Livingstone sees "no room for mediocrity"

By Robert Purchese Published 1 July, 2009

"Roast duck or no dinner" for Eidos this year.

Eidos life president Ian Livingstone reckons publishers will need to go big this year or be forced to go home, as there is "no room for mediocrity" at the table.

"A lot of titles have already hit the shelves and there is a deluge planned for Christmas, but I think 2009 will be remembered as the year of 'roast duck or no dinner'," he told GamesIndustry.biz. "Big-ticket titles continue to sell well but many of the smaller titles will probably disappoint their owners."

"There's a glut of product and in a discerning market there is no room for mediocrity. To make a suboptimal game with a suboptimal marketing spend is a recipe for disaster.

"I think we'll continue to see more production resources going into fewer titles supported by even bigger marketing budgets. Publishers are continuing to raise the investment bar, ensuring the mega-franchises will rule," he added.

His claims are supported by a brand-heavy autumn schedule, featuring the likes of Modern Warfare 2, Assassin's Creed 2, FIFA 10, BioShock 2, and Splinter Cell: Conviction, not to mention eagerly-followed games like Red Dead Redemption, Alan Wake and Heavy Rain.

Eidos, for its own part, has Batman: Arkham Asylum down for August, Championship Manager 2010 and Mini Ninjas poised for September and Just Cause 2 for Q3. There's no Tomb Raider this year, however.

Square Enix took control of Eidos earlier this year, a move Livingstone feels British developers are being forced into by lack of government support.

"It's a classic case of British industry, where we don't realise what we've got until it's gone. The UK is incredible at creating world-beating IP but not particularly good at retaining ownership of it," he said.

"Take a look at who owns all the major UK-created franchises and play spot the Brit!"

Pop over to GamesIndustry.biz for the full interview with Ian Livingstone.

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.

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

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Comments (16) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • Darren #1 3 years ago

    It's always good to hear how publishers are striving to make good games but sadly they still let the odd stinker slip through the net but as long as it's on the Wii - the home of mediocrity IMO - then I'm happy to let it pass! ;)

    Batman Arkham Asylum is looking exceptionally good from what I've seen of it so I'm really hyped up for that game. Hope it actually delivers! Just Cause 2 is looking good too. Not too many games coming from Eidos this year but I'll happily take quality over quantity any day.

  • JahB #2 3 years ago

    To make a suboptimal game with a suboptimal marketing spend is a recipe for disaster

    that must be why so many publishers go suboptimal game with optimal marketing and still sell shitloads of games.

  • laudy #3 3 years ago

    I really do think this guy should have acted as a consultant for the Damnation posse...

  • Raziel #4 3 years ago

    Publishers and developers just need to know when to give up.

    "Generic Shooter 3" is obviously gonna flop and sell like shit if you release it in November alongside Modern Warfare 2, but if they release it halfway Juli, it'll suddenly be the summer/sleeper hit everyone buys since there ain't many other games.

  • _Price_ #5 3 years ago

    He's right; at the moment I'm not looking forward to any title enough to buy it on release.

    Come to think of it this gen. games are going to have to seriously impress to get me to part with my cash at all.
    Edited by 1 at 01/07/09 @ 16:26

  • the_dudefather #6 3 years ago

    just make the reviewers give higher scores for your games, that should do it

  • Skurmedel #7 3 years ago

    Isn't Just Cause 2 scheduled for 2010? I've not seen it listed as a 2009 Q3 release anywhere else?

  • Oh-Bollox #8 3 years ago

    Great news! The last thing we want is diversity.

    That wasn't a racial statement, I was talking about games.

    Honest.

  • kangarootoo #9 3 years ago

    What a massive load of stating the obvious, with no small sprinking of self evangelising.

    Translation...

    "Gamers (thats you out there) don't like crap games and they shouldn't buy crap games. Here at Eidos we make great games, so gamers (that is you good people) should buy our games, 'cos we make the games you like, 'cos you are smart and discerning (yes, you)".
    Edited by 1 at 01/07/09 @ 22:33

  • Darkjinxter #10 3 years ago

    No room for mediocrity he says, this coming from the gob of a man who excelled in mediocrity.
    No...I'm not going to expand on that by listing the mediocre games he oversaw, work it out for yourself.

  • clockworkzombie #11 3 years ago

    I like mucking about with flawed games like Turning point: Fall of Liberty.

    The ideas were good certainly a much better game than its demo would suggest. Pick it up cheap or rent it for a weekend of fun. I do hope they make a sequel.

    Sometimes aiming for perfection and failing can produce interesting results that lead to greater things.

  • wattoo #12 3 years ago

    Livingstone sees "no room for mediocrity"

    Is he leaving Eidos then?

  • sneetch #13 3 years ago

    Games will have to be increasingly impressive to get me to part with my hard earned (and seriously reduced) cash. €50 for a mediocre PC game? €60-70 for a mediocre console game? Not likely these days, I stood in GAME for 10 or so minutes weighing up the pros and cons of buying Overlord II then and there, or waiting a few weeks for the price drop. That's the first time I've done that in years.

  • tripitaka #14 3 years ago

    Presumably this is why Eidos don't like reviewers giving their games mediocre reviews?

  • BadByte #15 3 years ago

    @sneetch Good point, I've never figured out why console games have a such artificial high price they could get more sales at a lower price. Unless one's money grows on trees have must read several reviews to find out if game X is worth the money or not.

  • sneetch #16 3 years ago

    @saucymonk
    But what if you don`t like Roast duck??

    I believe there's a vegetarian lasagne option.