Acti thanks EA for hyping Call of Duty

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 2 June, 2011

"I know they are focused on us."

Activision has brushed off Electronic Arts' aim to dent Call of Duty's position at the top of the first-person shooter pile with Battlefield 3.

Speaking to MCV, Activision Publishing boss Eric Hirshberg dismissed the threat of Battlefield, and even thanked its bitter publishing rival for hyping Modern Warfare 3.

"It sounds trite but it's true: we focus on what we need to do to make the best games we can," he said. "We don't pay much mind looking at what the competitors are doing. I know they are focused on us... well that's all I'll say.

"Well, I think EA might talk about our games in the press more than we do.

"So, the first thing I say to them is, 'Thanks for the assistance in building awareness.'"

Battlefield 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 are set to go head-to-head this November in what is quickly becoming one of the biggest grudge matches in gaming.

In the build up to release, EA has been aggressive in its desire to overthrow COD.

Last month EA ramped up the saber rattling, describing Battlefield as "superior" to Activision's franchise in every way.

"We know we have a big competitor," CEO John Riccitiello stated. "But head-to-head with Call of Duty in Q3, we have the superior game engine, a superior development studio, and a flat out superior game. Our goal is to significantly gain share in the huge FPS category and to put the other team on defence."

According to Riccitiello, Battlefield 3 pre-orders are up 700 per cent "versus the same period before the launch of Battlefield: Bad Company 2".

"A lot of people are telling us they want to play this game on day one," he insisted.

Earlier this year, Riccitiello claimed EA and Activision would spend a combined total of around $200 million on marketing their respective shooters later this year.

"This game is designed to take that game down," he explained, referring to Battlefield 3. "If you're looking for a battle of the titans – Red Sox vs Yankees... Microsoft or Google - and what the tip-off point is for this holiday season, this is it."

Activision's Hirshberg, however, remains unconcerned.

"But when you think about it, we've had tough competition every year for Call of Duty," he continued. "It's never been easy. This is one of the most competitive genres in one of the most competitive industries. Last year we had Halo: Reach and Medal of Honor, and it's not like they weren't amazing developers gunning for the top of this mountain either. And it's the same this year – Gears of War is back along with lots of other games.

"So, of course, we take all the competition really seriously. But at the end of the day I really mean it when I say we are focusing on the finish line, not the competition. We are making the best game we can, and are throwing every resource, innovation and all the creativity we can at it. And hopefully that will maintain our position."

Last month Activision made Modern Warfare 3 official after a huge leak revealed story and multiplayer details.

MW3 launches on 8th November. Battlefield 3 is rumoured to launch in the same week.

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 (60) Latest comment 12 months ago

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

  • coolbritannia #1 12 months ago

    I hope they do both launch same week, that's a scrap I want to see. If I can only afford one, it'll be Battlefield 3 for me.

    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1...

  • vegard #2 12 months ago

    "we have the superior game engine, a superior development studio, and a flat out superior game"

    The man speaks the truth

  • randompanda #3 12 months ago

    "We don't pay much mind looking at what the competitors are doing"

    An awful lot of innovation comes from learning from how other people do things, guys. Sure you can create something totally original and inspired without any insight from others, but that's obviously not the case here, is it?

  • Vitor #4 12 months ago

    Didn't Riccitiello say that the year EA would win the shooter crown would be the year COD came out and scored a low 80 while their franchise of choice came out in the mid-90s?

    Judging by the (somewhat) tepid initial previews of MW3 coming out recently, we may well get to see if that prediction holds true come year end.

  • Tryhard #5 12 months ago

    Where is Harry Hill to shout "Fight," when you need him?

  • Inmediasress #6 12 months ago

    They have all grounds to dismiss the claims of EA.
    COD is like WOW no wonder the joined together both of them are utterly crap nowadyas but have such a herd of sheep following them that no matter what they do it will be a success.

  • randompanda #7 12 months ago

    Coolbritannia - I love how on that link one guy justifies it as "MW3'S HAS A COVER OVER THE TOP TO STOP THE BULLETS FALL OUT AND IT OPEN LIKE A DOOR WHEN INSERTED INTO THE WEAPON REVEALING THE BULLETS INSIDE"

  • prudislav #8 12 months ago

    "We are making the best game we can, and are throwing every resource, innovation and all the creativity we can at it. "
    INNOVATION and CREATIVITY ??? I LOLed - never seen that in CoD series :-D

  • captainrentboy #9 12 months ago

    EA would be really fucking up if they launch on the Friday of the same week COD was just released. There are the die hard fans of each series, and there are the many many folk that will just buy whichever one hits the shelves first. I too feel Battlefield 3 is the one for me, but I still think it's very naive for EA to think they'd beat Acti in a head to head between the two franchises.
    Get that fucker out a week or so before MW3, that's what they should be aiming for.

  • munki83 #10 12 months ago

    I hope EA come out on top this year. However I can see a lot of people at my work who onyl really play cod be swayed again as none of them know about Activision and IW fall out last year

  • carlitoswagon #11 12 months ago

    Does this mean EA can thank Acti for hyping BF3?

  • Vortextk #12 12 months ago

    Pretty assholish thing to say. BF3 will be the more technically advanced game no doubt, who is to say it's better as a game till it's out(still just opinion then anyway). Even if it is, it won't sell more, period, so who cares. We all know that unless COD kills itself, it'll be the top selling first person shooter every single year.

  • bad09 #13 12 months ago

    He has a point, EA are downright embarrassing with their COD "beating" obsession.

  • randompanda #14 12 months ago

    Renal1ty - Attention to detail is something that warrants praise. It won't make it a better game - in fact sometimes you lose the overall picture in pursuit of the little details - but it's something that should be praised by the community - not belittled.

    Unless you'd prefer just rehashes of a title until the day you die?

  • coolbritannia #15 12 months ago

    @RandomPanda, me too dude. That guy, and the other guy "Hey the clip is upside down, fools!"

    Like a trained special forces operative holding his clip upside down is any better....

  • Renal1ty. #16 12 months ago

    Not really, I'm just being realistic about sales (that's what the article is pretty much about). I myself will be getting both games so it doesn't really bother me. I just like playing games.

  • coojam #17 12 months ago

    One developer intends to make the best game they can.

    One developer intends to overthrow another developer.

    Y'know, I hate CoD's popularity as much as anyone, but they've got the better development mentality. Also, I don't think you can argue EA have "the superior development studio". Activision's teams are the best in the world at what they do. Don't take any credit away from that, even if their publisher is a money monster.

  • IkariW #18 12 months ago

    "We don't pay much mind looking at what the competitors are doing"

    Personally, judging by this and a few other statements made here, I think Activision are more worried about EA/BF3 than EA/BF3 are worried about them. COD has everything to lose, where as BF, which, imo, is still wrongly seen as the scrappy underdog, has everything to gain.

    Flame warning: I for one thought BFBC2 was a far better game than MW2 and Black-ops for instance, But thats just personal preference. Felt better, sounded better, better engine, MP was more 'free form', destructable scenery was awesome... just felt a more solid package.

    For my tastes, MW has gone a little too 'Bruckheimer', I still enjoy playing them don't get me wrong, COD2 & 4 MW1 still being the best of the bunch in my opinion. But to tag MW3 as 'Modern Warfare' just seems a little false to me now, it looks more like smaller skirmishes focused against terrorist threats than all out warfare as such. For me, thats where BF3 looks more like 'Modern Warfare' of the two.

    Going to be a good fight all the same though, looking forward to it. I'll buy both most probably, if they are good of course, can't really lose then eh?! Actually, I can't wait to see what Re-Spawn come up with in the future... maybe something at E3? :)

    EDIT: typos
    Edited by IkariW at 02/06/11 @ 11:43

  • Tryhard #19 12 months ago

    Like I keep saying to friends.No matter which one wins.I'll still be sitting in my Abrams tank having a blast.

  • Master09 #20 12 months ago

    Though not a fan of COD I can understand why Acti keep milking it.

    Lets be fair on them and cut em some slack.

    We just had the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film, fifth Fast Furious film.... despite being average and thats because they remain popular nonetheless.

    Hollywood are milking their franchises too.

  • TheEarlOfZinger #21 12 months ago

    @vegard

    Damn right. Why have hamburger when you can have steak.

  • CaptainQuint #22 12 months ago

    Y'know, this guy seems okay and he speaks sense, not smack.

    Still want Battlefield to annihilate CoD though.

  • metalangel #23 12 months ago

    I agree with bad09.... a lot of devs are going on and on about how they are going to beat CoD, but none more so than EA. Tell us about why YOUR game is good, don't keep drawing comparisons.

  • Liquidoodle #24 12 months ago

    @carlitoswagon: Was just about to say that, a thank you within a thank you... thankception!

  • hiddenranbir #25 12 months ago

    True, EA need to SHUT THE FUCK UP. It is just aggravating they're all "yeah, head on head, we're gonna kill them yeah!"

  • cianchristopher #26 12 months ago

    I'll be impressed if Battlefield 3 on 360/PS3 runs at a locked 30fps, at full 720p rez, with at least 2xAA and completely v-synced with no tearing at all.

    If they can't tick all those boxes - then they suck, and CoD will remain superior as always.

  • Olemak #27 12 months ago

    BF3 is indeed the superior game, but there is no split-screen, no co-op.

    This is actually a really major selling point for CoD.

    EA should stop sniping at Acti and get cracking on the splitscreen if they want to beat CoD.

  • BuddyChrist #28 12 months ago

    Close battle, but of course there will be some consumer loyalty.

    I want EA to win...

  • joelstinton #29 12 months ago

    Does it matter which one wins? Both games are going to sell into the figures of Multi Millions, and i think both have a good chance to sell close to the 10 million mark. That be a huge success for Dice/EA. Both are different games, supplying different things, its a nice balance to have and looking forward to getting stuck into both. (currently on FPS haitus since FEB)

  • HL706 #30 12 months ago

    This reminds of the old football game battle. CoD4 was akin to FIFA 98 which blown the competition away. It got progressively weaker year-on-year with stale gameplay and a 'cash-in' feel about it while PES rose to dominance and became market leader (think BF in this case). So, if history has taught me anything it's BF will become king for a few years and then grow stale and tired and everyone will buy CoD again. Rinse, repeat, blah, blah, blah.

  • Graveland #31 12 months ago

    I much prefer Battlefield to CoD, but to be realistic CoD will slaughter Battlefield when it comes to sales. Based on my own experiences I know so many people who love CoD and won't even TRY Bad Company 2, so regardless of which game gets the better overall reviews I still believe that CoD will win the sales war because it is a franchise which has a massively loyal user base (one that is obviously much bigger than Battlefield's.)

    Oh well, as long as Battlefield 3 plays as well as BC2 on consoles I couldn't be happier :)

  • coolbritannia #32 12 months ago

    For RandomPanda: "On mw3 its just the sun shining off the bullet, so its why it Cant seen properly"

  • geeza2020 #33 12 months ago

    I couldnt give a shit which game sells more, they're both owned by huge multi-national corporations which dont need my money. I just personally hope BF3 whoops the tar out of CoD as its been held up as the pinnacle of gaming for so long, when in fact, since MW2 anyway, its become the biggest, stalest sack of shite in the industry, and Activision deserve all the failures that I hope are coming their way. But what am I saying, all the critics will be paid off/shocked by the "innovations" and give the new CoD 8's and 9's and it will sell millions. If any critics had any balls they'd slap a 6 on it and tell it how it is. Its the same game re-skinned from 2007 for fucks sake.

    cianchristopher - "I'll be impressed if Battlefield 3 on 360/PS3 runs at a locked 30fps, at full 720p rez, with at least 2xAA and completely v-synced with no tearing at all."

    What about, y'know, the actual game and how it plays and feels? Oh right, you're just another graphics whore.

  • TheEarlOfZinger #34 12 months ago

    Olemak

    I'd rather have destruction than split-screen. Horses for courses.

  • cianchristopher #35 12 months ago

    What about, y'know, the actual game and how it plays and feels? Oh right, you're just another graphics whore.

    Eh? How it "plays and feels" has a lot to do with the framerate consistency and the visual quality. If either of those are lacking (which they have been for BF on console to date) then the whole game suffers as a result.

    Not to mention the fact that a huge part of the hype about Battlefield 3 is to do with the new engine and the quality of the graphics. That's on PC, on console, if their past form is anything to go by - it'll be sub-30fps with tearing galore and jaggies everywhere. Making the graphics merely "passable" and ultimately affecting the entire quality of the game.

  • randompanda #36 12 months ago

    TheEarlOfZinger - Call me greedy but i'd like both!

  • randompanda #37 12 months ago

    cianchristopher - According to DF - all the CoDs so far on consoles have been sub-HD and were then upscaled. Sure they're 60FPS and it's wonderful - but you can't impose higher criteria on a more demanding, better-looking engine.

  • rudedudejude #38 12 months ago

    Halo - totally different game type, MoH, always knew would be wank.

    BF has a longer history than Cod, it's a more strategic, team orientated style of gaming and always has been.

    CoD is just quake 3 with modern warfare skins.

    Cod will probably sell more, but then the Spice girls sold more records than *insert awesome but unpopular band here*

    Popular does not equal better.

  • Renal1ty. #39 12 months ago

    That's true. I still like to play COD online as well as the BF franchise. So it's a win win situation to be in that two massive games are coming out this year.

  • orangpelupa #40 12 months ago

    when cod start to have destruction like BF and have land sea air vehicle like BF,
    and BF start having fast paced shootings, tight maps, and crazy killstreaks bonuses...
    i will be confused to buy BF or CoD....

    but currently cod give different gamplay experience with BF.
    CoD is good.
    BF is good.

    so i just buy what i like.
    and hoping BF3 will have similar DRM with BFBC2.
    - original game not need disc in drive to play
    - SP can be played offline, no need internet, no need disc.

  • Avaloner #41 12 months ago

    I do not really care who wins. I played COD:MW2 and BF:BC2. They are both good games, but I find myself playing the latter most. It just got more 'oh my god did that just happen?' moments. Its great to have competition though. Makes the final product better.

  • Seehuusen #42 12 months ago

    Battlefield 3 delivers much more content, so that's a definate buy for me, i'll buy MW3 when price drops during 2012, tho it's mainly just for SP and Co-op.

  • Genyus #43 12 months ago

    People seriously, its obvious MW3 will win the "who gets the most sales" competition. It's also obvious that based on that, every crackshot COD player will say that MW3 is superior because of the sales.

    Whilst they live their own fantasy, let us rejoice in the real superior game called BF3 and leave those annoying noobs away from a game which will be a lot more enjoyable without them.

  • asharkman #44 12 months ago

    We play split screen cod in work all the time.
    I'm a big bad co fan but I'm not sure if it'd work as well.
    I'd be willing to give it a shot.
    Come on EA give us split screen!

  • bumyoghurt #45 12 months ago

    On one hand, I think "who gives a toss who 'wins'", people like me will buy both and enjoy both.

    On the other hand, one must remember that the real $$$ is not from sales, it's from creating and maintaining a 'community' of gamers, which will be done via the online section of the games. They should really be more worried about the state of their online games rather than the single player. Both games will get 8,9 or 10 out of ten, and will be bought by millions. It's the longevity that they should be worried about.

  • gpanoiah #46 12 months ago

    Activision Should STFU !!! They making Joke of themself !!!

    "We are making the best game we can, and are throwing every resource, innovation and all the creativity we can at it. And hopefully that will maintain our position."
    "

    LOL ! GO F*CK YOURSELF ACTI-LOSERS !

  • eltonpr0n #47 12 months ago

    I blame the chavs who only buy a 360 for cod and fifa for this type of developer attitude. Bugger off activision

  • kinth #48 12 months ago

    way i see it

    most pc gamers will get bf3 most console gamers will get cod.

  • Markusdragon #49 12 months ago

    Battlewhat? Modern Whatfare? I'll be far too busy with Skyrim that month to acknowledge the existence of either game.

  • Kami #50 12 months ago

    "Cod will probably sell more, but then the Spice girls sold more records than Garbage. Popular does not equal better."

    Fixed with appropriate 90s reference.

    And I'm with Markusdragon - I'll be way too busy with Skyrim (if it arrives on schedule, that is) and other games to give a toss on either. I do want BF3 to win obviously, as I dislike Activision, but a the end of the day its a battle for the War Simulator FPS Crown, and I've kind of lost the ability to care. Hope Activision get spanked, but forgive me if I don't hold my breath as millions of people will buy it even if it's grade-A crap condensed into digital format...

  • makeamazing #51 12 months ago

    I dont normally buy these games within about 2 or 3 years of release (unless cheap) as i am not a big fan of COD these days (they ruined it years ago imho)... but if i was going to get one of them on day of release my money is on BF3.

  • JayKwon #52 12 months ago

    I'm going for Gears of War 3 for my shooter fix hahaha.

  • Kaminari #53 12 months ago

    The only amount of buzz surrounding MW3 is how archaic and tired it looks compared to BF3.

  • Gunhappy23 #54 12 months ago

    You heard it here first!!!!! I predict the new COD will have a 4hr single player story which will have a few slow motion (bullet time) momments a vehicle chase of some sorts it will also look like thing are going to go tits up then you win!! As for mutiplayer you will get a few new guns ,perks ,killstreaks ,maybe a new gamemode new prestiges...........
    Edited by Gunhappy23 at 02/06/11 @ 14:58

  • thedriffter50 #55 12 months ago

    As much as I dislike Acti they are right. EA has given free publicity to them and you know what they say, '' any publicity is good publicity ''.

    Instead of talking what CoD is going to do just focus on what your going to do.

  • geoneo123 #56 12 months ago

    I am surprised no one has touched on the online pass that EA are now whacking in with every game they release! This is annoying and Acti are starting to do the same!

    When the dust settles there will be one winner. Who that will be only time will tell but I doubt people should judge the games based on previous titles as there will be new engines and a new dev team esp on the side of MW3 with Raven Software and Sledgehammer Games.

    I no doubt will be picking up both games because I believe each game will have a different feel to it and I go through fazes.

    BF3 = Team based, co-op feel to the game. I love blowing holes in the buildings to dig out a camper!!! Kills feel worth more
    MW3 = FAST paced action, fun kill streaks - But it's starting to get really boring now as it the same thing over again. Hope they bring some new to the multiplayer.

  • danidrums #57 12 months ago

    The only original game and the starting point for all of this was the good 'ol Medal of Honor on Ps1 back in '99, if I remember right. Dreamworks & EA won and still wins IMHO. ;)
    Anyway, COD got me tired, it has a static environment and has a b-movie sound feel after playing BC2, so I'll get BF3. Thank you, goodnight, we love you all.

  • Mopzey #58 12 months ago

    I just dont understand why acti aree still bragging about an old engine saying its better, when it clearly isnt

  • king26 #59 12 months ago

    Lets be honest, a victory for EA would be a victory for gaming! Fuck this I'm of to play BC2!!

  • ballshock #60 12 months ago

    activision are scum