“The Pacific Crest Global Technology Leadership Forum” isn’t something that the average gamer is likely to hear on a daily basis, and rarely will it come up during regular conversation. Yet one of the presenters at the 13th annual event is almost a household name: Activision’s publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg. Hershberg was in attendance to talk to techo-savvy leaders for Activision and how they are expanding their creative insights, hoping to not only keep players invested but to also bring in new ones as well.
During his presentation, he mentioned some of the upcoming releases for Activision – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure – as well as how the company is branching out of their comfort zone. Hirshberg also mentioned Call of Duty: Elite, the program that just recently started going through rounds of multiplayer beta, was also branching out: by way of critically acclaimed director Ridley Scott.
Scott, who has been known for his work on projects such as Black Hawk Down, Blade Runner, Gladiator, as well as the upcoming Alien tie-in Prometheus, has been working with Activision to create community content for Call of Duty: Elite. Focusing on building “exclusive, episodic entertainment” for the program, Hirshberg feels that creating a memorable experience is the only justifiable way to go.
“Just like any other passion that people spend a lot of their free time doing, Call of Duty players share a common language and a common experience, and we think we can create some entertainment content that they will love and talk about and share.”
Scott isn’t alone in developing content either, as Activision has enlisted the help of The Office executive producer Ben Silvermen, Tony Scott, along with actors Jason Bateman and Will Arnett. Unfortunately nothing was mentioned regarding what the All-Star team is concocting – yet, whatever it is, it will only inflate Activision’s numbers from Call of Duty: Black Ops.
With the announcement of the $1 Million Dollar Tournament to celebrate the release of Elite’s Beta, and the care Activision is going to make sure the program is as big of a success as possible, it could be one of the most successful subscription programs the industry has ever seen.
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Follow Will on his Facebook and Twitter@ Ayreesfoxx.
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Hirshberg: “Ridley, are you pondering what I’m pondering?”
Scott: “I think so Eric, but if we release a new COD every year, doesn’t that use up all the money for new ideas?”
Hirshberg: “No you idiot! I’m talking about using your celebrity coupled with others to fuel a publicity machine so potent that none can resist it’s charms. Starting tomorrow we will unleash this volley of names on an unsuspecting public and they will have no choice but to bend to our will!”
Scott: “Why tomorrow, Eric? What are we doing today?”
Hirshberg: “The same thing we do every day, Ridley… try and take over the world!”
“They’re Ridley and the boss! Ridley and the boss! One is a genius, the other’s Eric Hirshberg…”
hehehe so true
i think they are going to use him for the CoD shorts (movies like they did with mortal kombat legacy). if so, then it would be pretty cool.
Haha, great reply DarthMalnu!!
I’m very curious as well as to what they’re working on, potentially another celebrity loaded commercial like that amazing Kobe/Kimmel one for Black Ops?