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PreviousTake-Two's Ben Feder Interview
Xbox 360
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Interview
by
Ellie Gibson
Page 1 of 3.
Page 2 
You won't find too many exec interviews on Eurogamer - we usually leave that sort of thing to our friends over at GamesIndustry.biz. But we got the opportunity to speak to Ben Feder, CEO of Take-Two, at E3 this year. Seeing as he's a big deal, and his company publishes one of the most successful videogame franchises ever, we thought we'd give it a go. Read on to find out Feder's opinion of Jack Thompson, whether he thinks there's a line to be drawn with violence in games and what day GTA V is out. Maybe not the last one.
Eurogamer: Did you go to the E3 platform-holder conferences?
Ben Feder: Yes.
Eurogamer: Who won?
Ben Feder: Oh, I don't see it as a competition.
Eurogamer: But it sort of is. Everyone else thinks it is, really...
Ben Feder: Well, you can take their temperature if you like! I thought the presentation of the games was terrific. I thought there was some amazing content coming out of first-party and third-party. If I may say, Take-Two's got some amazing content coming up: BioShock 2, Mafia 2... Stunning games.
Eurogamer: There seems to be a renewed focus among the platform holders on exclusivity. What does that mean for third-party publishers?
Ben Feder: Exclusivity works on occasion - when you're launching a new franchise, for example, and you need to get support from first-party. It's one of the reasons we're partnering with Sony on the new Agent title. That helps us get the awareness up and helps us get users engaged. Obviously the trade-off is the installed base of the other platform providers. Sometimes that's a worthwhile trade-off to make.
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.
Eurogamer: Why haven't you released download numbers for The Lost and Damned?
Ben Feder: It's confidential to us and to Microsoft. We typically don't release those types of numbers. Microsoft did agree to say it was the largest download of any single title they've had in the first period in which it was available, so it's been a massive success for them.
At the same time, you do need to be an Xbox Live customer in order to download the game. That's one of the reasons we're releasing The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony on one single disc - to make that product available to all gamers who are interested in Grand Theft Auto episodes, not just Xbox Live Gold users.
Eurogamer: But it's still exclusive to Xbox 360?
Ben Feder: It will still be exclusive to Xbox 360.
Eurogamer: Sometimes there's a bit of confusion about what exclusivity actually means. Take the Fallout 3 DLC, which was announced as an Xbox 360 exclusive but is now coming to PS3. Could you ever see yourself going down that path with the GTA IV episodes?
Ben Feder: We don't really articulate the future of where these could go. When you talk about exclusivity, there's exclusivity forever, then there's something less than forever, and potentially that's what happened with Fallout 3.
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Comments: 1-42 of 42 in total
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-3
"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. |
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+2
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.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 24/06/09 @ 12:09
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+1
@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? |
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+2
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.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 24/06/09 @ 12:30
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Inquisitor
[mod]
24/06/09 @ 11:37
-2
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. |
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-5
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. . . |
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0
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. |
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-3
@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 |
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Salaminizer
24/06/09 @ 11:59
0
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.
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YobRenoops
24/06/09 @ 12:16
-3
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... |
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Doctor_What
24/06/09 @ 12:21
+3
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!). |
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-9
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'.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 24/06/09 @ 13:26
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Bigglesworth
24/06/09 @ 12:32
+1
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. |
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-2
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! ;)
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 24/06/09 @ 13:46
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curtlikesmeat
24/06/09 @ 13:10
0
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. |
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ShinMegami08
24/06/09 @ 15:46
+2
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 |
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VandelayIndustries
24/06/09 @ 16:33
0
"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. |
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notmyrealname
24/06/09 @ 19:58
0
''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!''
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 24/06/09 @ 20:59
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notmyrealname
24/06/09 @ 22:35
0
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? |
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+1
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. |
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designerheadache
25/06/09 @ 14:47
+1
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.. |
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designerheadache
25/06/09 @ 14:48
0
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.. |
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