Look everybody! Activision is doing a good thing that is not evil or greedy

As one of gaming's biggest money bags publishers, killer of studios and rampant peddler of endless sequels, Activision is regarded as being the industry villain, with CEO Bobby Kotick currently ranking somewhere between Emperor Palpatine and Rupert Murdoch in the popularity stakes. Gamers love to rag on Activision. And normally with some justification. But look here - Activision is doing something good. It is giving money to independent game developers. Not for drowning kittens or other despicable schemes, but to help them make good independent games.

Activision's Independent Games Competition was announced last year and gave US based indie devs the opportunity to submit games (either completed, in development, or still at concept stage) for consideration. And the incredibly benevolent Activision has just picked the first two winners. First prize winner Peter Angstadt gets $175,000 for his game Dstroyd. This is what Dstryd looks like:

Developer Engient claims the $75,000 second prize with its game Rigonauts: Broadside. Which is this:

But that's not all. There's a second phase of the competition still to go and the giant-hearted Activision will be giving away yet another $250,000 to indie devs for that. Unbelievable. Well done Activision for giving something back and bless Mr Bobby Kotick for giving the competition the green light.

Above: He's practically an angel

Reports that Activision will aggressively acquire all the independent developers involved, then task them with co-developing the next Bond game before closing each of them down is nothing more than a predictable cheap shot perpetrated by ourselves.

Now please feel free to commence with the cynical 'Blatant PR stunt Activision can suck my balls' comments below.

July 28, 2011