For the longest time, EA was the evil empire of the gaming world, relying heavily on sequels and licensed games. Recently, the company changed its image through games like The Orange Box, Skate, Dead Space, Mirror’s Edge, Brutal Legend, and more. Sure, the company still had its fair share of sequels and licensed titles, but it also offered a lot of original franchises from some of the best developers in the business. It looks like the economy has rained on EA’s parade of freshness and originality. According to Develop, the company will be focusing on sequels in the immediate future due to the economy.
Rapidly changing publisher EA has revealed that as well as shedding a huge 1,500 jobs, the company has also ditched a dozen announced projects to focus on its established and successful franchises.
The admission flies in the face of statements made by CEO John Riccitiello earlier this year where the outspoken exec claimed that EA had previously been too reliant on licenses and franchises and intended in future to focus on create its own new IP.
This saddens me. EA had a chance to be a huge publisher that was also cutting edge. Between EA’s fresh IPs and Activision taking sequelitis to new heights, EA wasn’t considered the evil empire anymore. Unfortunately, the economy sucks and there are shareholders to answer to. There’s a good chance that the emperor will reclaim the throne, but I will hold out hope that EA Partners will continue to be a creative force within the company.
what huge projects have they cancelled? huge as in Iphone games? DS? I need names.
I'm afraid the deflector shield will be fully operational by the time your friends arrive…
@LarcenousLaugh I'll never join you!!!
@Raymond, @LarcenousLaugh
"No, that's not true That's impossible! NOOOOOOOO. NOOOO!
You want this, don't you? The hate is swelling in you now. Take your Jedi weapon. Use it. I am unarmed. Strike me down with it. Give in to your anger. With each passing moment you make yourself more my servant.
All this star wars talk has me itching for Star Wars Gansta Rap.
What is thy bidding my masta?
It's a disasta, skywalker we're afta
@ Larcenous
My backpack's got jets
Well I'm Boba the Fett
Well I bounty hunt for Jabba Hutt
To finance my 'Vette
Out of all of those titles, I really think that Mirror's Edge has the most potential to be great. It is an original game and the concepts are all solid, it's just the execution and the whole "bad game" think that brought it down. If EA could just go back and tweak the game a little (and by "a little", I mean "a lot"), and fix a few bad mechanics, I really think that Mirror's Edge 2 will be a good game…. or at least more playable than the last.
-M
@N8R – that song is on my iPhone. Classic.