There's room for Call of Duty and GTA, says Activision Publishing CEO

4.5
Call of Duty goes up against other potential blockbusters on an annual basis, but once or twice in a console generation, during a Grand Theft Auto release year, the stakes are raised a little higher.

Grand Theft Auto 5 has a fair chance of knocking the FPS series off the top of the annual best-seller lists it so regularly dominates, but Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg has told CVG there's room for both Rockstar's game and Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Ghosts to succeed this year.

"Obviously, [GTA] is a hugely successful franchise, and I get asked about our big competitors every year," he said in a newly published interview.

"We're always up against iconic titles, and I know people like to tell a clash-of-the-titans story, but I feel there's lots of evidence that there's room for more than one successful game, and indeed more than one successful blockbuster. And if people only have money for a few games, I like our chances that Call of Duty will be one of them."

Asked if he believes Call of Duty can continue to grow as a franchise, Hirshberg said: "I certainly hope so. The fact that it's a console transition year adds complexity, and if you look historically at what happens during console transitions is there are short-term challenges followed by long-term opportunities.

"We've discussed that pretty openly, but that said I think the franchise has never been stronger. More people are playing Call of Duty now than ever before, and in terms of performance we're producing the best season of digital content we've ever had.

"These things point to key interest and momentum, but there are challenges and confusion in the marketplace with regards to whether people are going for current gen or next gen. I think the creative challenge we have with Call of Duty is to make a game the fans love and at the same time build a new game that's innovative."

Posted:
Related Forum: Call of Duty Forum

Source: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/428042/theres-room-for-call-of-duty-and-gta-says-activision-publishing-ceo/

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"There's room for Call of Duty and GTA, says Activision Publishing CEO" :: Login/Create an Account :: 116 comments

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ImpossibilityPosted:

GTA has to be top everything for real

triksta2k11Posted:

Lyon
Dr-J
VEVO I swear if CoD gets #1 'Best' Seller again I will flip a damn table.


You know it's going to happen. I wish it would stop already


it will only stop if they release a new gta every year but we all know that wont happen.

And thank god it won't! The long development time is what makes GTA so great!

DawPosted:

Lightyear
Wokze Cod will always be a top seller, just because of the name it has.


Agreed, I bought every single cod ever published, I love it.


Not really. GTA V is definitely going to oversell CoD. GOTY in my opinion.

MentalistPosted:

Wokze Cod will always be a top seller, just because of the name it has.


Agreed, I bought every single cod ever published, I love it.

WokzePosted:

Miss Don't see CoD being taken down this year.


Me either, it sells just because of its name, and it has a huge fan base.

WokzePosted:

Cod will always be a top seller, just because of the name it has.

Evo8Posted:

Don't see CoD being taken down this year.

MultitaskPosted:

Dr-J
VEVO I swear if CoD gets #1 'Best' Seller again I will flip a damn table.


You know it's going to happen. I wish it would stop already


it will only stop if they release a new gta every year but we all know that wont happen.

MultitaskPosted:

VEVO I swear if CoD gets #1 'Best' Seller again I will flip a damn table.


Of course it will stay like that cause they always release a new cod every year while a new gta gets release every 3-5 years ( Just Guessing )

gmlukensPosted:

TTGxExecutive That's pretty obvious. They're two different game types


Two different games i will be getting