Activision: 'Retail is crucial for games industry'

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has underlined the importance of high-street retailers to the games industry, labelling them as 'critical' to the future of the business.

Speaking in a TV interview to CNBC over the course of the E3 2011 show, Kotick said that he didn't think that retailers would be going away anytime soon.

'When you see people lined up at store before a launch, that in itself creates the popular cultural awareness,' he explained.

“I don’t think the theatre experience you have in a store is going away anytime.'

It's a view which contrasts with that of HMV boss Simon Fox, however, who told The Sun today that restrictions need to be placed on the growth of supermarkets.

'We have to be very careful about the expansion of the supermarkets or the high streets will carry on getting emptier and emptier,' said Fox.

'The shop vacancy rate is already averaging 15 per cent nationwide but it's up to 20 to 25 per cent in some towns. They're still aggressively growing and shoppers aren't spending any more money so the high street does need protection.'

Let us know your thoughts in the forums.

You can check out other news from the show via our E3 2011 News hub.