Beenox boss: Activision's reputation "probably unfair"

According to studio head Dee Brown, The Amazing Spider-Man developer Beenox hasn't experienced anything but support since its acquisition by Activision in 2005.

"I would certainly say from an internal perspective that the reputation Activision has acquired is probably unfair," Brown told GamesIndustry.

"We had to work with Activision prior to our acquisition. There was a reason why I as the studio founder agreed to be acquired. It was because of their independent studio culture. I believed in that model, and I still believe in that model today."

Brown said Activision had always treated the team as partners, "rather than something to be controlled".

"They've been, from a creative standpoint, really, really great. When I look at Shattered Dimensions, what were asked for at the time was 'Please make a Spider-Man game.' That was the creative direction that Activision gave us," he revealed.

"That is pretty much the creative involvement that Activision had. As a game developer, it is just really great to have that level of freedom, and it is really great to feel empowered and make the game we really want to make."

Beenox was also given free rein for an upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man tie-in, which is due on multiple platforms in late June.

Activision's relationship with development teams has been the subject of much speculation thanks to ongoing updates in a suit against the founders of Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward.