Infinity Ward has taken a firm stance on top of the first-person and modern shooter mountains thanks to the success of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. But that stance is about to be challenged by parent-company Activision’s main rival, Electronic Arts.
Jens Uwe Itat, EA’s senior VP in Europe, had some fighting words for Modern Warfare 2 and Activision when discussing the company’s first quarter lineup for 2010 in MCV Magazine.
"In March we will launch Battlefield: Bad Company 2, which is our first strong attack on Call of Duty," said Itat.
Electronic Arts used to be the one on top of the modern shooter mountain with Battlefield 2 until 2007, when Activision and Infinity Ward blew them off with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. According to Itat, it’s something the company has wanted back ever since.
"The shooter space is one we don’t want to give up," he said. "It’s an important genre and we were the number one. So we are certainly working on how we can get that crown back and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is an important product in that context."
Itat then showed confidence in DICE, which is developing Bad Company 2.
"If any of our studios can take on Modern Warfare, then its DICE," he added.
Should Bad Company 2 fail, EA will still have a backup plan in the revamped Medal of Honor, set to take its shot at the top this fall.
[MCV]
