Bungie: Activision is "hands-off"

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 29 March, 2011

"They are the publishers."

Gamers concerned that Halo creator Bungie's 10-year publishing deal with Activision may affect its hotly anticipated new game need not – and that's because Kotick's crew are "hands-off".

"Not only were we excited about the contract that we were able to get with Activision but they seem really committed to being hands-off," Bungie composer Marty O'Donnell told IndustryGamers.

"They really seem committed to agreeing that they are the publishers and they need to support in all the ways publishers support [titles] and they were looking for developers that were completely self-sufficient essentially - except maybe we need some money once in a while - but self-sufficient in terms of not needing to depend on them for production or development or some of these other things."

But will Activision remain hands-off?

"They want a team that has a proven track record - a team that can go out and get it done," O'Donnell continued. "And so the hands-off nature of it is really appealing to us. Right now, maybe this is the honeymoon period, but it seems like the right thing for us at this time."

O'Donnell's comments echo those of community director Brian Jarrard, who told Eurogamer last year that Activision's current negative reputation is of no concern.

"We have an awesome deal with those guys," he said. "Ultimately, I don't think it's going to matter who helps that game into the hands of gamers, other than we're happy to know Activision's got world-class publishing expertise across multiple platforms and they're going to be a great partner that's given us a great relationship and a great deal.

"So we're not too worried about it."

In April 2010 Activision and Bungie announced a mammoth 10-year publishing deal for the developer's next IP.

Under the terms of the agreement, Bungie retains the rights to whatever it's cooking.

The deal followed the high-profile sacking of Call of Duty creators Vince Zampella and Jason West, which sparked an outpouring of anger from gamers who felt Activision had unfairly treated Infinity Ward.

Explaining the deal, O'Donnell added: "How many publishers are out there that could even do a deal with Bungie for a decade? You could probably list them on one hand. Certainly Microsoft was one of them, EA was one of them, but you could think of the ones that could actually do this thing."

Little is known about Bungie's next game.

Bungie lead network engineer David Aldridge said at the Game Developers Conference that its next project would be a "massively multiplayer action game" – but he was joking, apparently.

Rumour has it Bungie is making a first-person MMO for Activision called Destiny. It was loosely defined as "WOW in space".

Before then, Bungie had teased a new world that "was always there", and also referred to it as "a universe that people want to spend time in". Bungie's partnership with Activision is a 10-year multi-platform publishing deal, which fits well with an MMO.

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 (33) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Zomoniac #1 1 year ago

    What's with the "Activision studios defending them" comments suddenly? Has Kotick been telling his minions to soften people up ahead of some very bad announcement about to happen?

  • carlitoswagon #2 1 year ago

    Who needs hands when you've got a massive strap-on.

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #3 1 year ago

    "Bungie lead network engineer David Aldridge said at the Game Developers Conference that its next project would be a "massively multiplayer action game" – but he was joking, apparently.

    Rumour has it Bungie is making a first-person MMO"

    Your article is contradicting to say the least!

  • Sodding_Gamer #4 1 year ago

    You beat me to it Carlitoswagon :(

  • captain_Carl #5 1 year ago

    They'll still fuck you up somehow

  • ChronoMizaki #6 1 year ago

    Fucking hell. Is this 'Defend Activision Week?'

  • mcmonkeyplc #7 1 year ago

    Run for the hills Bungie! They have eyes!

  • paketep #8 1 year ago

    Yesterday Morhaine and today Bungie?. What's this, Operation "Clean Kotick's image"?.

    Kotick is still a dick, whatever they make the devs say.

  • CrispyXUK64 #9 1 year ago

    Who fucking cares eg? Publish some proper news instead of pointless soundbites.

  • Jon1292 #10 1 year ago

    First Blizzard and now Bungie?
    Do they wanna make it anymore blatant that they're being forced to give Activision PR brownie points.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #11 1 year ago

    Two news like this in a row really makes it look like a set up. Especially because it comes from two developers who are in a special position in the gaming market since they do have two to three of the biggest IPs at the moment (Halo, War/StarCraft). If you take a look at the development cycle Blizzard games usually have (they take years) it's likely that they are getting differently compared to other developers. For me they seem like special assets that bring in the big hits while the smaller devs are the ones getting pushed to bring in the money between the big releases.

    Of course I could be wrong, but even if it's completely off, I would still treat Blizzard's opinion differently compared to other devs.

  • captain_Carl #12 1 year ago

    "Get the fuck out there and say something positive about me or i'll fire you all and close your studio" - Bobby Kotick.

  • sonicyoda #13 1 year ago

    For God's sake Bungie, don't make a 007 game.

  • altitude2k #14 1 year ago

    Hands off, cock in.

  • SomaticSense #15 1 year ago

    ""They really seem committed"

    I'm sure they do. How very convincing. Quick, get the lube!

    As an aside, I'm sure the other devs who Acti have screwed over in the recent past, jumped at the chance to sign a contract which said: "We own you, and have the right to treat you, your properties, and your chances of sales, like complete shit, and then blame you for our fuckups".

    So a tip for you Bungie, however much you think you've got a good deal, read the small print again. And then read it again just to make sure. Then call your solicitors to give it an another read for good measure.
    Edited by SomaticSense at 29/03/11 @ 11:59

  • ThePissartist #16 1 year ago

    I wonder if he'll still be so positive if Bungie's MMO action game doesn't sell.

  • rotmm #17 1 year ago

    @Zomoniac, "What's with the "Activision studios defending them" comments suddenly? Has Kotick been telling his minions to soften people up ahead of some very bad announcement about to happen?"

    It's very reminiscient of Sony sending out its studios to promote the "untapped power" and "only possible on PS3" arguments.

  • TheNinkyNonk #18 1 year ago

    This is like AAA recording artists saying that bands should now exepect to make their money from live performances as opposed to music sales. It's OK to think that when millions already know about you but for the emerging acts it's a harder climb than ever to make a living. Activision fuck all over anyone who doesn't bring in the dollars first time, every time and Blizzad and Bungie saying how wonderful they are smacks of ivory tower syndrome IMHO.

  • CaptainQuint #19 1 year ago

    Marty is a legend, I believe every word he says. His music is freakin' superb.

    But yeah, Acti can fuck off, particularly Kotick.

  • spekkeh #20 1 year ago

    lol @ carlitoswagon.

    To be fair to Activision...they're massive cunts.. wait let me rephrase that.
    to be fair to gaming in general, Acti's chokehold on Bungie can't be worse than what Microsoft did. Anyone remember them saying that Halo 2 would be the last Halo they were going to make? Microsoft obviously wanted them to keep churning out franchise iterations and therefore as a publisher was hardly different from Activision.

  • Mister-Wario #21 1 year ago

    "we're happy to know Activision's got world-class publishing expertise across multiple platforms"

    But what's the point if the games they publish are largely derivative and profit-focussed?

  • Yoghurt_Pot #22 1 year ago

    yes this all sounds a bit forced and naff, but remember Acti are a business. Vote with your wallets and stop buying the latest rehash and maybe you'll get more innovation in games.

  • actionfitz #23 1 year ago

    "They are the publishers."

    no my friends, they are the Cunts.

  • Tryhard #24 1 year ago

    "Who needs hands when you've got a massive strap-on."

    And the best post for 2011 is.....See above.

  • Braincleaner #25 1 year ago


    weird that bungie/Blizzard come out the same week and say how cool activision are being and how "hands off" they are..why can't i shake the feeling that a memo has come down from head office:" hi, this is bob, whenever i speak to the gaming press i always end up saying something like "gamers are stupid a**holes" or "i will milk them for all they have" and i can't help ending it with a laugh that can only be described as 'evil'. Bungie and Blizzard, you are both ..liked.. please tell people how nice i really am...now!"

  • epiazk #26 1 year ago

    I enjoy Kotick. Everytime he talks there is drama that I can feed on.

  • CaptainQuint #27 1 year ago

    A drifter, you say?

    I'm thinking hobo.

  • inutaihanyou #28 1 year ago

    Be carerful Bungie, your not worth loosing to that deathtrap of a company

  • Dizzy #29 1 year ago

    >but they seem really committed to being hands-off

    That doesn't even make sense.

    > they were looking for developers that were completely self-sufficient essentially - except maybe we need some money once in a while -

    Errr... yeah Bungie. You are fucked.

  • weebl #30 1 year ago

    Quick! Everyone boycott a Bungie game because of Activision!

    /sarcasm

  • agparrot #31 1 year ago

    Let us hope for Bungie's sake that they don't stay "hands off" when it comes to advertising, publicising or generally representing their product.

  • Lamb #32 1 year ago

    Bungie on Kotick...

    Hes the DJ we are the Rappers!!! :D

  • sabbede #33 1 year ago

    Bungie pulls a lot of weight, so Activision may be more hands off when it comes to them then for anyone else...