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Denver, 6:59 PM
Sat Nov 21
30 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/09/09
Bobby Kotick GIVING money away?
mind = blown #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
However, instead donating 1$ million dollars to generate publicity and also help a worthy cause at the same time yields scrutiny and hatred.
Funny how the world works. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
11/09/09
11/09/09
looks down at comments
never mind here we go again #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
It IS enough to make your head spin. I think the gamer demographic just likes to complain. They're my people though, and love them or hate them, they have my controller... well, mouse. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
Maybe that's too cynical. Activision is giving at least a part of a % of a % of their revenue to charity. It's probably not even for a tax break.
Damn. Ok , soldiers having difficulty transitioning will receive the help they need. That's good! That's how I should see this. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
On a side note, does anybody have a free legal PS3 copy? #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
That being said, I don't want that idea to come across as me belittling the $1 million already being donated by Activision. Its a very generous sum and its nice to see them giving it to the veterans. Its nice to 'play' war on our games but its also easy to forget that there are real men and women who complete such harrowing acts everyday and we should be giving them all the support we can. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
Now another important "if IW so interested in great looking games.." question:
Why does this screenshot have this M4 variant with the selector switch and bolt release on the right side of the weapon when the shooter is a righty? #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
11/09/09
Vince-IW: The game was not balanced for that. It would break the balance of the whole game." #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
2. Until the game is sold, it has not made any money. Granted MW2 will sell alot, but until launch day, it has not made any realized profits. So as Activition is donating some of its own money to a good cause.
2. I don't think the majority of you understand what its like to not have money coming from anywhere. When you're not living with your parents, or in a Dorm, or have no source of supporting income (I.E. Unemployment) its not fun at all. It's not fun waking up and wondering where your food is going to come from, if you will even have a place to sleep at night. And for those who have families, its even worse. Someone said that 200 people isn't anything, but for those 200 people it means a great deal. Especially if they spent 4 years with the threat of constant death over their head. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
A friend of mine who was a Marine in Iraq and survived a point blank mortar hit, woke up a week later standing guard duty had the records of his entire deployment and promotion mislaid, causing months of paperwork and headache.
Foundations like this are a good step to repaying some of these guys for things that noone should have to go through, even if they do have ulterior motives, they can still do some good. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
I don't care if it's a publicity stunt, it's a publicity stunt that's going to help a lot of men and women who need it and deserve it IN REAL LIFE. Anyone comparing the loss of a feature in a game to the trials these real people go through are a waste of oxygen. Further, anyone who thinks it's "not enough" because they're going to make so much more on this game is a god damn idiot. A million dollars is a lot of fuckin money and it's going to do a lot of good. How much of the BF:BC2 profits are EA giving away?
This is all from someone very against the Iraq war as well. Hate the war, don't hate the soldier.
I'm totally buying MW2 now. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
Businesses are not altruistic entities. I'd bet anything that the accounting and marketing departments had to sign off on this first after they determined it to be a smart business move. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
Giving money to charity doesn't make it ok for a company to disrepect and screw consumers.
If you want to support the troops, then you should think twice about supporting Activisions and allowing your principles to be so easily bought off.
A better idea would be to donate the money you plan spending on MW2 to charity. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
I'm so sick of this whining about servers. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
11/09/09
I'm not on a high horse dipshit. All I said was my opinion has changed and chastised anyone stupid enough to use this as a forum to bitch about dedicated servers. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
11/09/09
The OP said he wasn't going to buy the game but the act of this charity alone turned his stance around to plan on purchasing a game that before he was not going to purchase.
Please then give me some prespective on how Activision making a charitable dontation improves the quality of MW2 or affects the product in any way. Or how that excuses the conduct of IW/Activision in the lead up to this game.
It doesn't.
So why should Activision be rewarded for it? Their reward should be helping veterans, not MW2 sales. Charity is not about getting something in return.
If you feel so strongly that this charity is more important than any game you have ever purchased. Then maybe you should donate the money you would have spent on MW2 to charity as well and sacrifice this game to help those who have made a sacrifice to protect this country. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
11/09/09
Sure, the publicity they get from this is probably what got the decision makers at the top in Activision to green light the whole thing, but I seriously doubt that there was a board room meeting where someone suggested starting a charity to try and drum up more sales on what is already probably going to be the largest selling title of the year and possibly all time. I'm guessing the people who pitched this originally did it because they believed it was a worthy cause with little to no attention on it in the charitable arena.
Also, I'm far from rolling in the money over here but I still have money from every paycheck I get donated to charity and if when they start this up there's a way for me to do a direct donation to this charity out of my paycheck I'll be more than happy to switch around where I have some of that money going to come to this charity as well.
I just can't understand why people are reading this and in this commentary thread which is about a GOOD THING a video game company is doing that will probably get some decent publicity (and we all know that the game community needs all the good publicity it can get) are bringing up the fact "well, they did something I didn't like too so they're still bad people." I mean, can't we just look at this and put aside the whole dedicated server issue (which is only the most recent problem people have had with Activision) and just say "Hey...this is a good thing you're doing, good job. I support more people doing things like this."
/gets off soap box #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
I thought the cold war ended? #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
11/09/09
Not say it's ever easy, but those serving who don't plan on making it a career should get better offerings while in the service on making themselves better. I can't comment on what's being done now as I have no frame of reference, but obviously if there is something wrong now, then there must be some changes made.
Do you have any resources that could enlighten me? #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
11/09/09
11/09/09
Sure, $1,000,000 does help but it's not like these companies can't afford to help more. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
Second, they already give a lot a lot to society. It's called taxes. There's nothing that says corporations need to give any more than that.
Maybe it is a cynical move to gain good publicity, we can't know. What we do know is that 1 million dollars is going to a good cause. I'm willing to sell my good will for that. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
Well, it's been a while since I posted on Kotaku, and since I work and volunteer with other Veterans, I figured I'd toss in my two cents.
First of all, to those who use this announcement as a pulpit to decry either the content or features (or lack thereof, whatever) of a game... You're flat out missing the point. There are men and women dying out there right now so you can live in luxury (compared to a vast majority of the world) and complain. I know that the bile you spew can in some ways be attributed to being one of THIS 75% (for those too lazy to read the content of the following link, it basically says that 75% of current recruits are either too fat, sickly, or stupid for active duty service)
[www.armytimes.com]
but realistically, I know that I'll never change your mind... The people that troll this type of article make a fine example of the type of person they truly are, without anyone needing to point out their ignorance and desperation any further than we already have.
Activision, thank you. As someone who tries to navigate the mess of rules and regulations regarding Veteran's Affairs paperwork almost daily, it's nice to see private industry making an effort.
To those expressing support, and to all my fellow Veterans, thank you. The problem of homeless, unemployed/impoverished Vets grows almost daily, and there needs to be more done to help out, on any level.
And one last thing, all...
Don't feed the trolls. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
I guess a more apt description would be that we have a large armed force as a deterrent from the really bad guys, whom just won't do anything because we know we'll get em. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
And I'd doubt that anyone who has been in a combat situation (regardless of when and where) would consider that situation unimportant.
11/09/09
If this was truly a full move for the company, they would have directly given it to a known and reputable organization instead of "founding their own committee". I think being the supporter you are, you should realize the amount of politics involved in corporate donations and how they can sound pleasant in news reports, but be complete bunk in actuality. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
So what?
They are, at least, doing SOMETHING, which is more than most individuals do, let alone corporations...
Since Vets aren't normally the target demographic of software publishers, regardless of the marketing motive, this is a significant and unprecedented effort from an industry that recreates the struggle of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines. I guess I'm just glad that a million dollars from a group that didn't have to donate it, came at all. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
Maybe I'm a cynic, but Activision has always treated the people who purchase their games as consumers and not customers. I don't take this sudden compassion as "doing something respectful", rather make them appear better than they are on the night of release of their biggest title.
If this was true act of kindness, timing it for Memorial day (IE 6 months after or prior to release of said title) to an actual respectable charity would speak volumes more.
I'm all for supporting the Vets, but this just screams another action of poor taste. Activision will only continue to pull maneuvers that makes them appear clean. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
To address the cynic in you: (From the Washington Post Article)
"The foundation will make its first donation of $125,000 to the Paralyzed Veterans of America to help open a vocational rehabilitation center, the company said. "
I've worked with that organization on many occasions, and can tell you they are first rate. If that $125k was all that Activision was doing, I'd still be impressed and thankful.
And while I agree that Memorial Day would be a nice gesture...Didja forget that Veterans' Day is 11 November? #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
The problem is that most of the people here are cynics.
Honestly, I totally agree that both Iraq and Afghanistan are pointless, mismanaged wars. That isn't the point at all though. The soldiers coming home that do not or can not fit into society are not the ones who make the decisions that I disagree with. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
11/09/09
A million dollars where there was none. Better than nothing.
Of course a business is going to time a donation well to promote a product. It's a business.
Sure, this million will seem more like an investment in marketing than a good cause, but I think it's both. It's supposed to be both.
Clever marketing by IW and Activision. See how much we're talking about their companies and products?
Did they mention that MW2 is due in stores tomorrow? ;-)
#callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
There is doing the right thing for the right cause, doing the right thing by accident, and doing the right thing for the wrong reasons. In the end, the action is right, but 2 cases don't deserve praise.
While I'll never say giving to veterans is a bad thing, this is not by accident and given Activision's public track record, I doubt this was for "the right reason,".
I haven't seen ANYONE comment on how this ties into a game where you can play a terrorist and kill innocents. Do you think the men and women who served in a war would be happy to know that this money came from a game that gave one the ability to kill innocents? I doubt most would approve. Add in the fact that whether its rated M or not, this is still going into the 14~18 male demographic of gamers who sit there and laugh and go "OH COOL!". I'm not saying its going to condition them to be murders, but rather, any moral meaning of the action or situation will fall upon deaf ears.
I feel this is the right action for the wrong reason. It's a tainted good, one that I'm not sure I like. If they would have done this AFTER the release of MW2 and given some buffer period, I think it would be less suspect. For this news to come out on the eve of their major retail release? Disappointing to me.
You did one good commendable thing; kudos Activision. Now, when you start treating me like a customer instead of a consumer, I'll have real respect for your company and products. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
So, ok, I'm using exaggeration to get my point across, but I think it's valid. Grand Theft Auto games have been granting all of us the "ability to kill innocents" since the 90's, and you want to question it now WHY?
I'm an OIF veteran, meaing I served in Iraq, and I don't see anything wrong with this. The timing is the way that it is because the 11th of November is Veterans Day (The 10th of November is the U.S. Marine Corps' birthday, by the way. Semper Fi!)
I came in here to read more and to praise this action, and I was honestly caught off guard by your comment. But to each his own, I suppose. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
The innocent killing is supposed to "SUPPOSED TO" (extra emphasis for my sarcastic tone) convey some emotion, but I doubt it.
This is my feelings on the situation. If they truly wanted it to appear pure, they could have done this 6 months prior or 6 months from now, not on the eve of their release. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09
As a person with many utilitarian tendencies, I say who cares what the reason they are doing it is? Activision can be doing this purely for self-interest and for raising their public image, but is that going to help the veterans any less?
If I were a veteran and I hadto receive either $1M from Activision, or $100 from a really well-meaning person, I would definitely pick Activision.
That's not to say that I wouldn't admire that well-meaning person. But in the practical scheme of things, intention doesn't really matter. #callofdutymodernwarfare
11/09/09