Hardly a week goes by when Activision doesn't manage to make the news for all the wrong reasons. The mega-publisher is an easy punching bag for gamers, largely due to the somewhat insensitive and sometimes inflammatory comments made by company CEO Bobby Kotick. The thing is, Activision knows full well it has an image problem, and the company wants everyone to know that they're working hard to try and improve.
"Obviously, we stay connected to what's going on in the communities so we're not ignorant that there's a very vocal minority out there that has some very strong feelings," said company COO Thomas Tippl. "Whenever you become #1 in any industry, you automatically get a target painted on your back. You've got to be able to live with that."
"There are many things we can probably do better in the way we communicate with the communities so that we don't run the risk that certain things get pulled out of context and blown out of proportion."
The first step on the road to recovery would likely be to put a muzzle on Kotick, as basically anytime he speaks he incites the rage of gamers everywhere. It's indisputable that the man is a great asset from a business perspective, as Activision has seen record profits during his tenure. Still, from a PR point of view he's a nightmare, with the corporate public relations reps and people like Tippl constantly scrambling to apologize for Kotick's remarks and assure gamers he didn't really mean it. Quiet him down and you might be amazed just how quickly gamers are willing to forgive and forget.