EA attacks Call of Duty: Elite strategy

By Fred Dutton Published 16 June, 2011

Hopes franchise will "rot from the core".

Activision botched the announcement of its Call of Duty: Elite community portal, so says EA boss John Riccitiello.

Talking in an interview with IndustryGamers, Riccitiello suggested that its competitor would have copped less flak from gamers over Elite's premium paid-for features had it been announced after Modern Warfare 3 had hit the shops.

"I don't know what's in Elite right now, but based on what I've seen, I think they might've been better off holding the Elite thing and been a little more careful and show up a month after they've launched Modern Warfare 3," he explained.

"'Hey, we've got an expansion pack. It's going to be x amount of money, but if you give us y amount of money, you get extra stuff.' As opposed to leading with their chin.

"I think the reason they led with their chin is that they needed to say something against what was clearly a more powerful presentation of Battlefield 3 over Modern Warfare. So they needed something to say.

"I think they picked the wrong thing, but there's a lot of months between now and November so they've got plenty of time to recover."

Elsewhere in the chat, Riccitiello fired off a few more choice salvos in the publisher's ongoing war of words with the Call of Duty custodian.

Not only did he suggest that the third entry in Infinity Ward's series was "a little bit jump the shark" but he also argued that the decision to focus on the core gamer with Battlefield 3 over Modern Warfare's courting of the mainstream would help tip the balance in EA's favour.

"So I do think, though, that we've got the better game, the better tack. And if you think about your readership, it's got a concentration of people that might tell the difference between a good game and a bad game. We're going to do really well there.

"A lot of people bought Modern Warfare more for the coffee table and didn't play it for two months. There's sort of that mass audience... they're going to win there. The question is, 'So, if the gamer buys our game and the mass audience buys their game, where do the two meet?' And all I want to do, if you will, is to have them rot from the core," he explained.

"And so if we can start that process, we're in a good spot."

The EA boss then hammered home his criticisms of the Elite announcement.

"I do think the core is going to be particularly anxious about a pre-announcement of a subscription and I think the reason they'll be anxious about it is because if they led with, 'Here's 10 great things you get,' and they go, 'Oh, I can't wait to buy them,' that's one thing. If they lead with a business model that's another thing.

"But wait and see. I give them... well, I don't really give them the benefit of the doubt, but I've got no choice but to wait and watch."

Battlefield 3 is due to launch on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on 28th October, a couple of weeks ahead of Modern Warfare 3 on 8th November.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (62) Latest comment 11 months ago

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

  • Smoped #1 11 months ago

    So which one will be the first to rip off their tanktop on stage?

  • Der_tolle_Emil #2 11 months ago

    I have no idea what this guy is saying.

  • Gimpy_Wonderland #3 11 months ago

    Is it just me, or are EA starting to get a little bit TOO arrogant in this whole BF3 vs MW3 "battle"?

  • bemaniac #4 11 months ago

    Battlefield 3 is due to launch on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on 28th October, a couple of weeks ahead of Modern Warfare 3 on 8th November.

    Holy crap it's like the first time the info at the page foot is right!

  • harzo #5 11 months ago

    Is anyone else sick of EA bad-mouthing Activision? We know you will have the better game, but fuck off and let us choose which one to buy ourselves and enjoy. I know what franchise I will be buying again, but your petty remarks are doing you no favours.

  • geordiek #6 11 months ago

    Oh come on! I'm no massive fan of COD, but all this smack talk is just silly.
    We all know COD will win the sales war.
    We all know BF3 will be the better game.

  • Lord_Gremlin #7 11 months ago

    News flash: both CoD and Battlefield sucks. They are boring, scripted military shooters.

  • WeakOrbit #8 11 months ago

    Nintendo awkwardly watches schoolyard fight.

    " Wait a few years you guys. I'll show you all"

  • INSOMANiAC #9 11 months ago

    Still using online codes in your games to devalue peoples purchases EA? oh right, fuck off then!
    Edited by INSOMANiAC at 16/06/11 @ 21:38

  • Freki #10 11 months ago

    I thought BF3 did indeed look better than MW3. I think COD:Elite is a rubbish idea. However, I still think EA need to shut up and just let their software do the talking as this macho posturing is infantile and makes both sides look even more retarded than they currenty are!

  • butler` #11 11 months ago

    i read that whole thing hoping that, by the end of it, i might get to the bottom of what he was trying to say

    i'm still none the wiser

  • SBfistfun #12 11 months ago

    I have no idea what this guy is saying.
    He's got nothing to say and hes saying it to loud.

  • Dannyboy1100 #13 11 months ago

    Aren't these the guys who just asked us whether we would pay for battlefield online?

  • Gambit1977 #14 11 months ago

    Ok, so normally when I read something I get where it's coming from. This reads like Steve McClarens press conference :s

  • emhaslam92 #15 11 months ago

    Already had enough of this. Wake me up in October.

  • oceanmotion #16 11 months ago

    You can just see them in their offices having group meetings and getting all riled up like American Football players, banging chests together, "LETS DO THIS! YEA!!!!!!!!"

  • Hunam #17 11 months ago

    I'd more impressed but EA have been reciveing as much flak for their DLC and Pre-order stuff.

  • Gojiratron #18 11 months ago

    The boss of the company behind Fifa criticising a rival for targeting the mainstream?

    A clear cut case of pots and kettles for sure.

  • kingz #19 11 months ago

    It's ironic that EA are complaining about some of Activision's business strategy's when they release DLC pre installed on disks, online code verification's and pre-order bonuses. That's not to say Battlefield will be the better game for alot of people(myself included).

  • daddygerplex #20 11 months ago

    I work at a videogame retailer (dont laugh) and i assure you MW3 is going to (sadly) absolutely take a steaming shit on BF3 in terms of sales if the pre-orders from my store are anything to go buy. I would say its a 10-1 ratio easily so far and thats with a £5 deposit.

  • PaulieWaulie #21 11 months ago

    Post deleted at 14:23:40 06-01-2012

  • blackbriar101 #22 11 months ago

    Yeah I've a copy of Modern Warfare on my coffee table, next to Time and Vogue. It makes chicks crazy horny.

  • Golgo #23 11 months ago

    the man is starting to sound demented now. had he just emerged from the toilets sniffing convulsively just before giving that interview?

  • king26 #24 11 months ago

    EA remind me of Jose Mourinho, love it!
    Seriously cannot wait for Battlefield 3!

  • bemaniac #25 11 months ago

    I've found a MW player at work and made friends with him specifically to persuade him not to buy MW3 and to teach him about mass marketing and bullshit. He is unteachable.........like a zombie I don't think I can stop him calling the main single player adventure from Zelda a 'campaign' and I don't think I can make him notice games like Rez and SPace Channel 5 but I tried my darndest! DAMN YOU ACTIVISION AND EA!!!!

  • hiddenranbir #26 11 months ago

    John is going to kill the BF franchise. Seriously. STOP TALKING ABOUT CoD!. Just stop talking. He ruined DA2. He wil probably ruin ME3. He just ruins games with his talk.

    MW3 will sell more. Cry more John.

    And still I'll be buying BF3.
    Edited by hiddenranbir at 16/06/11 @ 23:10

  • Gromit #27 11 months ago

    Is it just me or are EA turning EVIL again??? Maybe they never really changed....

  • bburdett #28 11 months ago

    I can't believe this petty war of words will be going on for another 5 months almost. In fact, it will continue after the release of the games too. I also can't believe that EA appears to be being the biggest douches in the whole thing.

  • Futaba #29 11 months ago

    I thought EA said these exchanges were just 'friendly banter'?

  • ajaxpliskin #30 11 months ago

    He looks like Satan. He talks like Satan.

  • jablonski #31 11 months ago

    Its not the devs, its retarded games websites asking the questions trying to stir up a news story.

    We've got SIX MONTHS of this bullshit to go

  • afghan_jones #32 11 months ago

    Shut the fuck up EA and just let the games speak for themselves. At this point you are coming off as a right bunch of cunts and somehow making Activision look genuinely classy.

    I want to like BF3 but frankly you are just putting me off with this crap.

  • evilrobot #33 11 months ago

    Post deleted at 22:12:53 08-05-2012

  • sfp_noodle #34 11 months ago

    I think this guy will only shut up once both games are released by the end of December 2011, when (sadly) MW3 has outsold BF3 by a ratio of 10:1

    It's going to happen whether we, or he likes it or not.

  • Shikasama #35 11 months ago

    'So yeah, MW will make more money than our game, but all those guys are idiots. The people who buy our games are the clever ones because our game totally rocks'.

    Ignoring the fact that:
    a) A lot of people have both games
    b) Both games do two totally different things
    c) He's just called millions of people who buy the OTHER EA games (the mainstream) idiots. Those same people Mass Effect 3 and Dragon Age 2 are aimed at.

  • coolbritannia #36 11 months ago

    Yeah, bored of this smack talking now guys.

  • geox30 #37 11 months ago

    This asshole cannot stop me from buying Battlefield 3.Nice try though...

  • Duke_Red #38 11 months ago

    more bravado frrom EA

    They know COD is the franchise on top

  • Phishfood #39 11 months ago

    This is like the smack talk at a weigh-in and both fighters look hella ugly

  • Mister-Wario #40 11 months ago

    I don't even play these games and I'm getting sick to death of these petty rants against CoD. Good grief, I'd expect the boss of a major games publisher to be more mature. Stop whining about what your rival is doing and blow him out of the water with your product instead. That'll be far more effective.

  • Sir_STRESSHEaD #41 11 months ago

    You know what? I'm a fan of most military shooters, Battlefield and COD included. I'm used to the fan boys having stupid things to say about each franchise but to hear a supposed "spokesperson" for E.A talking that kinda redundant trash pisses me off! I certainly do not hope the COD franchise rots from the core... as I happen to be a big fan!

  • Subdominator #42 11 months ago

    Think he will be very sad when he gets the sales of both BF3 and MW3. TBH all EA suits should just STFU for good. We all know that you're jealous because you are no more the behemoth owning all sales reports that is Activision and you want your place at the sun back. And once you have it you will return to being the complete morons that you always were. Oh wait, you never changed. Who started the online pass? EA did. Who started payable cheat DLC? EA did. Who started killing off support for multiplayer servers for older games? EA did. Who put out one WW2 shooter after another with no evolution? EA did. Who killed various respected developer studios? EA did. Who started the whole corporate identity studio shit? EA did. Who got rid of printed manuals? EA did. Who would be the first to charge extra if they had an IP millions are fans of? Guess what? EA. When an EA rep opens their mouth and bashes Activision I want to punch them in the face and never stop. And yes, Activision is stupid but the only reason they can be is because there's 2 million dumb people willing to pay for stuff that was free in the past.

    When did EA become the good guy? The two are equally bad.

  • miiiguel #43 11 months ago

    I can't stand military shooters anymore, and it's kinda sad companies are pouring so much money into this stale genre with absolutly no charisma and ideas. Guess it's not their fault though.
    Edited by miiiguel at 17/06/11 @ 03:10

  • Number1Laing #44 11 months ago

    He sounds jealous of CoD.

  • ruddiger7 #45 11 months ago

    Im more looking forward to skyrim then either of these two

  • RevanNL #46 11 months ago

    Shut up shut up shut up EA!!!! Now I kinda don't want to buy BF3, just because of EA's attitude

  • metalangel #47 11 months ago

    BRINK BRINK BRINK BRINK BRINK BRINK

  • Freakachuu #48 11 months ago

    EA seem to be doing everything possible to sabotage my purchase of BF3. They've certainly put me and a few of my friends off with the idea that the PC version will be available from their online store only.

  • Freakachuu #49 11 months ago

    EA seem to be doing everything possible to sabotage my purchase of BF3. They've certainly put me and a few of my friends off with the idea that the PC version will be available from their online store only.

  • meerkat23 #50 11 months ago

    MW2 already jumped the shark. It was bonkers!

  • OllyJ #51 11 months ago

    I wish they'd both shut up to be honest, it's putting me off both titles.

  • JesseDeya #52 11 months ago

    Why don't you guys go and read the original article and see how Eurogamer - once again - leaves key comments OUT to make things seem more sensational.

    How about I re-include those select quotes and you tell me if it reads differently:

    "The honest truth is I think Modern Warfare is going to be a really good game...."

    "....And I think there’s a market for that."

    "I think our game is more authentic. It’s definitely going to do a lot of things better. Lighting’s better, physics is better, animations are better, particle effects are better, vehicles are better. I think there’s a lot of things to like about our product and I think it’s going to be a great battle."

    "When two titans go up against each other, and battle each other for how you’re going to spend your entertainment time and dollars, it doesn’t get better than that. So as a headline, I think this is the best time in the game industry. I love when this happens."

  • StolenGlory #53 11 months ago

    "EA seem to be doing everything possible to sabotage my purchase of BF3. They've certainly put me and a few of my friends off with the idea that the PC version will be available from their online store only."

    Um, it's not. You can get the PC version anywhere.

  • effinjamie #54 11 months ago

    Oh just stop it now!

  • hiddenranbir #55 11 months ago

    Wow Jesse, thanks for the reveal.

    EG, you're cunts.

  • BOBBYLUPO #56 11 months ago

    "A lot of people bought Modern Warfare more for the coffee table."

    That's quite a pre-order bonus.

  • alcides #57 11 months ago

    Stop being a fucking tabloid, please EG. We don't care what PR as to bitch about other PR. Bitching isn't info. We want an opinion. A journalistic one if it doesn't bother you.

  • Beano #58 11 months ago

    I think the COD Elite idea is really great... it will cause fragmentation and make the fans to get tired of the COD/MW raping and milking faster - eventually causing the series to be shut down. Good for gaming and humanity!

  • 32768Colours #59 11 months ago

    What on earth that guy was just going on about!

    ...and what does leading by the chin mean?!

    Honestly, can't these companies employ someone to speak in normal everyday language instead of executive jargon? I'm guessing that he doesn't like MW3 and that Elite thingy (mainly because he's paid to prefer BF3 of course), but that's working purely on intuition.

  • markyHD #60 11 months ago

    I'm starting to think this is a Scooby Doo moment where all of a sudden John Riccitiello pulls his mask off, and it's that bastard Kotick underneath!

  • JesseDeya #61 11 months ago

    The expression he used is "led with their chin" which isn't something he just made up, it's in common use. My understanding is that it refers to fighters (boxers) who normally lead with their left or their right, but the expression "lead with your chin" means to metaphorically stick your chin out as if inviting the knock out punch. IE: A risky and stupid thing to do, inviting failure.

    It actually makes perfect sense within the context of his argument.

  • trubadman #62 11 months ago

    After prestiging (is that even a word!) too many times in black ops, I've decided I wasn't going to get MW3 so I could concentrate on other games. Maybe I will buy MW3 purely due to Riccitello's tone, surely you should be arrogant after having the results to back you up. I know that in any industry, it is dog eat dog between rival companies, but do you have to make it so blatant. Why don't they advertise their game and talk about that rather than talk about COD all the time. To me they're both FPS's but they fall into two distinct sub-genres, and the particular elements of these sub-genres appeal to different people. Granted they may take some of COD's market share, but how many people believe or are willing to bet that in one years time Battlefield 3 will be accredited with the title of fastest and best selling game ever or even have higher aggregate sales than MW3. I'm sure that some COD fans will be lost, but there will probably be a lot of people who just buy both games to get best of both.