Activision CEO Admits Increased Costs for Next-Gen Titles

Bobby Kotick, the chief executive officer of publisher Activision Blizzard, admits that the development costs for the next generation of home consoles from Sony and Microsoft will increase, but believes this will not be a problem for his company or players.

The executive told Gamasutra, during the DICE Summit 2013 that, “every single console transition we've seen an increase in development costs.”

He added, “We're going to have to figure out how to take advantage of the unique capabilities of new hardware, and that requires new skills and investment in tools, and technology and engines.”

The fact that more resources will be required to create high-profile video games for the Xbox 720 and the PlayStation 4 might also mean that prices will increase for gamers, with costlier retail packages or more emphasis on paid post-launch content.