MW3 Kotick vs. BF3 Riccitiello at E3

By Robert Purchese Published 13 June, 2011

"We got his goat."

Seconds out, round whatever: EA's John Riccitiello and Activision's Bobby Kotick are at it again.

"I can't objectively tell you what I think of other products until I see them," Kotick told Reuters at E3. "Battlefield I've only seen on a PC and nobody's seen it on a console yet.

"Most of our consumers play games on a console. Until I see it on a console, I wouldn't be objective on commenting on it."

Riccitiello riposted: "It's the beginning of the war and [Kotick] recognises they're going to be threatened.

"We're going to have a clash of the titans this fall. The very fact that he's trying to cast doubt on our game is a perfect example of how we got his goat.

"In terms of where this goes, we think our PS3 game is better than their Xbox game and our PC game is better than their PC game. If that's all he's got to say, it's obviously going to evaporate as we launch all three. If you went to our press conference, you saw the PS3 footage and the Xbox footage. If Bobby thinks that is PC footage, he's in real trouble."

Riccitiello has spearheaded a war of words on Activision's Call of Duty empire since Battlefield 3 was announced (and even before then with Battlefield: Bad Company 2).

In December, Riccitiello outlined his COD-toppling masterplan and had a pop at the Black Ops team. In March 2011, DICE talked up the tech battle between BF3 and Call of Duty, and called competitors "lazy".

In April, Riccitiello estimated that the marketing battle between Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3 will cost $200 million. A month later, Riccitiello said EA's game was "flat out superior" to Call of Duty.

In May, EA outlined exactly how it will knock Call of Duty off its perch.

Activision's response to this bombardment? Thanks. "Thanks for the assistance in building awareness."

Then last week, EA described the COD-focused PR campaign as "a bit of fun". It's good for the industry, said EA Games boss Frank Gibeau - "Everybody loves a heavyweight fight."

But can Battlefield 3 really KO undefeated heavyweight champion of the world Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 this autumn? Regardless of critical opinion, Call of Duty has an army of loyal supporters that have broken sales records every year since Modern Warfare 2.

Modern Warfare 3 at E3 2011.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (49) Latest comment 12 months ago

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

  • J0rdan_KZ #1 12 months ago

    As long as the 13 year old CAAAAAAAAAALL O' DOOOOOOOTY retards stay off my PC version of Battlefield 3, then sure, whatever!

    On a more serious note, it's very unlikely BF3 will outsell MW3 simply due to brand awareness. Which is a shame, because it's likely that BF3 will be the better game.

  • darkmorgado #2 12 months ago

    According to reports, Kottick was at E3 and sent his PA along to the EA booth to demand that he be given access to the VIP hands-on of BF3. When EA refused to admit him, his PA kicked up a stink ("do you know who he is?" etc) before storming off in a huff.

    Anything that pisses off Kottick is a-ok in my book.

  • Skooch #3 12 months ago

    Stick and stones may break my bones but games will never hurt me.
    Edited by Skooch at 13/06/11 @ 10:46

  • wizlon #4 12 months ago

    Please someone put them both in a ring and let them fight it out like men... with any luck they'll knock each other out.

    Although, having seem some footage of BF3 recently I have to say it looks outstanding.

  • X201 #5 12 months ago

    New game mode

    Capture the Goat

  • flaming-carrot #6 12 months ago

    Apparently, there will be BF3 console footage shown on The Jimmy Fallon Show on Thursday night.

    [link url=http://planetbattlefield.gamespy.com/fullstory.php?id=165032
    ]http://planetbattlefield.gamespy.com/ful...[/link]

    Someone please just keep the controller away from Jimmy. Watching him bumble his way through UC3 was painful enough.

  • munki83 #7 12 months ago

    Boby boy kinda has a point. Im interested to see what BF3 looks like on the consoles. He is still a prick though

  • darkmorgado #8 12 months ago

    @munki83

    Read the article. They clearly state they were showing the console footage at E3.

  • Kayin #9 12 months ago

    It's a good thing they turned Kotick away, or whatever they'd had showing in the private booths would likely have ended up in MW3 as a 'tribute'.

  • BillMurray #10 12 months ago

    It was mentioned on the Giant Bombcast that there was a console running BF on the e3 floor, dunno how true this was though.

  • jablonski #11 12 months ago

    It's embarrassing that you're lulled in by this PR bullshit - it's like two boxers pretending to square up before a weigh in - they couldn't give 2 shits about each other, it's all about the pay day.


    Tell you what EG, post COD/BF3 news in October or November and I'll be interested.
    Right now, it's half a fucking year away.

  • Darren #12 12 months ago

    I don't care for either game personally beyond following their developments but based on what I've seen of them if I had to choose then my money would be on Battlefield 3 which at least looks like it is running on a modern engine with decent physics, destruction and more realistic visuals and gameplay. Call of Duty: MW3 is running on a very dated engine and looks like it wants to be a James Bond movie complete with ridiculously over the top set-pieces and an incomprehensible plot.

  • munki83 #13 12 months ago

    Ah my mistake Dark thanks for pointing it out.I've still not seen teh footage though so will need to have ahunt for it. Anyway I'm not buying any more cod after the disaster of the last one on PSX3. Will end up getting BF3 on PC and will wait to see what console to pick it up on aswell. Hope the PSX3 version is better so I dont need to fork out for a Gold sub.

  • Andoryu #14 12 months ago

    Crap like this annoys me, so here's Robert Bowling's (Creative Strategist on Modern Warfare 3) take on the issue, it's much nicer: [link url=http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/hwkjy/iam_robert_bowling_creative_strategist_on_modern/c1yy8od
    ]http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/hw...[/link]

    Full thread on Reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/hw...

  • StueyBoy16 #15 12 months ago

    This whole argument is a bit unnecessary really.
    They are two very different games.
    I will be buying both and more than likely thoroughly enjoy both of them.
    So who will win? Me I guess.

  • DwarfyP #16 12 months ago

    I didn't see any console footage of BF3 at E3. Where was that?

  • Architect_z #17 12 months ago

    I actually like the way that the COD teams are handling the situation. BF3 is basically trying to start a fight, and the COD guys arent bothered. But regardless, the game will prove which ones better.

  • munki83 #18 12 months ago

    "In terms of where this goes, we think our PS3 game is better than their Xbox game and our PC game is better than their PC game. If that's all he's got to say, it's obviously going to evaporate as we launch all three. If you went to our press conference, you saw the PS3 footage and the Xbox footage. If Bobby thinks that is PC footage, he's in real trouble."

    I dont think the footage is online yet but I may be mistaken

  • nuanimal #19 12 months ago

    >i>"In terms of where this goes, we think our PS3 game is better than their Xbox game and our PC game is better than their PC game"[/i]

    What about their Xbox version - is that the worst of all then? Don't tell Mr Leadbetter.

  • TheEarlOfZinger #20 12 months ago

    I'm a battlefield fan through and through, but I wish Riccitiello would just shut the fuck up.

  • chris_ace #21 12 months ago

    Post deleted at 11:55:13 13-12-2011

  • SPENCER41 #22 12 months ago

    I for one will be purchasing both of these games. Fence, sit on

  • DrStrangelove #23 12 months ago

    I've had enough of this challenge shouting. What is Riccitiello, a wrestler? If he doesn't stop, I shall not try BF3, because I can't take it anymore before it's even on the shelves.

  • Tryhard #24 12 months ago

    Months of this to come.I did welcome some MW3 clan tag players to Arica rush with my Abrams.It was just a pity they were on the receiving end.

  • DrizztP #25 12 months ago

    Battlefied 3 FTW!

  • geeza2020 #26 12 months ago

    Wouldnt if be funny if they were both released after all this build-up and hype to universally awful reviews, and sales for both were in the toilet?

    I'd laugh anyway....

    Back in the real world though I'll be getting BF3.

  • Jay-ITFC #27 12 months ago

    I still maintain that EA are trying to talk themselves up in a 'fight' that otherwise wouldn't have existed. They keep poking COD/Activision/Kotick with a stick hoping to get some attention. A little sad?
    Edited by Jay-ITFC at 13/06/11 @ 12:08

  • RandomTerrain #28 12 months ago

    Give the poor guy his goat back. It's not right.

  • Jonny5Alive7 #29 12 months ago

    I'd like to know which bits were the console footage, they should have said.

  • shave_my_donkey #30 12 months ago

    i really want cod to fail

  • sfp_noodle #31 12 months ago

    I'm actually sick of this guy now. As much as I'm not a fan of COD, Acti have just gone about their business ad carried on doing their thing. In that same period this EA douche has come with FIVE different attacks on the franchise. Yeah it was cool to bash COD after BLOPS, but there's a far more even divide now. At the same time I doubt the COD loyalists will care what's happening over at EA with BF3.

    The worst part is that regardless of how good BF3 ends up being, COD is going to absolutely batter it in terms of sales and everyone including EA knows it. They should give up trying to topple COD this gen. The war is over as far as I'm concerned so they should look forward to next gen where they should be there day one to grab the upper hand. COD4 succeeded in doing that nearly 4 years ago when there wasn't really a flagship shooter available and has held the title ever since. If EA can do something similar at the start of next gen they have a chance. But this gen? They're just burning that $200 million on advertising. It'll buy a few extra thousand sales, but no way will it convert a significant number of the COD fanbase.

  • Jonny5Alive7 #32 12 months ago

    @geeza202 Even if that were true all the reviewers would be too scared to mark it down. Both games will get at least an 8/10 regardless of how good or bad they are.

  • Olemak #33 12 months ago

    Haha, I read this as "We got his coat", meaning that he had to leave his coat while being chased from the E3 junket. Or that Riccitiiello stole it or something, in a bit of fratboy shenanigans.
    That would have been a better story :)

  • sonicyoda #34 12 months ago

    What do you mean by "regardless of critical opinion"? You gave Black Ops an 8!

  • infernox1 #35 12 months ago

    there is some ps3 footage in that bf3 trailer. i remember 1 of them was where there was a police car on a street, didnt look as detailed as the pc footage, thats for sure, but not too bad.

  • Ryze #36 12 months ago

    Yawn.

    I'll wait for the games to drop. BF3 for me.

  • BritishBlue1 #37 12 months ago

    This whole situation is perfectly juvenile and sounds like playground arguing.

    "I'm better than you"
    "Nuh ah, I'm better"
    "No, I'm better"
    "Liar, lair pant's on fire"

    You wouldn't think it was two of the biggest publishers in the business, it does the industry no credit.

  • markyHD #38 12 months ago

    @Britishblue

    I disagree. It shows that these old timers still know how to have a laugh and have fun with the banter in their industry.

  • Ahskay #39 12 months ago

    Man, i don't like COD anymore but EA, seriously, that's a high mountain to fall off if you don't have the lead in sales. I'm happy for the competition though, it's only good for us gamers.

  • agent55 #40 12 months ago

    Don't really care if BF3 can "KO" COD (in sales), but I DO have a lot of excitement to play BF3 and absolutely zero intention to try MW3. One embraces realism from the gameplay to visuals, the other emulates Micheal Bay whenever it can, which gets old real quick... kinda like his movies.

  • king26 #41 12 months ago

    I know it's all about the pay day at the end of the day, but it's the way in which Dice and IW are going about that makes me care. To put it simply IW are lazy, remaking a 2007 game. Dice are making what could be the best of its genre ever seen, pushing gameplay and technology in new directions.

  • Farzlepot #42 12 months ago

    Does anybody remember the time when EA and Activision made lots and lots of different games?

  • king26 #43 12 months ago

    In fairness EA still does make loads of different games..Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Dead Space, FIFA and a million other sports franchises
    Edited by king26 at 13/06/11 @ 23:06

  • blackbriar101 #44 12 months ago

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mgKDf6hf...

  • simplerotation #45 12 months ago

    Ugh, I think this just makes EA look really petty, if they were totally confident in BF3 then they wouldn't care who played it, what on earth do they think BobbyK will find out that Acti don't already know by getting his hands on the game?
    Why can't they just focus on making BF3 the best game it can be, rather than focussing on 'toppling' COD? How much money are they going to waste giving BF3 a huge, ridiculous marketing budget whilst neglegting areas of the development? Or rushing parts of it to fit their marketing plan?

    All of this postulating just distracts from all anyone actually cares about - the quality of the game itself. I don't know if BF3 is a good game, if it's better than MW3 or if it will sell more, but I do know that Riccitello, by running his mouth off looks like more of an asshole than BobbyK and that's a huge fucking achievement!

  • sir_smooch #46 12 months ago

    lol i actually think its cool that the ea guy said what he said, i think it shows passion for his product even if it seems a little childish. And even though i contribute to it i still can't help feeling as though the cod franchise what with all this cod elite talk at the mo is just becoming some sort of cash cow for activision. the last game for me definitely lacked soul and even gameplay ran dry eventually. I guess i just prefer the whole battlefield experience as opposed to where the cod one has ended up. I will probably buy both games though.

  • arcam #47 12 months ago

    Mud-slinging leads to news stories, news stories lead to sales.

    It's as simple as that.

  • gjgjg #48 12 months ago

    "if he thinks the footage was pc then he's in trouble"
    Promising statement! Eitherway ill be battlefeilding again this year, better graphics or not

  • ballshock #49 12 months ago

    I reckon COD will sell more at launch, but people will get pissed at the game and get battlefield 3 later