EA and Activision are really going after each others necks from what I can make out of this recent article by game informer. 

Electronic Arts and Activision have been trading words before the November showdown of Battlefield 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Now EA's CEO John Riccitiello has poured more gas on the fire.

This latest round started when Kotick was apparently asked by Reuters what he thought of EA's Battlefield 3 (shown above).

"I can’t objectively tell you what I think of other products until I see them. 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."

It's not like he didn't try, either. Kotick was reportedly barred from seeing Battlefield 3 at E3.

Electronic Arts' CEO John Riccitiello fired back:

"It’s the beginning of the war and (Kotick) recognizes 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."

I would pay vast sums of money for a wrestling game in the style of WWE Allstars with those two as characters.
 
 
David Jaffe would be unlockable.

Wait, which bits were PS3 and Xbox footage?

Riccitello has lost it.

Riccitello is Al Pachino.

In an interview he was saying that " We want a big slice of what Activision is making and knock it down a couple of notches."

Translation- "We're ganna get a few guys whacked and totally fuck em over"

Kotick's response sounds perfectly reasonable. I would say Riccitello should calm down, but it sounds like much of his career is riding on this game so I guess he can't.

@RedDragon123 said:

Riccitello is Al Pachino.

In an interview he was saying that " We want a big slice of what Activision is making and knock it down a couple of notches."

Translation- "We're ganna get a few guys whacked and totally fuck em over"

"Activision is a pussy, and it's gonna get fucked?"

Riccitello has lost it.

Wait, which bits were PS3 and Xbox footage?

@Cheesebob said:

I would pay vast sums of money for a wrestling game in the style of WWE Allstars with those two as characters. David Jaffe would be unlockable.

David would have the word "fuck" bouncing around as a powerup.

@EuanDewar said:

Wait, which bits were PS3 and Xbox footage?

I too would like to know this. They were playing the tank bit on damn PCs

I like Riccitiello. He's done a good job of fostering some innovation within EA. Without him we probably wouldn't have seen Dead Space, Mirror's Edge or some of the other games that they've put out recently. You can't blame him for pushing hard on this - Activision has definitely been losing steam and ever since the IW debacle he can smell blood in the water.

@benjaebe: Maybe it's his nose bleeding.

'twas perfect.

@Ahmad_Metallic: But the direct quote is "If you went to our press conference, you saw the PS3 footage and the Xbox footage". So then which bits from the press conference were console footage?

@EuanDewar said:

Wait, which bits were PS3 and Xbox footage?

I too would like to know this. They were playing the tank bit on damn PCs

Wait, which bits were PS3 and Xbox footage?

Kind of a weird reply but since Kotick is on the other side of it I am down.

I'm buying BF3, and I think that lots of others will too.  
 
After seeing MW3, well, I just don't want the same game over again.

@Ahmad_Metallic: But the direct quote is "If you went to our press conference, you saw the PS3 footage and the Xbox footage". So then which bits from the press conference were console footage?

@benjaebe said:

I like Riccitiello. He's done a good job of fostering some innovation within EA. Without him we probably wouldn't have seen Dead Space, Mirror's Edge or some of the other games that they've put out recently. You can't blame him for pushing hard on this - Activision has definitely been losing steam and ever since the IW debacle he can smell blood in the water.

Yeah ... im not taking sides on the whole BF3 vs. MW3 argument between those two (since im biased) but I like him as the CEO of EA ... at least they have been trying to push out some original IP's and not only sequel everything to death they own like Activision is doing.

Riccitello is way to excited, and hopeful.  Yes more people will buy bf3 then bad company 2, but mw3 will still dominate in sales. Bf3 will be too complicated a game for the average cod player who want to simply shoot stuff. They don't want to have to think about, suppression, commanders, vehicles, destruction all they want is their COD. Also Riccitello's job is probably riding on BF3 and SW:TOR.

Don't worry, we'll know how bad (or good) the game is when the beta comes out. It will make or break the game.

@Gabriel said:

Riccitello has lost it.

I must agree.. EA are pushing it and trying to get themselves killed in a business drive by 
 The over-confidence in BF3 over MW3 and the stupendous cash spent on it, the whole Origin dealio, not being able to buy the new Star Wars MMO anywhere other than Origin...
  

• I strongly disagree. EA has to attack. You can't be Electronic Arts and not be going after CoD's and WoW's respective marketshares. Activision's oppressive control of these markets cannot go unchallenged. Right now, all the stars align in favor of EA and DICE's Battlefield 3. It isn't an option not to go balls-out. 
• Same deal with SW:TOR. The MMORPG market is about to get a whole lot more dynamic as WoW's marketshare is in a constant decline for the first time since its release. Whilst I'm not yet sure if SW:TOR has longterm staying power, it certainly is EA's best shot at seizing a chunk of WoWs marketshare - at the very least temporarily. Anybody even remotely into MMORPGs will pick it up for sure.
  
• Then there's the rebranded EA Download Manager. Obviously EA has to actively pursue the direct digital distribution market more aggressively. Every sale EA takes away from Steam onto their Origin service earns them like 10$ more, which otherwise would go to Valve paying for the Steam service fee. Obviously they have to be more competitive.
  

• Riccitiello is awesome. EA hasn't been as good as it is now in years. We currently get a ton of great core games out of EA. EA's having a great fiscal year thus far. No other publisher has as strong a lineup for the holiday season and beyond.
• Kotick clearly is a very smart businessman. I just hate his blabbermouth. Why tell us all those outright offensive sounding business mantras and philosophies? If he'd just shut his trap, be the man behind the curtain, instead of going around ruining my perception of the gaming industry by showing-off his 'business-shark' shit; I'd not be hatin' on him.

@Seppli: I'd like to know what data is backing your opinions. Why should EA push into the modern FPS and fantasy MMO markets when it sounds like those are already oversaturated, as opposed to doing something else. Hasn't EA been bleeding money since Riccitiello's new IP rush a few years ago?

Also, the things your complaining about from Kotick were (to my knowledge) statements to businessmen, never to the public. You only hear what he says if you try to find out. On the other hand, EA in general seems bent on yelling about Battlefield 3 and Activision to anyone who'll listen (and some people who won't), and it's getting annoying.

Maybe what you're saying is right, but it contradicts what I knew of the situation and I'd like to know why.

@Seppli: I'd like to know what data is backing your opinions. Why should EA push into the modern FPS and fantasy MMO markets when it sounds like those are already oversaturated, as opposed to doing something else. Hasn't EA been bleeding money since Riccitiello's new IP rush a few years ago?

Also, the thing's your complaining about from Kotick were (to my knowledge) statements to businessmen, never to the public. You only hear what he says if you try to find out. On the other hand, EA in general seems set on yelling about Battlefield 3 and Activision to anyone who'll listen (and some people who won't), and it's getting annoying.

Maybe what you're saying is right, but it contradicts what I knew of the situation and I'd like to know why.

EA's Mission State from way back when...
 

"We are an association of electronic artists who share a common goal. We want to fulfill the potential of personal computing." 

@Seppli said:

@Ahmad_Metallic said:

@Gabriel said:

Riccitello has lost it.

I must agree.. EA are pushing it and trying to get themselves killed in a business drive by
The over-confidence in BF3 over MW3 and the stupendous cash spent on it, the whole Origin dealio, not being able to buy the new Star Wars MMO anywhere other than Origin...

• I strongly disagree. EA has to attack. You can't be Electronic Arts and not be going after CoD's and WoW's respective marketshares. Activision's oppressive control of these markets cannot go unchallenged. Right now, all the stars align in favor of EA and DICE's Battlefield 3. It isn't an option not to go balls-out.
• Same deal with SW:TOR. The MMORPG market is about to get a whole lot more dynamic as WoW's marketshare is in a constant decline for the first time since its release. Whilst I'm not yet sure if SW:TOR has longterm staying power, it certainly is EA's best shot at seizing a chunk of WoWs marketshare - at the very least temporarily. Anybody even remotely into MMORPGs will pick it up for sure.
• Then there's the rebranded EA Download Manager. Obviously EA has to actively pursue the direct digital distribution market more aggressively. Every sale EA takes away from Steam onto their Origin serive earns them like 10$ more, which otherwise would go to Valve paying for the Steam service fee. Obviously they have to be more competitive.

• Riccitiello is awesome. EA hasn't been as good as it is now in years. We get a ton of great core games this year out of EA. EA's having a great fiscal year thus far. No other publisher has as strong a lineup for the holiday season and beyond.
• Kotick clearly is a very smart businessman. I just hate his blabbermouth. Why tell us all those outright offensive sounding business mantras and philosophies? If he'd just shut his trap, be the man behind the curtain, instead of going around ruining my perception of the gaming industry by showing-off his 'business-shark' shit.

EA's business strategy is sound and I predict they'll be well off and on the road to success in 2011 well into 2012. Riccitiellos stewardship is tight. Haters be hatin'.

Unfortunately, the way TOR is looking I have no faith that it will make a dent in WoW's domination of the MMO market. I was stoked for it for a good 2 or 3 years but now...I'm doubting it.

To be fair, I want to see console footage too and the game come out soon, we still having seen any, seems odd to me...

I don't see that EA have any choice but to be bullish about Battlefield 3 and TOR, whether they believe it or not. I don't think they need to 'topple' CoD and WoW to be regarded as a success, but if you're working on either of those games (or even a consumer considering buying either of those games), you don't want to hear EA management coming out and acting like they're content to just be a distant second to Activision in these spaces. You want them to act like they have full confidence in their team, in their product, in their ability to sell that product and in their ability to go toe-to-toe with anybody. You want Churchill, not Chamberlain.

@Sogeman said:

@EuanDewar said:

Wait, which bits were PS3 and Xbox footage?

He either meant that they'll all look the same or he meant 0:45 and 0:52 in this trailer (lower right corner) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQTC3NXxR5M

Wow, I totally didn't see that change to PS3 when watching it initially.

bunch a rich nerds pretending to fight with each other. theyre both just trying to get more attention for their games and we all play into it

This "War of Words" seems almost entirely one sided.

*sticks head through the door* Bobby Kotick is wrong about whatever it is. *leaves*

bunch a rich nerds pretending to fight with each other. theyre both just trying to get more attention for their games and we all play into it

This "War of Words" seems almost entirely one sided.

"Bobby," haha. I love it.

*sticks head through the door* Bobby Kotick is wrong about whatever it is. *leaves*

It looks to me like Kotick made a completely reasonable comment, and Riccietello made an aggressive comment.