Having done a lot of business with Lucasarts—Jedi Outcast, Jedi Academy, Star Wars: STFU—Activision boss Bobby Kotick knows who comes out ahead in that relationship. It ain't the publisher, he said, when asked his thoughts on Star Wars: The Old Republic.
"Lucas is going to be the principal beneficiary of the success of Star Wars," Kotick said Monday at the Reuters Media Summit. "We've been in business with Lucas for a long time and the economics will always accrue to the benefit of Lucas, so I don't really understand how the economics work for Electronic Arts."
While backhanding The Old Republic as successful—just not for EA—Kotick also spread doubt that it'll be a sustainable game. "If you look at the history of the people investing in an MMO and achieving success, it's a small number," he opined.
Kotick's appraisal is, of course, not without self-interest. Reuters reported an analyst's note that The Old Republic, which releases Dec. 20, could draw 1.5 to 2 million subscribers "which would qualify as a major success for EA." Down the line, some 3 to 4 million World of Warcraft subscribers could be enticed to buy it.
Activision CEO Taunts EA, Touts Skylanders [Reuters via GamesIndustry.biz.]