There’s a clip that’s catching quite a bit of attention today featuring former Activision Blizzard CEO, Bobby Kotick, known in the gaming world as a bit of a controversial figure. In this clip, Kotick stumbles while recalling a past acquisition mishap during a video podcast for venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins. Alongside former EA exec Bing Gordon, Kotick admits, “We actually had a bad acquisition. The company that was, um … in Manchester, that did the driving game for Xbox, and it was called, um…”
You can catch the entire conversation at around the 8-minute mark of the video. Not exactly his best moment. But honestly, when you’re 62 years old like Kotick [quickly checks Wikipedia], you might not remember every detail of your life at 44 [pulls out calculator app]. That’s pretty much how old I am now, and I can’t say I’d recall everything I did back then. Will I remember writing this piece? That’s up in the air. But I do remember Bizarre Creations’ standout game that my family still enjoys today.
Nope, it’s not Blur—though a shoutout to Blur fans—and it’s not “the driving game for Xbox,” even though Project Gotham Racing has its loyal followers. I’m actually talking about Geometry Wars. This game carved out a new niche for console gaming on Microsoft’s powerful second console, becoming arguably the best launch title for the Xbox 360.
Originally a hidden gem inside Project Gotham Racing 2 on the original Xbox, Geometry Wars is all about simplicity. You’ve got a twin-stick setup: use the left stick to navigate your ship and the right one to fire. That’s the whole deal! During my early days as a gaming journalist (RIP Joystiq), I covered the Xbox 360 launch ahead of its November 2005 release. Seeing Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved—the high-def version on Xbox Live Arcade—was truly impressive. I remember writing, “If [Project Gotham Racing 3] isn’t the highlight of the 360 launch, Bizarre’s other creation surely is!”
In the months following the launch, my colleagues and I at Joystiq watched the global leaderboards with a mix of awe and disbelief. They scored what now? The fact that a retro game like this thrived on a high-def console, complete with internet connectivity, hinted at the changes to come in gaming. We frequently reported high scores, giving kudos to top players like Striker and xTHeDoGgx, and often challenged each other on friends’ leaderboards.
Even now, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved holds a special place on the Steam Deck in our household. Its quick sessions fuel some friendly father-son rivalry, reminding me how this game’s core formula hasn’t aged a bit, even nearly two decades later. So, even if the studio’s name slips your mind, or you forget it’s based in Liverpool, you should remember Geometry Wars. Activision eventually closed Bizarre Creations in 2011 after releasing the racing game Blur, but some of the team later regrouped at Lucid Games. They managed to roll out Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions in 2014, marking its debut on PlayStation.
If you’ve never played it, you’re in luck! The original is still available on the Xbox store for the nostalgic price of $4.99 from 2005, or go for the Steam version, currently a steal at $1.99—cheaper than a gas station coffee! And for those on PlayStation, Geometry Wars 3 is priced at $14.99, which is like buying a really fancy coffee these days (don’t quote me, though).
I’m really curious to hear if any of you share my enthusiasm for this iconic game. Let me know your thoughts below, and maybe I’ll see you climbing those leaderboards. 👀
