There’s a video clip gaining traction today featuring Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard and often seen as a controversial figure in the gaming community. In this snippet from a video podcast for venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, where he chats with former EA executive Bing Gordon, Kotick reminisces about a botched acquisition, stumbling over the details. He’s quoted saying, “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 whole podcast, especially around the 8-minute mark if you’re curious. This little memory lapse isn’t exactly ideal, but to be fair, if I make it to 62, who knows if I’ll remember what I did at 44. Honestly, I can’t even say for sure if I’ll recall writing this piece. But what I definitely haven’t forgotten is the absolute gem that Bizarre Creations gave us— a game my family still eagerly plays.
No, I’m not talking about Blur—though I tip my hat to all the Blur enthusiasts—or the so-called “driving game for Xbox.” I’m referring to none other than Geometry Wars. This game carved a niche for itself in the console game scene with Microsoft’s robust second console and arguably stole the spotlight as the Xbox 360’s most memorable launch title.
Geometry Wars originally made its debut within Project Gotham Racing 2 on the original Xbox. It’s a straightforward twin-stick shooter: you steer your ship with the left stick and shoot with the right. During one of my early gigs as a gaming journalist (RIP Joystiq), I covered the Xbox 360 launch just before its November 2005 release, and Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved—the high-definition Xbox Live Arcade version—instantly made a mark. I remarked, “If [Project Gotham Racing 3] isn’t the highlight of the 360 launch, Bizzare’s other creation surely is!”
In the following weeks and months, my colleagues at Joystiq and I observed the global leaderboards with a mix of awe and disbelief. People were achieving incredible scores! The retro charm of this game, now playable on a high-def console with internet connectivity seamlessly woven into it, offered just a glimmer of what the future held for video gaming. We documented these impressive scores (shoutout to Striker and xTHeDoGgx) and had friendly rivalries on the leaderboards.
Fast forward nearly two decades, and Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved still captures the spirit of competition in my family as we play it on the Steam Deck. Its quick-play style coupled with some good-natured father-son competition serves as a reminder of how enduring its design is. So even if you’ve forgotten the studio’s name or where they were based—Liverpool, in case you were wondering—do remember Geometry Wars. Though Activision shuttered Bizarre Creations in 2011 after Blur’s release, some of that talented team came together again at Lucid Games, eventually bringing us Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions in 2014, marking its first appearance on PlayStation.
If you haven’t experienced this classic yet, there’s good news! The original is available on the Xbox store for just $4.99, the same price it was back in 2005, or you can grab it on Steam for $1.99—less than your average cup of coffee! If PlayStation is more your scene, Geometry Wars 3 is up for grabs at $14.99, which these days is about what you’d pay for a fancy coffee (don’t quote me on that).
I’d love to hear if any of you share my enthusiasm for this game. Feel free to chime in below, and I’ll see you on the leaderboards! 👀
