70°

Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg Believes ESports 'Could Be A Big Part Of Gaming' Moving Forward (Q&A)

Activision Blizzard is making news today with its first official details on Destiny, the first new original game franchise from Bungie since it launched Halo into pop culture. While it’s too early to tell what, if any, impact Destiny multiplayer could have on the eSports scene, Treyarch has dedicated a lot of time and money into Call of Duty: Black Ops II specifically for pro gaming. And Blizzard Entertainment has focused on eSports with StarCraft II, which is one of the top global eSports games behind Riot Games League of Legends.

Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, talks about the growing importance of eSports in developing game franchises and explains why he believes eSports could be a big part of the overall video game industry moving forward in this exclusive interview.

majiebeast4233d ago

I hope not. I already fear for the fate of the single player game next gen.

Reborn4233d ago

I dont think most would have a problem with it. If every game with some form of MP, wasn't attempting to be COD.

Nonetheless, if there is money to be made from it (which there is), it will move forward.

Hufandpuf4233d ago

Fighting games are more of a spectating game than FPS because you can see both sides of the opposition without having to cut back and forth between players. Also the fighting games are easier to follow and hard to perfect. If MLG focused more of the FGC instead of FPS games full of teams that nobody knows about Then I think the Esports scene would grow.

muttley654232d ago (Edited 4232d ago )

what happen to BOBBY KOTICK??????

DID THE DEVIL SWALLOW HIM UP.

@ oo

haaaaaaaa really!! i take that dive myself haaaaaa

004232d ago

He drowned in his pool of money.

Ticklez4233d ago

None of these games take any real skill to play... You want hardcore gamer, check out Socom players.. Most awareness and best skillful players ever..

Reverent4233d ago

I loved Socom and everything, but I think Counter Strike's got it beat in that department.

BX814233d ago

Yeah I played the last socom and lame head shots are a regular. The game doesn't require that much skill.

hano4233d ago

It's always Jews that run Activision, isn't it?

Before you call me a racist or whatever, I'm pointing out the obvious.

CrescentFang4233d ago

Hmm, but are Jews a race? I don't think you are "technically" being racist.
Also I thought Jewish people are the most common type of people running companies/businesses.

hano4233d ago

Well,

If it becomes a trend then there's definitely something wrong. What you say is that CEO jobs are majorly reserved for a certain group of people.
If it is a given that a group of people always get a job you have to ask why? Is it favoritism or qualifications?

Anyway, in the case of Activision, Bobby Kotick really strengthen the stereotypes you hear about Jews. What happened to him? Did he go back to being Satan? The CEO of hell?

muttley654232d ago (Edited 4232d ago )

@ FANG

they part of the illuminati thats why they run every damn thing.

Show all comments (13)
80°

Scrapped Halo DS game could resurface after 17 years of mystery

The cancelled Halo DS game could make its way online after

Read Full Story >>
videogamer.com
40°

Destiny Mobile spin-off will reportedly be revealed very soon

The long-rumoured Destiny Mobile game from NetEase may finally be ready for reveal according to multiple leakers.

Read Full Story >>
videogamer.com
280°

Xbox Passed On Destiny & Guitar Hero According To Phil Spencer

Phil Spencer talks candidly about missing out on both Destiny and Guitar Hero

Read Full Story >>
gamersocialclub.ca
anast18d ago

He paid billions for Starfield. This should be the real story.

18d ago Replies(1)
Sciurus_vulgaris18d ago

Microsoft bought all of Zenimax Media for 7 billion, while Sony paid 4 billion for Bungie. I think Microsoft got the better deal due to acquiring Fallout, ElderScrolls and Doom.

18d ago
anast17d ago

This can't be true. They only bought Starfield...

InUrFoxHole18d ago

@anast
Should've thought that one out buddy, lol.

anast17d ago (Edited 17d ago )

Yeah, I thought it out. I'm not sure you did. But since we are buddy's now, you're welcome.

17d ago
anast17d ago

"Clearly your parents didn't teach you"

You know you lost, when you have to resort to this tactic.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 17d ago
Profchaos18d ago

So you're saying that Microsoft has missed out on so many huge gaming franchise in the last 25 years from GTA exclusivity to guitar hero and destiny it's just laughable they had so many misses

Reaper22_18d ago

Yea, but they're still 100 times more wealthy than Sony. I would say it worked out well.

Gamingsince198117d ago

Xbox is dead all that money doesn't help.

Hypertension14017d ago

What has work out well? It sure as hell had nothing to do with Xbox.

andy8517d ago

That isn't because of Xbox though. This is a gaming page, not an I get supplemented by father Windows page

Bathyj17d ago

Microsoft's money has nothing to do with Xbox.
Xbox is a money pit to them they would love to ditch but are after some ROI first.

Let's face it, Xbox is like a red headed stepchild that steals from you to buy drugs.

Hofstaderman17d ago (Edited 17d ago )

MIicrosoft is NOT XBOX. The current situation illustrates this. And Microsoft wants its ROI.

@Bathyj and daddy Satya has just force admitted Phil to rehab.

gold_drake17d ago

you know why MS has so much money, and it aint cause of the gaming xbox branch.

so lets not kid ourselves.

PhillyDonJawn17d ago

Xbox was shown to be more profitable than ps

jznrpg17d ago

@PhillyDownJawn not more profitable. More revenue with ABK acquisition but them going multiplat shows they are not making much profit

ocelot0717d ago

That's great for Xbox gamers ain't it that Microsoft are more wealthy than Sony. Is that really a argument use are using now lol?

Imagine me in my job. Arguing with a fellow security guard at another company. Hahah well the company I work for is worth £800m the one you work for is only work £600m!

ZoboomafooFan17d ago

Microsoft has succeeded in spite of the Xbox brand, not because of it

Knightofelemia17d ago

Microsoft may have more money but Sony has the talented studios and the games to back up those studios.

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 17d ago
Chevalier17d ago

Plus turning down Marvel too. Spiderman is only exclusive to Playstation because of that

Hedstrom17d ago

Best deal deal in gaming must be when Sony bought Insomniac for 229 million dollars. They made over 800 millions on Spiderman for the ps4 alone. Thats just crazy!

XBManiac17d ago

More in the 1.000 million now.

gold_drake17d ago

another Interview?

how is he the only one who loves the spotlight as much as he does lol

Futureshark17d ago

Let's not forget he also famously passed on Spider-man, Genshin Impact and GTA3.

However it's almost kind of cute how he can keep that sh1t-eating grin and say he's a 'no regrets' kind of guy, especially when you think how much just these 5 titles could have swung the world in Xbox's favour instead of Sonys.

How he's kept his job I don't know, he must sure be keeping Papa Nadella's shaft warm somehow.

"But, but Gamepass, he introduced that!!!"

Yes he did, and now look at Xbox, all it's exclusives are coming to Playstation now rendering the platform obsolete.

DarXyde17d ago

Honestly, with that kind of track record, you can't convince me Spencer hasn't eaten it from the back in the name of self preservation. Probably unwashed...and at least twice.

That aside, my interpretation of everything here is Xbox has been mismanaged a bit too much and Nadella came down from his throne. The way it is now, I don't believe for a minute the multiplatform move was Spencer's idea. I don't even think the acquisitions was Spencer's work. At this point, I reckon he's got as much power in his role as Hunter Biden at a Ukrainian energy company.

DivineHand12517d ago

You can never tell how things will turn out if he had said yes to those games. Xbox already has access to some great IPs, however, they hardly do anything with them or fail to deliver. It's also possible their presentation wasn't good at the time, and they made sure the next presentation was better.

I believe that part of being successful is releasing things in the right place at the right time.

Many major corporations have a story similar to passing on successful business ideas. Let us look at Sony Pictures for example. Back when Marvel went bankrupt, they had the opportunity to buy the entire Marvel for only $25 Million but turned them down. An unnamed big shot at Sony reportedly claimed that “nobody gives a shit about any of the other Marvel characters,”. They ended up taking Spiderman for $10 Million instead.

https://www.avclub.com/sony...

Fast forward to today, we can see what the Marvel brand has done for Disney. Is it possible the same success would have been possible had Sony acquired those IPs. We can't say that for sure and it is possible most of those IPs that are successful today may not have been used.

Show all comments (35)