Electronic Arts has fired back at Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick after interview comments made about EA in Edge magazine were published this morning. Kotick said EA isn't allowing its studios to have an identity and said talented developers don't want to work there.

Jeff Brown, EA's vice president of communications, didn't hold back when asked for comment, taking aim at Activision's Guitar Hero, Call of Duty, and World of Warcraft franchises in the process."Kotick's relationship with studio talent is well documented in litigation," Brown said, referring to Activision's latest lawsuit with developer Infinity Ward over the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare franchise and previously with Double Fine over Brutal Legend."His company is based on three game franchises – one is a fantastic persistent world he had nothing to do with; one is in steep decline; and the third is in the process of being destroyed by Kotick's own hubris."Activision acquired the World of Warcraft franchise after the company merged with Blizzard parent company Vivendi Games in 2007. With Guitar Hero, Activision stated last year it was reducing the number of music titles released in calendar 2010 in anticipation of a declining market.There has been little to no effect from the lawsuit with Infinity Ward over Call of Duty to Activision's bottom line, however. Modern Warfare 2 has sold over 20 million copies worldwide to date, and Activision is planning on marketing its latest title, Call of Duty: Black Ops, with the publisher's largest game launch this November.