago

    Kotick saying

    ""And do you know what? That seemed like a sensible thing to do. And it turns out, he was late, he missed every milestone, the game was not a particularly good game..."

    Not being privy to the commercial and schedule issues on Brütal Deluxe's development, I'll refrain from putting thoughts to those parts, but I'd have to agree with Kotick that Brütal wasn't that much of a game all told. Nice concept, good manuscript, fun and mindless brawling mixed with some horrid RTS-sections, a 6 or 7 (tops) in my book.
    Edited by 1 at 28/09/10 @ 11:31

  • lucky_jim #99 1 year ago

    As I said in one of the many other EG stories on this yesterday, Kotick has no right to criticise Brutal Legend when he claims Tony Hawk: Ride is a good game. Brutal Legend is head and shoulders above 99% of Activision's output.

  • Gromit #100 1 year ago

    As reviled as Kotick is, this was a very easy way of Schaffer getting some column/screen inches by throwing a cheap insult his way. Wasn't it just before his Deathspank game came out too?

    For once BK isn't in the wrong here, methinks.

  • AHiFi #101 1 year ago

    Can't you just update your posts and then stick them to the top again? Then rinse, repeat? That would make it less banal and a bit less tabloid'esque - and it wouldn't be spamming the news channel.

  • d00dl #102 1 year ago

    Didn't Kotick try to suggest that Brutal Legend wasn't a particularly good game? I think it's pretty decent metacritic score of around 82 would like to disagree!

    Clearly Kotick exposed his 'love' of games with that comment as while BL was a critical success it wasn't as much of a commercial success as it could have been which is probably what Acti could see in advance.

  • Tonne #103 1 year ago

    i think it's game set match for schafer

  • geeza2020 #104 1 year ago

    ZZZZZZZZZZ.... wha? Oh, wake me when journalism comes back to EG wouldya?

  • Findus #105 1 year ago

    How about IW's Robert Bowling AKA FourZeroTwo as Ja Ja Binks. He's dispised by the community tries to impress and fails miserably?

  • peppergomez #106 1 year ago

    Tempest in a bloody teacup. Who cares?