Take-Two's Ben Feder Comments by Ellie Gibson

Does anyone think they will do Vice City etc on this generation of consoles and leave GTA V until next gen?

To be fair, the chap didn't actually say anything. Perhaps when he leaves business he could go into politics.

I'd prefer something other to Vice City... some fresh ground.

Was he asking his own question at the end there?

"Ben Feder: Is it in development?"

:)

^ lol. If it was I can picture the dude's thinking: "ffs, let's get this shit over, I need to make a million before lunch time, or else"

"I think it will be worth waiting for."

Why do all executives use the phrase "I think"? ..."I think",what the hell does that mean? It doesn't inspire confidence. If he was more assertive and said "[Agent] is going to be brilliant!" then you could get excited about it.

When he says "I think" some of the anticipation just drains away a little.

He wasn't committed about GTA VI DLC on on 360 though was he.

@ Widge
They could maybe base it on a city outside of America? Could make it more interesting.

you can tell eg dont do this stuff much, sounded more like an interrogation as opposed to an interview!

"you can tell eg dont do this stuff much, sounded more like an interrogation as opposed to an interview!"

And if you ask me they should ascertain whether they could use some US style 'interview' methods to get some more useful/interesting/specific information out of the lad!

Nice interview Ellie, it's nice to see the questions that you find yourself asking while reading an interview actually being asked, like 'exclusive forever' etc. Even if he wasn't forthcoming, kudos for asking.

Liked the GTA V question too

- Febuary twelv...oh shit!

Edit: stupid tags.

He seems a little dry? Very much the consumate business man though I guess?

"sounded more like an interrogation as opposed to an interview!"

IMHO video game journalists should employ that style of interviewing a bit more often. It happens way too frequently that publishers/developers make some crazy statements and the interviewer lets it pass without questioning it.

@legendmir
you can tell eg dont do this stuff much, sounded more like an interrogation as opposed to an interview!

I agree, the way Ellie kept asking questions! It was just like an interrogation and unlike an interview where she would instead... ask... well, ask questions really.

You sure you're not just picturing her asking these questions in a particularly harsh or demanding way?

Well that was a boring guy to interview. Obviously he is the guy pulling the strings, but darn, did he smile once during the interview?


Btw: How is this for an idea:

An interview series interviewing different people from different parts of the gaming industry. People who arent famous.

Nice enough interview and I appreciated the attempt to ask some difficult questions but EG do tend to waste rather a lot of time continually pressing the same question again and again despite the interviewee clearly having no intention of answering. Presentation wise it makes the thing look a bit of a mess and it also means the piece feels hostile and a little uncomfortable to read.

All the questions on exclusivity for example were basically the same.

@Eurogamer you should have grilled the man, he got off way too easy.

this guy was all over the place. on one hand it's important that lost and damned is the best selling exclusive download ever, on the other they are releasing it on a disc because it's important that 'all gamers who are interested in gta episodes' get to play it and the other hand (three-handed pr types? yeah, they're that sneaky) it's important for them to be exclusive with sony.

didn't read any further. . .

Hmm yeah I did notice there was some slight repetition of questioning.
Like other people have said I don't really feel like I learned anything at all from that interview.
- There are some positives to linking to one platform.
- Lost and the Damned sold lots so they'd do it again.
- The Agent will be the best thing since sliced bread.

All of which we knew they'd say by common sense anyway.

@lcmnick

Cause if he did say 'this will be awsome' and it wasnt you would have people like yourself saying that it was overhyped by people who know nothing about games. (which he admitted he wasnt hardcore)

As for GTA they have all been poor since Vice City which still is the bench mark which all other GTA's will be compared against for me, GTA3 was groundbreaking, VC took GTA3 and made it god like....The along came SA, and its all been down hill from there imo

I read everything waiting for a question about Take-Two's other games and studios, you know, like, what Levine's doing, what Firaxis is doing and haven't told us, etc. but I understand that's hard to ask while you're pushing the guy about what everyone know he won't tell anything.

Outside of all the GTA chat...

That picture EG put in the article of Civ Rev got me massively excited that they were going to announce a sequel. I love that game, have it on both DS and PS3 and would love a new one. Oh well I can but wish...

Eurogamer: What about when it comes to more established franchises, as with the GTA IV DLC deal? Was that a deal you would repeat?

Ben Feder: It is; we're very pleased with the results. We've done a service for gamers
We've done a service for gamers? What? What they have done is pretty much the opposite of a service for gamers, they've restricted it to not only to one platform but also to a subsection of that platform's users. I can see that it might be very good business, but it's utter tripe to claim that what they've done is a service to gamers.

Telling MS to bugger off and releasing the DLC across all platforms and making it available for Live Silver members... Yes, that would be reasonable service. Making it very cheap would have been a real service (but that would be asking too much, they are a business after all!).

GTA IV isnt a patch on The Godfather, its not even close. It certainly shows that it is trying to be the Godfather of videogames, but I would argue that a few games that dont make any claims to greatness have come much, much closer than GTA did.

If you really want a word to describe GTA IV, perhaps 'puerile' would be a bit closer to the mark than 'masterpiece'.

@Doctor_What You don't need gold membership to buy DLC. That would be kind of silly.

Why do all executives use the phrase "I think"? ..."I think",what the hell does that mean? It doesn't inspire confidence.

You're misinterpreting the intention. It's used as an expression of personal recommendation, not as indication of uncertainty.

GTA: London

PLEASE

...or better GTA: Exeter

"but it's utter tripe to claim that what they've done is a service to gamers."

I think what he meant was that the DLC itself was a service to gamers. In the whole interview he tried to circumvent the nasty subject of 'exclusivity' as much as possible.

There's a duplicate question/answer in this interview ...

Of course GTAV is in development EG! Vice City is being built right now (based on Miami!), with a new IN CAR view with the dash and inside of your car, and back to the 80's, isn't that right Mr Rockstar.....

Could have asked about some more PSP (3D) GTA Ellie, I'm busting for SA Stories!

Gazza_UK, GTA: London could of happened, but Sony took people off The Getaway 3 for Home! ;)

Nice job for asking the questions that we want answered. Maybe it's just me but he struck me as a bit of an arse.

Any chance of interviews from the folliowing:

Ragnar Somethingsomething (the guy who does The Longest Journey series)
Dave Perry (he's always mouthing off, ask him about when he got embarrassed on Games Master)
Dominic Diamond (because it will be a no doubt funny interivew)
Brad McQuaid (original Everquest developer)
Jonathan Blow? (the guy who did Braid)
Team Silent

Get some interesting people! This guy is just a suit. That is all for now. Thanks.

Good question with the child abuse.

Art my fart.

sounds like agent may be like GTA. in that its 3rd person and you get to drive vehicles about. an opportunity to try something different without pissing off the fans. hope it has a dedicated 1st person view for shooting.

and GTA IV is most definately art!!! its the thousand little touches that do it. like, for just one, if you drive up to a pedestrain with your bumper almost pressing against them, they will turn and look at you suprised and put their hand down on the bonnet. the city is living and breathing. saints row is pathetic next to it.

GTA DLC for the PS3 is definitely coming.
When an Exec says: "We don't talk about that, unfortunately." it means more or less: "Yeah, we're doing it, but we still have a contract with MS which says, that we don't have the right to talk about it till the contract runs out".

I predict, that the contract runs out Fall 2009.

Woohoo

"I'd prefer something other to Vice City... some fresh ground."

After seeing the jump from GTA 3's Liberty city to GTA 4's one I'd love to see them reinterpret Vice city, maybe they can add a version of Cuba as the third Island.

Nice interview, and some good questions.

''Eurogamer: But no one's saying, "This is a lifelong exclusive," or, "This is a timed exclusive." Companies just say "exclusive" and then it seems that can mean different things. It all seems a bit made up.''

Great question. He kinda avoided awnsering really, but that question nailed my thoughts on ''exclusives''. I mean had Assassin's Creed, Mercs 2 and other games that were intially touted as PS3 exclusive remained so, I would have picked up a ps3 no question, so this really needs to be sorted. And PS3 owners might be holding out for lost and the damned and ballard when it might not come. It only hurts gamers and interest in the game to be dishonest about exlusivity. At least if ps3 owners knew that LATD and BOGT were exclusive forever to 360, they wouldn't have to keep wondering, and ditto the agent and us 360 owners (it does actually sound like a rather good concept).

Also shin, if that content does come to ps3 eventually, it will really make MS look like tits. Would it really have been worth fifty million for just a year's exclusivity? I suppose it all depends on the profit they make but if it was me spending that much I'd want it locked up for life.

EG: did you play the game?
Ben Feder: I don't play the games. But ... obviously I review all the games.

Jesus Christ.

''Eurogamer: What about when it comes to more established franchises, as with the GTA IV DLC deal? Was that a deal you would repeat?

Ben Feder: It is; we're very pleased with the results. We've done a service for gamers by providing the content and we've also learned a little bit about what gamers want with respect to downloadable content. And we've learned how to extend the franchise beyond the initial release. We think episodic content is a viable business model for the long-term.''

I'll selflessly utilize my superior linquistic skills to succesfully interpret this marketing speak into something understandable by most of the EG audience....

''Eurogamer: gta4 dlc storylol?

Ben Feder: 4w3s0m3 Th3nX0rs1! M$ paid us 4 exklusivity l0l and us 34rn3d m0aR due to f4nb0is101!
1. We rel3ase dlc on only 1 platform
2. Fanboys
3. ????
4 profit!!!

We will charge m0ar for less in t3h futurlol because people r idi0tslol!- I will go sniff coke of the butt of a nice escort girl now, gl flying home economy class, you English person!''

sry I can't help myself, another one of my high in demand translational pieces:

''Eurogamer: Have you played it?

Ben Feder: I have a confession to make: I'm not a hardcore gamer. But I've seen the game - obviously I review all the games. I think gamers will be blown away by it.''

EG: u pl41dlol?

Ben Feder: No lol I'm no n3rd1I sn1ff c00ks off excort l3dy!!lol!

No but .. really Ellie should be fired, she asks too good questions to suit goons. She's trying to be a journalist, and we all know that is frowned upon heavily in paid gameland. There is only reporters and swag. I think she'll be gone in 1 year easy, and my predictions are iron-cast! Well, she's a chick... so she can't possibly be as ugly as J. Gerstmann.. or could sheee?

notmyrealname,

I know you are takling the piss but I just cant work out what you are talking about 'u pl41dlol?'

??????

Weak interview,ask him why GTA4 is so disappointing...
Also ask him who owns Agent IP...

Nice enough interview and I appreciated the attempt to ask some difficult questions but EG do tend to waste rather a lot of time continually pressing the same question again and again despite the interviewee clearly having no intention of answering. Presentation wise it makes the thing look a bit of a mess and it also means the piece feels hostile and a little uncomfortable to read.

All the questions on exclusivity for example were basically the same.

Totally agree with this. It was a laboured point, and, really, who cares? As it is, it's a 360 exclusive. If it one day ceases to be, then they'll let you know, but it's hardly likely to come out in an interview like this. It was answered pretty simply anyway, it's a matter of the contract they have with Microsoft, and that's a contract that they're under no obligation to share the details or clauses of with the public, and that's entirely sensible.

You would've been better off using that time to ask more interesting questions like the sexual violence against women/hurting of children qn. There are more interesting answers to give than what he did but it was ultimately a pretty good answer considering his position.

My answer would be along the lines of no developer in the industry strikes me as mature enough, or possesses the narratological intelligence to the extent that they could put that kind of scenario in a game and make it seem like a relevant thematic concern instead of a gratuitous exercise in provocation. The nature of the medium I think poses all sorts of difficulties with those premises as well. It's an interesting idea though, you did well to raise it.

Eurogamer: Could we see GTA IV DLC on the PS3 in the future?

Ben Feder: We don't talk about that, unfortunately

LOL i dont know why but i imagine the way he said this as if he woke up one morning with a horses head in his bed and a note from Microsoft..

Eurogamer: Could we see GTA IV DLC on the PS3 in the future?

Ben Feder: We don't talk about that, unfortunately

LOL i dont know why but i imagine the way he said this as if he woke up one morning with a horses head in his bed and a note from Microsoft..

Is the DLC ever coming to PC, it is Games for Windows Live after all?