Get your guns, game fans – there’s a war on.

Responding to EA’s recent bragging about Battlefield 3 being a “superior” game to Call of Duty, Activision boss Eric Hirshberg has thanked their rival for “building awareness” about the brand.

“It sounds trite but it’s true: we focus on what we need to do to make the best games we can,” he said. “We don’t pay much mind looking at what the competitors are doing. I know they are focused on us… well that’s all I’ll say,” he tells MCV. “Well, I think EA might talk about our games in the press more than we do.

“So, the first thing I say to them is, ‘Thanks for the assistance in building awareness.'”

Very droll, Mr Hirshberg. He goes on to explain, however, that the company takes its competition very seriously.

“But when you think about it, we’ve had tough competition every year for Call of Duty,” he says. “It’s never been easy. This is one of the most competitive genres in one of the most competitive industries. Last year we had Halo: Reach and Medal of Honor, and it’s not like they weren’t amazing developers gunning for the top of this mountain either. And it’s the same this year – Gears of War is back along with lots of other games.

“So, of course, we take all the competition really seriously. But at the end of the day I really mean it when I say we are focusing on the finish line, not the competition.

We are making the best game we can, and are throwing every resource, innovation and all the creativity we can at it. And hopefully that will maintain our position.”

Modern Warfare 3 launches 8 November, and Battlefield 3 is rumoured to be releasing the same week.

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