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

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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."

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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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MidtownPosted:

Not gonna lie, If I had to choose ONLY one game to play for the next year it would be COD rather than GTA, although I love GTA.

MaggardoPosted:

Wagering Oh there's room, but I'd rather spend it all on GTA V.


Exactly bro, I don't wanna buy CoD, I'd rather buy GTA V!

heart-shaped-boxPosted:

as much as I love GTA, i'm sure cod will still out beat everything because of the 40 trillion kids who beg their parents to buy it for them every year

WageringPosted:

Oh there's room, but I'd rather spend it all on GTA V.

0dinPosted:

I must say, I'm a HUGE Call of Duty fan but when GTA comes along Cod will die for a short while Especially over Christmas, But as usual Cod always finds its place at the No.1 Best seller of the year, With that in mind GTA will swipe the No.1 Spot this year with ease.

YinPosted:

GTA 4 released forever ago, so I won't be surprised if it beats Ghosts. Ghosts should remain somewhere in the top five though. I know I'm getting both (along with Assassin's Creed 4 and Watch Dogs.) GTA has that same social appeal that Call of Duty has. It's that game that you have where you can shoot up cops and do whatever you want. Everyone has to own a GTA just as everyone seems to need Call of Duty. In that sense, they are pretty comparable. GTA hasn't released in a long time, so of course they have the upper hand.

United501Posted:

"This town ain't big enough for the both of us." Lol.

generalhunterPosted:

GTA should have just released 1 day before COD for the Lols

THCv3Posted:

GTA is going to crap all over CoD. Every game will crap on CoD.

SakiPosted:

You cant compare a game that has been in development for 4+ years vs a game that is produced every 2 years. You just can't.