Stop Buying/Playing Blizzard Games Now

I can't stand Bobby Kotick and he is using Blizzard's World of Warcraft profit performance to insinuate that Activision is not hurt by the current dip in sales: 
 
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/101552-Kotick-Only-30-of-Activisions-Profits-Come-from-Consoles  
 
I am personally refusing to pay to play any Blizzard games now and into the future, because of the truly dreadful mistreatment Infinity Ward employees are receiving (refusal to pay out bonuses earned from Modern Warfare 2 until 3 is finished, which Activision believes is their right). Anyone can see that Activision-Blizzard fired the two head executives of Infinity Ward because they desired to retain the massive profits generated by Modern Warfare 2, which would have and did create a domino effect of a large group of people leaving Infinity Ward at the risk of losing their bonus.
 
- I encourage anyone and everyone to refuse playing/paying any of Activision-Blizzard games out of ethical principal.  
 
- Kotick doesn't believe that gamers care enough to make a difference, and I am telling you here and now that I care, and I can make a difference.
 
- This is not an online petition, this is simply a call to action, so please think how your personal contribution could make a difference in the long term.

nope

good luck with that

Tell that to WoW players

I don't play Activision games anymore because Kotick succeeded at his goals of taking fun out of video games.  MW2 wasn't as good as the previous.  There were so many Guitar Heroes that nobody could keep up.  I don't really boycott things but I won't be buying them because in general Activision games have sucked over the last couple of years.

I really don't give a shit about that kind of stuff; I care about the product.  I don't see it as spending money on the developers or publishers, most of the time, but spending money so I can actually play the game I'll enjoy.  So, no. 
 
And we really never know what's going on behind the curtains, so we can't be sure that Bobby Kotick's employees are getting mistreated or whatever.

Nah I'm good. I'll just avoid Activision products. No need to punish Blizzard, they churn out gold on a disc.

" @VoodooTerror:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvdf5n-zI14 "

Why would i punish myself by not playing Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3?  That's just retarded.

with starcraft 2 coming? i think not

" @odintal: Damn, i wish id used that! "

I don't own any Blizzard games, but your plea is in vain. People are addicted to WoW, Starcraft, etc., they won't give up until they die.

If a game is good, I buy it, and if it's bad I don't buy it. 

" Why would i punish myself by not playing Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3?  It's just retarded. "

" with starcraft 2 coming? i think not "

I already don't play any Blizzard games... does that make me a good person then? 

" If a game is good, I buy it, and if it's bad I don't buy it.  "

I'll spend my money however the fuck I want. If people don't read their contracts properly, it's their fault. If the company goes against the contract, it's the company's fault, and will pay out ultimately. 
END OF DISCUSSION.
 
I'd rather see a call to get rid of countless campaigns that try to sway gamers to spend their (mostly) hard-earned wages in a certain way. Voicing and opinion is one thing, trying to swing opinion is another entirely.

What's that? I can't hear you over how many copies of Star Craft 2 I'm buying! (I'm only allowed ten :/) 

Bobby Kotick could come to my house, beat my ass, kick my dog, and shit on my pillow and I'd still buy Blizzard products.

" I am personally refusing to pay to play any Blizzard games now and into the future, because of the truly dreadful mistreatment Infinity Ward employees are receiving (refusal to pay out bonuses earned from Modern Warfare 2 until 3 is finished, which Activision believes is their right). Anyone can see that Activision-Blizzard fired the two head executives of Infinity Ward because they desired to retain the massive profits generated by Modern Warfare 2, which would have and did create a domino effect of a large group of people leaving Infinity Ward at the risk of losing their bonus.
 
- I encourage anyone and everyone to refuse playing/paying any of Activision-Blizzard games out of ethical principal.   - Kotick doesn't believe that gamers care enough to make a difference, and I am telling you here and now that I care, and I can make a difference. - This is not an online petition, this is simply a call to action, so please think how your personal contribution could make a difference in the long term. "

• Infinity Ward are part of a business and they understand the business. If there was any legal clause which said that Activision had to implement an immediate payout of royalites, then those royalties would be paid. I can only assume there is some legal room in the contract, in which case Activision is fully in the right.
• You don't know that the firing of both heads of Infinity Ward was based around retaining royalites; royalties would still be have to paid out to staffers. That's just an insinuation on your part; circumstantial conclusions to be sure.
• I see no reason to not play Activision or Blizzard's games, especially not based around "ethical principles". Plenty of "bad people" (by your standards) make video games. Plenty of leading designers are jerks who you would not want to befriend personally.
• Your insinuation around making a difference holds the underlying belief that a difference needs to be made. I have no problem with Activision. The market decides whether they fail or not. If their developers start getting sloppy with the yearly Call of Duty releases, then the market will reflect that with a drop in sales numbers. At this point in time they make some solid games, and I plan to continue playing them indefinitely.
• Ultimately, no difference needs be made. My only desire is that Activision continues to publish great games so I can continue to have fun. I respect your opinion, but I believe you're wrong and I fervently disagree with you.
  

To use a little analogy...
 
This whole infinity ward situation reminds me of a somewhat similar past event.  A certain website made it painfully clear that they were interested only in the $ and not the content.  This resulted in a mass walkout, and because of all that mess we now have the glorious Giant Bomb!
 
Many differences of course, but the main result is the same.  Just as that balls-less website showed us, Kotick has announced to the world that basically he gives a fuck about integrity, and potential profit is the beginning and the end of his morality.
 
The problem with an activision/blizzard boycott, however, is that Bobby wouldn't feel it at all.  Dude is rich and ignorant, and would use any future losses as grounds for more firing, which is the last thing any of those companies need.  So sadly, the only ones that would feel your wrath are the poor, well-meaning people stuck in the middle who really just wanna make great games for all of us.
 
It's just a shitty loose-loose situation.  I think there is hope though.  Activision/Blizzard is a publicly owned company, which means not only does Kotick have to answer to a board of directors, but also to the stock holders at large.  This means that if those board members or stock holders saw that there really was enough of a bobby outrage to damage the appearence of the company, they could just kick him out.
 
Severely unlikely, but as I said, a boycott just hurts the employees, but pissed of stock holders could put bastard Kotick in his place.

I respect where you all are coming from, and I totally understand from a gamers perspective as well. 
 
I guess I just can't stand Bobby Kotick that much, or that I desire to make one Infinity Ward employee smile. I believe that the only people truly hurt by this situation are many people that poured their blood sweat and tears into Modern Warfare 2, which is the real shame in the situation. Because like it or not, these people probably don't have the money to fight them in court, and that is exactly what Activision-Blizzard want to happen. 

Videogames are a business.

Can I play Blizzard games if I emulate them, though? Is that OK?

I call forth the best MW2 related video
 
 

" Can I play Blizzard games if I emulate them, though? Is that OK? "

Nobody boycotted Modern Warfare 2 like they should have, why would they decide to do it now? 
 
I'll buy games I'm interested in and skip ones I'm not. I skipped MW2, but I'm most certainly going to buy Starcraft 2 because it will probably be a quality product.

" To use a little analogy...  This whole infinity ward situation reminds me of a somewhat similar past event.  A certain website made it painfully clear that they were interested only in the $ and not the content.  This resulted in a mass walkout, and because of all that mess we now have the glorious Giant Bomb! Many differences of course, but the main result is the same.  Just as that balls-less website showed us, Kotick has announced to the world that basically he gives a fuck about integrity, and potential profit is the beginning and the end of his morality.  The problem with an activision/blizzard boycott, however, is that Bobby wouldn't feel it at all.  Dude is rich and ignorant, and would use any future losses as grounds for more firing, which is the last thing any of those companies need.  So sadly, the only ones that would feel your wrath are the poor, well-meaning people stuck in the middle who really just wanna make great games for all of us.  It's just a shitty loose-loose situation.  I think there is hope though.  Activision/Blizzard is a publicly owned company, which means not only does Kotick have to answer to a board of directors, but also to the stock holders at large.  This means that if those board members or stock holders saw that there really was enough of a bobby outrage to damage the appearence of the company, they could just kick him out.  Severely unlikely, but as I said, a boycott just hurts the employees, but pissed of stock holders could put bastard Kotick in his place. "

" @Video_Game_King said:

" Can I play Blizzard games if I emulate them, though? Is that OK? "

Thief! "

You know,I could've sworn this same cycle surrounded Rockstar not too long ago.(Circa Red Dead Redemption development)
 
Implied Corporate Oppression > Small Group of People Cry Foul > Nothing Really Changes > Game Releases > Everyone Forgets Whole Thing And Plays Damn Game
 
Not to say that this is a recent,or for that matter,local trend...

The thing is, if Activision continues to whore the ever living hell out of their products, they won't be #1 in a few years.

You know what, I think the Infinity Ward guys are just fine with their new situation at EA. They are plenty well paid, they will not be without food for their families, that's for sure. So their million dollar bonuses are delayed, cry me a river.
 
I will sure as hell support Blizzard putting out real games again finally, I love their RTS stuff and it's a fucking travesty that the crappy MMO (I hate WoW's guts) takes them away from the things that are awesome. Just look at their releases:
 
 

• 1992 - The Lost Vikings
• 1993 - Rock & Roll Racing
• 1994 - Blackthorne
• 1994 - The Death and Return of Superman
• 1994 - Warcraft: Orcs and Humans
• 1995 - Justice League Task Force
• 1995 - The Lost Vikings II
• 1995 - Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness
• 1996 - Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal
• 1996 - Diablo
• 1998 - StarCraft
• 1998 - StarCraft: Brood War
• 2000 - Diablo II
• 2001 - Diablo II: Lord of Destruction
• 2002 - Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
• 2003 - Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
• 2004 - World of Warcraft

" Nobody boycotted Modern Warfare 2 like they should have, why would they decide to do it now?  I'll buy games I'm interested in and skip ones I'm not. I skipped MW2, but I'm most certainly going to buy Starcraft 2 because it will probably be a quality product. "

No, I will continue to play Blizzards games because they are high quality and very fun.
 
EDIT: Fuck you, guy.

I would argue that a major dip in sales and product use, would impact Kotick and The Board. Because it would be immediate, and most developers work under contract much like others have pointed out.  The change in payout of bonuses by Activision-Blizzard falls under improper business ethics, and could be properly sued against. The red tape, however, is exactly what Activision-Blizzard is betting on. "

" No, I will continue to play Blizzards games because they are high quality and very fun.  EDIT: Fuck you, guy. "

Heaven forbid a CEO of a publicly trade company, tries to make as much money as possible for his company.

You realize that, other than being Activision's life-support, Blizzard is entirely autonomous, right? Also, if you hate Bobby Kotick for what he did to people who may or may not have deserved to lose their jobs anyway, why would boycotting Blizzard help at all? Your logic makes no sense. Good day sir.

I'm just going to keep trying to play games that are good. 
 
But your thinking too small really, the crux of the whole thing is capitalism. Bring that 'ish down.

Nah man i enjoy them to much

Okay, so, let me just make sure I understand you.
 
You want me, to not buy and enjoy Diablo 3, because Activision treated a couple of game developer heads poorly?

I just had the best idea ever! 
 I'll boycott Blizzard games and make a group about it  so more people who wanna boycott Blizzard can join and then still buy Blizzard games and play them!