Activision's Kotick Speaks...

[TimEdwards]

This guys closing line is rediculous.

He also had choice words for one of Nintendo's newest releases: "By the way, when you're promoting a Twinkie-focused lifestyle, Wii Fit is not really in keeping with the tradition of video games."

Yes, it might not be traditional nor might it be a couch potato game... but in case he didn't notice the Wii is... I don't know... popular? For the most part the reason is it's a different way to play your games. That's only what i've heard from every Student, Woman and Grandparent who've bought the Wii from me. As for Activision, what do they know about innovation anyway? 90% Movie licenses or games they publish from awesome companies. When they took the helm for a Call of Duty it was the worst one. BAH. Frustrating. I mean, in all honesty I don't know much about their internal workings... but everyone says EA and Activision are the two largest game companies. Is that why they produce so many bargain bin games?

I find that sometimes these guys who come out an do these speeches really should watch what they say and who's toes they step on. (I'm sure this post will be back to burn me later on) but seriously, I only see Nintendo innovating anything. Microsoft is working to perfect their online service as well as get everyone in the habit of downloading content and full games. Sony trails and tries to copy what everyone else is doing (*Cough*Sixaxis*Cough*DownloadableGames*Cough*) Frankly, despite Nintendo's lack of graphical power I truly think that their control scheme is "Next-Gen". On that same note Nintendo is also plagued with loads of garbage that are borderline flash games. How do these people get dev kits anyway? Funny all that said I still play my DS the most... hahaha!

Just my venting, now... discuss!
Tim Edwards

[Adrir]

Nintendo are really just targetting a different audience, attempting to expand their market rather than depending on hardcore gamers. Frankly, I enjoy playing BrainTraining and WiiFit just as much as Starcraft and Counterstrike. Even my parents play Wii games, and they won't touch many of mine, which is a breath of fresh air.

It's Jagex and Runescape all over again. They may not keep with the tradition either but they're still going strong.

[Gshonk]

"By the way, when you're promoting a Twinkie-focused lifestyle, Wii Fit is not really in keeping with the tradition of video games."

That is extremely upsetting and stereotypical I consider myself a hardcore gamer and have been most of my life, yet I chose to live extremely healthy. I eat right I work out and I play Rugby competitively. I have noticed a lot of developers I meet are health nuts too (especially in Austin).

[ronnoc10]

Originally Posted by TimEdwards

How do these people get dev kits anyway? Funny all that said I still play my DS the most... hahaha!

Well, it does help that the Wii dev kit is the cheapest of the three consoles.

I have to say, I really don't understand the twinkie statment. I don't get what he is trying to say...

[calelogan]

Originally Posted by ronnoc10

Well, it does help that the Wii dev kit is the cheapest of the three consoles.

I have to say, I really don't understand the twinkie statment. I don't get what he is trying to say...

Same here...what exactly is "twinkie" supposed to mean?

In any case, I agree that Nintendo goes a long way in terms of gameplay and innovativeness. My only "issue" with them is regarding themes...I personally prefer games with a more serious or adult tone, but then again I'm a narrative addict.

[ronnoc10]

I hear this 'innovation' word used in tandem with Nintendo a lot...
Let us pull up some lists I gathered a little while ago.

Nintendo GameCube

* 2001
o Luigi's Mansion (Decently fun and innovative)
o Pikmin (Very much fun and innovative)
o Super Smash Bros. Melee (Sequel)
o Wave Race: Blue Storm (Sequel)
o Doubutsu no Mori + (Japan Only) (Innovative, but I wouldn't call it fun)
* 2002
o Animal Crossing (Sequel)
o Cubivore: Survival of the Fittest (Published by Nintendo in Japan Only) (Decently fun and innovative)
o Disney's Magical Mirror Starring Mickey Mouse (hamburgers)
o Doshin the Giant (Japan/Europe Only) (Decently fun and innovative)
o Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (Very fun and innovative)
o Mario Party 4 (Sequel)
o Metroid Prime (Both Innovative and fun)
o NBA Courtside 2002 (Sequel)
o Star Fox Adventures (Kind of innovative and quite a bit fun)
o Super Mario Sunshine (Sequel)
* 2003
o 1080° Avalanche (Sequel)
o Donkey Konga (Taiko: Drum Master anyone? Pretty Innovative)
o F-Zero GX (Sequel)
o Giftpia (Japan Only)
o Kirby Air Ride (Not innovative nor fun)
o The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Sequel)
o Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour (Sequel)
o Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (Sequel)
o Mario Party 5 (Sequel)
o Nintendo Puzzle Collection (Japan Only) (I wouldn't know...)
o Pac-Man Vs. (Developed Only) (hamburgers)
o Pokémon Channel (Sequel)
o Wario World (Sequel)
* 2004
o Custom Robo (Sequel)
o Donkey Konga 2 (Sequel)
o Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (Sequel)
o Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles (published by Nintendo in America Only) (Sequel)
o Kururin Squash! (Japan Only) (Sequel)
o The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (Sequel)
o Mario Party 6 (Sequel)
o Mario Power Tennis (Sequel)
o Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Sequel)
o Pikmin 2 (Sequel)
o Pokémon Box: Ruby and Sapphire (Sequel)
o Pokémon Colosseum (Sequel)
o WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$ (Sequel)
* 2005
o Battalion Wars (Sequel)
o Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix (Sequel)
o Densetsu no Quiz Ou Ketteisen (Japan only) (I would not know...)
o Donkey Konga 2 (Sequel)
o Donkey Konga 3 (Japan Only) (Sequel)
o Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (Sequel)
o Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (Sequel)
o Geist (Innovative, but not fun at all.)
o Mario Party 7 (Sequel)
o Mario Superstar Baseball (Sequel)
o Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Sequel)
o Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness (Sequel)
o Star Fox: Assault (Sequel)
o Super Mario Strikers (Not innovative, or fun)
* 2006
o Baten Kaitos Origins (Sequel)
o Chibi-Robo! (Innovative, but not fun.)
o The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Sequel)
o Odama (Innovative, not fun)
38 Sequels!
Now, how many of those were internally developed by Nintendo? Well, I don't have those stats, and I'm to lazy to get them, but I do have a grab-bag of Wii titles:
Excite Truck (Monster Games), Mario Party 8 (Hudson Soft), Pokémon Battle Revolution (Genius Sonority ), Mario Strikers Charged (Next Level Games), Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Retro Studios ), Donkey Kong Barrel Blast (Paon), Battalion Wars 2 (Kuju Entertainment ), Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega) published by Sega outside of Japan, Endless Ocean (Arika ), Disaster: Day of Crisis (Monolith Soft *I'm surprised they had anything to do with this...),Super Mario Stadium Baseball (Namco), and Pokémon Bokujō Channel *JP (Ambrella).
Nintendo isn't any more innovative than any other publisher. No one says 'Look how innovative EA is! Burnout Paradise and Mass Effect are awesome' or 'Look how innovative Take Two is, Bioshock and Grand Theft Auto 4 really pushed the envelope.'
The Wii-mote, on the other hand, is quite amazing, although it it rarely used in a more innovative way then a mouse or light-gun. That aside, I believe the Emotiv head-set is years ahead of the Wii-mote, but it lacks the mystical power of the Nintendo name on it, so I doubt anyone will pay attention, as they use the balance board, which is a slightly advanced form of Atari's Joyboard.

[CKeene]

I have to say, I really don't understand the twinkie statment. I don't get what he is trying to say...

Essentially that gamers are fat and lazy and sit around all day and eat Twinkies and Bon Bons.

However, I very much agree with ronnoc, and regardless of the personal opinions of one of their employees, perhaps bashing Activision on a forum visited by another one if not several of their other employees is not the best idea.

[Gshonk]

Originally Posted by CKeene

However, I very much agree with ronnoc, and regardless of the personal opinions of one of their employees, perhaps bashing Activision on a forum visited by another one if not several of their other employees is not the best idea.

I agree you probably shouldn't bash big companies if you expect to work in the industry.

[EvilLlama]

I'd also like to point out that just because the game is a sequel or is taken from a movie license doesn't mean it can't be innovative. For example, in SuperSmashBros melee one of the arenas is a flying ship that eventually sinks and the only way to stay alive is to hop onto magic carpets. True, it's a sequel to SuperSmashBros, but it's still innovative. The Bullet Time mode, which causes everything to slow down, lets you perform longer jumps, dodge bullets, etc is from Enter the Matrix--definitely a movie license, but it was still innovative. Adding a traveling merchant caravan that automatically stores your extra items and is always safe from battle added in Fire Emblem Path of Radiance is also innovative, although it is by no means revolutionizing.

[ronnoc10]

Originally Posted by EvilLlama

I'd also like to point out that just because the game is a sequel or is taken from a movie license doesn't mean it can't be innovative.

Of course. I'm currently playing through Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (internally developed by Intelligent Systems) and it's quite unlike anything I've ever played (although I haven't played the first one). I was to lazy to change that when I moved the list.
What I'm trying to say isn't that Nintendo gets too much credit (for innovation, anyways, I'd like to see the developers get some props once in a while), but that it is disproportionate to the rest of the industry.