Electronic Arts has made a particularly candid response to Activision CEO Bobby Kotick’s derisive comments about the company, made in an interview with Edge magazine.

In that interview, Kotick said of the Activision rival, “EA will buy a developer and then it will become 'EA Florida', 'EA Vancouver', EA New Jersey', whatever.”

Kotick went on to dismiss the growing sentiment that EA is reforming its public image, saying “I've been an oppressed EA developer!” said Kotick.

“The thing is, it doesn't work that way – you can't be a floor wax and then decide that you're going to become a dessert topping.

“That doesn't work, it's your DNA. [EA's] DNA isn't oriented towards that model – it doesn't know how to do it, as a culture or as a company, and it never has.”

Jeff Brown, EA’s vice president of communications, attacked Kotick’s record with developers and took aim at the publisher’s three key titles.

“Kotick's relationship with studio talent is well documented in litigation," said Brown [via IGN], referring to the company’s ongoing legal battle with ex-Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella, and Activision’s attempts to halt EA’s publication of Double Fine’s Brütal Legend.

“His company is based on three game franchises – one is a fantastic persistent world he had nothing to do with; one is in steep decline; and the third is in the process of being destroyed by Kotick's own hubris,” continued Brown, speaking of World of Warcraft, the Guitar Hero franchise and the Call of Duty franchise.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was one of the biggest entertainment releases in history, across any medium. Since leaving Activision, Modern Warfare 2 creators Zampella and West have created Respawn, whose games will be published by EA under the partners program.