Schafer calls Bobby Kotick "a total prick"

Double Fine Productions founder Tim Schafer, who was sued last year by Activision over the release of Brutal Legend by EA, has told Eurogamer exactly what he thinks of Bobby Kotick in an explosive new interview.

"His obligation is to his shareholders," Schafer said. "Well, he doesn't have to be as much of a dick about it, does he? I think there is a way he can do it without being a total prick. It seems like it would be possible. It's not something he's interested in."

Last year Activision filed suit against Double Fine to prevent the release of heavy metal action game Brutal Legend, a game it had been set to publish.

Clearly unhappy that Brutal Legend had ended up in rival publisher EA's hands, Activision alleged that Double Fine had failed to deliver Brutal Legend on time.

In August, Activision settled out of court with Double Fine, clearing the game for an October release.

"He [Kotick] makes a big deal about not liking games, and I just don't think that attitude is good for games in general. I just don't think we're an industry of widgets," said Schafer.

"We can approach it like we approach bars of soap, where you're just trying to make the cheapest bar of soap. He definitely has that that kind of widget-maker attitude. I don't think he's great for the industry, overall. You can't just latch onto something when it's popular and then squeeze the life out of it and then move on to the next one. You have to at some point create something, build something.

He added: "Hopefully he'll go back to another industry soon. He could go to an industry that makes more money. Ball bearings… something that suits his passions more. Weapons manufacturing?"

Kotick, of course, is public enemy number one in gamers' eyes following the high-profile sacking of Call of Duty creators Vince Zampella and Jason West, who have both since signed with EA.

There's lots more from the energetic mouth of Tim Schafer in the full interview.