Electronic Arts and Activision are set to go head to head with their blockbuster shooters this holiday: Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and DICE's Battlefield 3. Both publishers have publicly criticized each other and countless occasions of trash talking, and one member of the EA team has continued it.
Jeff Brown, who is part of the EA corporate communications team, recently delivered his words against Activision Publishing's boss Eric Hirshberg to IndustryGamers:
Welcome to the big leagues Eric – I know you're new in the job but someone should have told you this is a competitive industry.You've got every reason to be nervous. Last year Activision had a 90 share in the shooter category. This year, Battlefield 3 is going to take you down to 60 or 70. At that rate, you'll be out of the category in two to three years.
Brown then ended with a low blow:
If you don't believe me, go to the store and try to buy a copy of Guitar Hero or Tony Hawk.
Ouch. Brown, however, has a foundation he is basing his strong belief of Battlefield 3 knocking Call of Duty's market share down, though: the hype for DICE's shooter far exceeds that of Modern Warfare 3's and you can't but help think it'll certainly make a massive impact in the first-person shooter market.