Attention Cryptic Studios, LucasArts, NCSoft, BioWare, and anyone else interested in tackling the MMORPG world.  Activision CEO Bobby “Negative Nancy” Kotick has a message for you: Don’t bother. Apparently, Mr. Kotick believes that attempting to unseat the current MMO king, Blizzard’s World Of Warcraft, is a near unreachable goal, and would require at least a $500 million-if not a $1 billion investment.  At the Goldman Sachs Technology Investment Symposium 2008 Conference on Tuesday, Kotick stated that "We don't think that even if we made the USD 500 million or billion-dollar investment to get a product out [to compete with WOW] that we would even be successful doing it," adding “When you... Look at all the money that's already gone to these businesses that have failed, there didn't seem a likelihood that even a well-managed company like Activision would have the prospect for profit any time soon in this category."  Well, not with that attitude, there’s not! 

C’mon, Activision.  Buck up!  Isn’t it just as likely that someone could come along with a revolutionary idea about how to revamp MMO’s and, with a significantly more modest budget, compete or even overtake WoW?  This is the same situation that Yahoo! found itself in 10 years ago, and look how that turned out.  No dynasty lasts forever, people.  Just ask the San Francisco 49ers, the Republicans, or the Ming dynasty

So don’t be discouraged, MMO publishers.  Just because hundreds of MMO’s have come and gone (and failed miserably) doesn’t mean yours will too.  Here’s my suggestion; try something in a fantasy setting.  You know, swords and sorcery and all that jazz.  That’ll shake up the genre!

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