EA to develop Star Wars games

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Well it's not really EA making these games. They are great games sure but it's not like EA injected their talent into DICE and Bioware and that's why those games are great. The talented guys at those studios who were great before are the ones who are continuing to make them great and EA can't risk upsetting them or that figure they paid for the acquisitions will be just a purchase of a brand. It's noticeable for someone like me who has unfortunately followed EA from their earliest games how the games by these purchased studios are not affected by the normal anti-consumer EA policies.

And FIFA finally became a half decent game in about 2009, after about 14 annual releases of crap that I played through. If a top studio was allowed to get all those football licenses away from EA these games would be amazing by now. Ex EA employees have admitted in the past that they were told to purposefully not make FIFA too good so that they could release every year with just some small but noticeable improvements. If they improved too much one year then the next year's release would struggle.

I was talking about them as a publisher. I don't think EA develops any of their games. I'm not trying to say that EA is the reason that it's good, but I'm trying to say that great games have been released with an EA logo on them.

I honestly didn't play Fifa until Fifa 09, which coincidentally was when they started getting good. Still, I don't think that's a secret with any sports game, whether it be EA or 2K. They certainly do hold back every year because they have to keep the series alive. If you put it all in one copy, what's there left to improve next year? Sometimes, they do and that's why the next game has minimal improvement.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

Well it's not really EA making these games. They are great games sure but it's not like EA injected their talent into DICE and Bioware and that's why those games are great

And how many publishers can you name that "injected" talent into their dev's? Why doesnt EA deserve some credit from DICE's or BIOWARES success? They could of easily told Bioware to can the Mass Effect series, they could of done what activision does and pass on IP's because they cant be annualized.

And FIFA finally became a half decent game in about 2009, after about 14 annual releases of crap that I played through. If a top studio was allowed to get all those football licenses away from EA these games would be amazing by now. Ex EA employees have admitted in the past that they were told to purposefully not make FIFA too good so that they could release every year with just some small but noticeable improvements. If they improved too much one year then the next year's release would struggle.

FIFA is FAR more than half decent. Its the best selling and one of the best reviewed sports title in the world. Even when FIFA was struggling PES couldnt over take it. They had an opportunity and they failed and they have only gotten worse while FIFA has become MUCH better. If FIFA was a poorly made title, it wouldnt sell the numbers it does, REGARDLESS of the license's EA holds. Just look at the Madden series, it saw its best sales with Madden 2004, arguably the best version of that series, when the series started to go downhill, post 2005 so did its sales. Most of those sports games will get the annual buyers who have to play their sports games, but you dont get FIFA numbers from just owning the club licenses and slapping together a product. FIFA is probably the best example right now at handling a yearly license.

 

[Iceman]

I was talking about them as a publisher. I don't think EA develops any of their games. I'm not trying to say that EA is the reason that it's good, but I'm trying to say that great games have been released with an EA logo on them.

I honestly didn't play Fifa until Fifa 09, which coincidentally was when they started getting good. Still, I don't think that's a secret with any sports game, whether it be EA or 2K. They certainly do hold back every year because they have to keep the series alive. If you put it all in one copy, what's there left to improve next year? Sometimes, they do and that's why the next game has minimal improvement.

As a publisher of games for AAA purchased studios I have no problem with them at all. They do what any rich acquirer should do, provide financial backing & support and then get out the way of the real talent. I'm happy for them to take over any company that makes the games I love as they have a good track record here. And also Ive expressed a lot of support in them gettin gthe Star Wars license. Probably THE best place for it and that was confirmed in their choice of studios to take on the project.

But as a fan of nearly all types of sports games I've been following this company massively since about 1996 and the competition has been given no chance because licenses are so important in sport, more important than being the best game. And this would not be a problem if all their games had been top notch but they weren't, and they weren't because EA didn't even need them to be or particularly want them to be. Minimal improvements are ok when you already have a top product and at least now FIFA is a good game.

The corporate culture at EA over almost 2 decades has been the most anti-consumer I've seen from any company I've dealt with. Maybe most of the votes they get for being worst company are from older people like me rather than the new generation who see EA tagged with their favourite games so I can't blame those guys. Thankfully they are realising why other companies like DICE have gotten success without doing this and are much more popular with their own fans. You can be succesful and make a lot of money by being good to your fans EA.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

The corporate culture at EA over almost 2 decades has been the most anti-consumer I've seen from any company I've dealt with. Maybe most of the votes they get for being worst company are from older people like me rather than the new generation who see EA tagged with their favourite games so I can't blame those guys.

No, those votes come from internet putz's who havent the faintest clue as to what the hell they are talking about. I mean take last years poll for example, to be named a worse company over an organization that was key in creating TONS of REAL WORLD devastation is absolutely mind blowing. EA makes f'ing video games, but is voted worse than BP who was instrumental in destroying huge stretches of local ecosystems? And this year, EA beats out banks that ILLEGALLY foreclosed on peoples property? What the hell did EA do that was so evil? Oh i know, they gave you the OPTION to download extra stuff in your game. How dare they.

Im not saying EA is full rainbows and puppies and kittens, but their operations are no worse than anyone else in the industry. Id put Capcom ahead of EA by a damn country mile.

And on the Star Wars topic, going by EA's recent success with games like Battlefield, Mass Effect and Dead Space, we might actually get some good Star Wars based games, something Lucasarts hasnt been able to do this entire generation.

 

[Iceman]

And how many publishers can you name that "injected" talent into their dev's? Why doesnt EA deserve some credit from DICE's or BIOWARES success? They could of easily told Bioware to can the Mass Effect series, they could of done what activision does and pass on IP's because they cant be annualized.

FIFA is FAR more than half decent. Its the best selling and one of the best reviewed sports title in the world. Even when FIFA was struggling PES couldnt over take it. They had an opportunity and they failed and they have only gotten worse while FIFA has become MUCH better. If FIFA was a poorly made title, it wouldnt sell the numbers it does, REGARDLESS of the license's EA holds. Just look at the Madden series, it saw its best sales with Madden 2004, arguably the best version of that series, when the series started to go downhill, post 2005 so did its sales. Most of those sports games will get the annual buyers who have to play their sports games, but you dont get FIFA numbers from just owning the club licenses and slapping together a product. FIFA is probably the best example right now at handling a yearly license.

How long have you been playing FIFA mate because it sounds like you just jumped on board in the last few years. Those old games are still around and can be bought for $1. Settle this now by buying and playing an old FIFA game from the 1990s or early 2000s and a PES game from the same year and get back to me. I bought every FIFA game despite thinking it's crap because in football the licenses make up for the game not being historically as good as PES. A great game where your favourite team is called Red London and your favourite player something like Donazine Nidaze (Zinedine Zidane) and you compete in Charles stadium for the Country Cup doesn't cut it even if the football gameplay is good. And now that the game is better I'm not surprised it reviews well. It deserves it now.

EA is not a company that have sprung up in the last 4 years though and got their bad reputation from Battlefield, Dead Space, Mass Effect & post 2009 FIFA. Where exactly do you think the bad rep comes from? It's years in the making and I don't blame the young guys not understanding this as they're seeing the positive side of EA, particularly if they only play a couple of sports games and then the major shooters. Their old corporate culture is still evident in most of their fringe sports titles.

 

[Iceman]

No, those votes come from internet putz's who havent the faintest clue as to what the hell they are talking about. I mean take last years poll for example, to be named a worse company over an organization that was key in creating TONS of REAL WORLD devastation is absolutely mind blowing. EA makes f'ing video games, but is voted worse than BP who was instrumental in destroying huge stretches of local ecosystems? And this year, EA beats out banks that ILLEGALLY foreclosed on peoples property? What the hell did EA do that was so evil? Oh i know, they gave you the OPTION to download extra stuff in your game. How dare they.

People are only voting on what they think actually affects them. I didn't say they were intelligent. But why aren't other games companies being voted no.1 if EA is being mentioned? Why is the name EA associated with this negativity at all? There's no need for this to be successful as DICE have proven. How many people complain about CD PRojekt Red?

Im not saying EA is full rainbows and puppies and kittens, but their operations are no worse than anyone else in the industry. Id put Capcom ahead of EA by a damn country mile.

And they are worse than most other games companies. Capcom is right up there with them. Now if you think of other games companies at random odds are that they will be better than both of those.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

And how many publishers can you name that "injected" talent into their dev's? Why doesnt EA deserve some credit from DICE's or BIOWARES success? They could of easily told Bioware to can the Mass Effect series, they could of done what activision does and pass on IP's because they cant be annualized.




FIFA is FAR more than half decent. Its the best selling and one of the best reviewed sports title in the world. Even when FIFA was struggling PES couldnt over take it. They had an opportunity and they failed and they have only gotten worse while FIFA has become MUCH better. If FIFA was a poorly made title, it wouldnt sell the numbers it does, REGARDLESS of the license's EA holds. Just look at the Madden series, it saw its best sales with Madden 2004, arguably the best version of that series, when the series started to go downhill, post 2005 so did its sales. Most of those sports games will get the annual buyers who have to play their sports games, but you dont get FIFA numbers from just owning the club licenses and slapping together a product. FIFA is probably the best example right now at handling a yearly license.

THANK YOU for realizing Madden 04 was the best Madden game. It's also my favorite of all of them too. Madden 05 probably would have been my favorite if it wasn't for the terrible run game because they made the run defense impossible with defenders ready to tackle you right when you get the ball (and this is before the offensive hit stick button came).

And FIFA became one of (and if not for 2K basketball, undisputedly the best) sport games this gen because it simply got good gameplay and converted many non soccer fans (like me and most my friends back in high school) into soccer fans.

When I play started playing FIFA 09 I never cared for soccer. Never like it, and thought it was boring and so did my friends. Then a few of my friends started playing it and they got addicted to it. Then more of my friends started playing it and once I started playing it, I had to buy the series. The FIFA series was just that good, good enough to fill the void of terrible Madden games (I bought Madden 09 but hated it so much I traded it after playing it only 3 times) and the declining NCAA football games.

As a publisher of games for AAA purchased studios I have no problem with them at all. They do what any rich acquirer should do, provide financial backing & support and then get out the way of the real talent. I'm happy for them to take over any company that makes the games I love as they have a good track record here. And also Ive expressed a lot of support in them gettin gthe Star Wars license. Probably THE best place for it and that was confirmed in their choice of studios to take on the project.

But as a fan of nearly all types of sports games I've been following this company massively since about 1996 and the competition has been given no chance because licenses are so important in sport, more important than being the best game. And this would not be a problem if all their games had been top notch but they weren't, and they weren't because EA didn't even need them to be or particularly want them to be. Minimal improvements are ok when you already have a top product and at least now FIFA is a good game.

The corporate culture at EA over almost 2 decades has been the most anti-consumer I've seen from any company I've dealt with. Maybe most of the votes they get for being worst company are from older people like me rather than the new generation who see EA tagged with their favourite games so I can't blame those guys. Thankfully they are realising why other companies like DICE have gotten success without doing this and are much more popular with their own fans. You can be succesful and make a lot of money by being good to your fans EA.

I agree. I think EA has been much more hands off with DICE, and to a degree Bioware, but EA needs to rethink their strategy to increase their profit instead of making excuses like Peter Moore did.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

How long have you been playing FIFA mate because it sounds like you just jumped on board in the last few years. Those old games are still around and can be bought for $1. Settle this now by buying and playing an old FIFA game from the 1990s or early 2000s and a PES game from the same year and get back to me. I bought every FIFA game despite thinking it's crap because in football the licenses make up for the game not being historically as good as PES. A great game where you faourite team is called Red London and your favourite player something like Donazine Nidaze (Zinedine Zidane) and you compete in Charles stadium for the Country Cup doesn't cut it even if the football gameplay is good. And now that the game is better I'm not surprised it reviews well. It deserves it now.

EA is not a company that have sprung up in the last 4 years though and got their bad reputation from Battlefield, Dead Space, Mass Effect & post 2009 FIFA. Where exactly do you think the bad rep comes from? It's years in the making and I don't blame the young guys not understanding this as they're seeing the positive side of EA, particularly if they only play a couple of sports games and then the major shooters. Their old corporate culture is still evident in most of their fringe sports titles.

No im not saying FIFA has always been good, i was there when it was crap and i was pushing people towards PES over FIFA. During those down years PES WAS the talk of football, FIFA was a side thought. The license was the ONLY thing even keeping FIFAs head above water. That has completely changed though. FIFA has gotten leaps and bounds better because EA saw they couldnt just keep pushing out crappy FIFA products. Something had to give. They have done the same thing with Madden even though they have ZERO competition with American Football.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

No, those votes come from internet putz's who havent the faintest clue as to what the hell they are talking about. I mean take last years poll for example, to be named a worse company over an organization that was key in creating TONS of REAL WORLD devastation is absolutely mind blowing. EA makes f'ing video games, but is voted worse than BP who was instrumental in destroying huge stretches of local ecosystems? And this year, EA beats out banks that ILLEGALLY foreclosed on peoples property? What the hell did EA do that was so evil? Oh i know, they gave you the OPTION to download extra stuff in your game. How dare they.

Considering that the survey was based only on consumerism I'd disagree with the BP thing. What BP did was horrible, but has little to do with their consumer service.

EA in some ways I would agree that they did deserve it. Microtransactions for content that should be in the game already (such as Tiger Woods and Fight Night Champion); the always online disaster of Simcity; Madden and Metal of Honor; Online passes and more.

But at the same time they do publish some quality games. I'm not one of those people who wants to boycott EA. Like everything in the world, it's not a simple black and white.

The Star Wars games I know will have quality gameplay and presentation, but everything else will be up in the air.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

No im not saying FIFA has always been good, i was there when it was crap and i was pushing people towards PES over FIFA. During those down years PES WAS the talk of football, FIFA was a side thought. The license was the ONLY thing even keeping FIFAs head above water. That has completely changed though. FIFA has gotten leaps and bounds better because EA saw they couldnt just keep pushing out crappy FIFA products. Something had to give. They have done the same thing with Madden even though they have ZERO competition with American Football.

Have they? Last year's Madden was crap. I rented it from gamefly and I sent it back in 2 days. This says it best.

Since Madden 13 is oh so very proud of their fictional Twitter feed I have decided to do my review as a fictional Twitter feed between EA and gamers:

EAsports: New Madden is out and it is the best thing in history! What do you think? #BetterTheDayYourChildWasBorn

AGamer: Hey I'm having trouble finding Franchise Mode. Where is it?

EASports: Gone Bro!

AGamer: What do you mean gone? It was the only thing that didn't suck.

EASports: We have innovated and replaced it with Connected Careers! Like a boss! #ConnectedCareersBetterThanSex

AGamer: WTH is Connected Careers?

EASports: It is like Superstar and Franchise mode combined! Now you can be either player or a coach! Like a boss! #JesusWouldDoConnectedCareers

AGamer: Couldn't we always do that?

EASports: Yeah but not like on Connected Careers now you can go online and compete with friends! Like a boss! #INeedACigaretteAfterConnectedCareers

AGamer: You mean like the online play we've had the last 4 years? What evs I'll check it out.

AGamer: Dude, I'm doing the Coach in Connected Careers and can't change schemes or customize my playbook. What gives?

EASports: Did you see the fictional Twitter feed! Skip Bayless in the house!

AGamer: Yeah thats cool and all but we've been able to customize schemes and plays in Madden since the late 90s. WTH?

EASports: Check out the physics on the Infinity Engine. Gang tackles like a boss! #ILoveMaddenMoreThanMyFamily

AGamer: Infinity Engine? Is that why my players keep flying through the air like a grenade went off?

AGamer: And staggering around like their drunk and tripping over people?

AGamer: Dude, why does my running back keep running into the back of people and falling over? Did he just get off the Gravitron at a state fair?

EASports: Physics! Like a boss! #IWillStabYouForACopyOfMadden

AGamer: It isn't remotely realistic! People are tripping over each other after plays and flying all over the place like someone hit them with a car!

EASports: Feel the realism! #WhoNeedsFriendsWhenYouHaveMadden

AGamer: What is up with the announcing? Are they in the same game? I'm up 28 - 3 and every time I get a first down they say it is my first one of the game.

EASports: Phil Sims in the house!Like a boss!

AGamer: Why do you keep saying 'like a boss' #Toolbag

EASports: Cause I'm sooooo excited about all the innovation in Madden!!! #WeDeserveANobelPrize

AGamer: Excited about the innovation? You took away a lot of our control and customization in Franchise Mode and renamed it Connected Careers.

AGamer: You gave us a physics engine that makes the players flop around like Muppet's inside of a dryer.

AGamer: The announcing is no better than it was 8 years and a whole generation of systems ago.

AGamer: Superstar mode has also been replaced by Connected Careers and while the gameplay is solid there is nothing personal to connect you with your player.

AGamer: I want to see my player get interviewed and see him get accolades. I want to see him get endorsements.

AGamer: I want to see celebrations at his accomplishments like what you saw in the NBA 2k series.

AGamer: I get none of that in Madden 13. You have just given me a game with player lock and nothing else.

EASports: Did you see the Twitter feed? #SkipBaylessOwnsTwitter

AGamer: Yeah I saw the Twitter feed but nothing else.

AGamer: This is what you call innovation?

EASports: Like a boss!!

AGamer: Whatever EA. Whatever.

2KSports: Ashamed there is no competition out there isn't it.

NFL: @2KSports - Shhhhh. We're trying to count our money.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

I agree. I think EA has been much more hands off with DICE, and to a degree Bioware, but EA needs to rethink their strategy to increase their profit instead of making excuses like Peter Moore did.

His "excuses" arent wrong though. I challenge anyone to name something EA did over the last 3 years that is worse than what BP did with their oil spill or what some of these banks did to create some of the economic mess we are in currently. The best argument iv seen is from Iceman and his argument is, well EA holds exclusive licenses to these football clubs. Really? That tops BP or Bank of America?

 

[Iceman]

No im not saying FIFA has always been good, i was there when it was crap and i was pushing people towards PES over FIFA. During those down years PES WAS the talk of football, FIFA was a side thought. The license was the ONLY thing even keeping FIFAs head above water. That has completely changed though. FIFA has gotten leaps and bounds better because EA saw they couldnt just keep pushing out crappy FIFA products. Something had to give. They have done the same thing with Madden even though they have ZERO competition with American Football.

Well I agree on that. FIFA is the best game football game now, really enjoyable.. but what kind of company needs to realise after 14 years that you should try and makes games good? t: One that doesn't care about the approach of making money by being good to fans, one with no artistic goals in game devlopment and one with little sense. I mean it's the majority of the company's history!

Thank **** they've bought good companies and seen that it's possible to make money without fleecing customers and putting out the minimum product you can get away with. These other companies started with the right philosophy before they made a single buck and the money has followed along with the loyalty and the good reputation that EA don't have.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

Have they? Last year's Madden was crap. I rented it from gamefly and I sent it back in 2 days.

I didnt enjoy it much either, but compare Madden 06, 07, 08 and 09 to the 2010 through 2013 versions. They got a LOT better. They finally started bringing in gameplay elements from NFL 2K5 that fans had been asking for.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Yep, they finally started to.

It took them forever for them to realize that a quarterback doesn't always throw overhand especially when it's short like shovel passing

 

[Iceman]

His "excuses" arent wrong though. I challenge anyone to name something EA did over the last 3 years that is worse than what BP did with their oil spill or what some of these banks did to create some of the economic mess we are in currently. The best argument iv seen is from Iceman and his argument is, well EA holds exclusive licenses to these football clubs. Really? That tops BP or Bank of America?

C'mon dude, you know noone here's arguing those things, just that EA has been bad for gaming for a long time. They've tried to fleece all their fans unfairly all these years while most other games companies have also just been trying to maximise their profits from consumers but more fairly and in less of a way that makes people hate them.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

Well I agree on that. FIFA is the best game football game now, really enjoyable.. but what kind of company needs to realise after 14 years that you should try and makes games good?

Well maybe they were trying to make the games good and they just failed? Thats EXACTLY what happened with the Madden series, after Madden 2009 they brought in Ian Cummings as lead designer and the game got DRASTICALLY better. He focused on things fans had been asking for and dropped some of the more "gamey" elements the series had since incorporated.

Again im not saying EA is spotless, but i have still yet to hear a solid argument that would place them over some of the companies they "beat" in a worst company poll.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Well I agree on that. FIFA is the best game football game now, really enjoyable.. but what kind of company needs to realise after 14 years that you should try and makes games good? t: One that doesn't care about the approach of making money by being good to fans, one with no artistic goals in game devlopment and one with little sense. I mean it's the majority of the company's history!

Thank **** they've bought good companies and seen that it's possible to make money without fleecing customers and putting out the minimum product you can get away with. These other companies started with the right philosophy before they made a single buck and the money has followed along with the loyalty and the good reputation that EA don't have.

Well, you know the saying. At first you don't don't succeed, try 16 times.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

His "excuses" arent wrong though. I challenge anyone to name something EA did over the last 3 years that is worse than what BP did with their oil spill or what some of these banks did to create some of the economic mess we are in currently. The best argument iv seen is from Iceman and his argument is, well EA holds exclusive licenses to these football clubs. Really? That tops BP or Bank of America?

Okay you have a point there.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

Yep, they finally started to.

It took them forever for them to realize that a quarterback doesn't always throw overhand especially when it's short like shovel passing

Hah exactly, David Ortiz was responsible for Maddens crap years, they fired him then brought in Ian Cummings and the series instantly got better. Do you remember that nonsense TRON inspired mini game? Yea ALL Ortiz. I hope they can continue to push the series forward now that Ian Cummings has left, Madden 2013 doesnt instill me with much confidence tho, haha.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

I just want them to lose the exclusive license so 2K can start making football games again. All-Pro football may have been barebones content wise (which I blame more on 2K than the lack of license), but it had shown that gameplay wise 2K could still make great football games.

It does expire this year. Also, I wish 2K would at least start making college football games again.

 

[Iceman]

Well, you know the saying. At first you don't don't succeed, try 16 times.

Haha. There is that.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

With everything said, I do like that EA had taken risks before with sports licenses (even though they failed) like College baseball, arena football, and EA sports MMA. I hope EA sports' UFC game is good.

 

[Iceman]

Anyway the important thing is that the area where EA has done really well that most can agree on is purchasing these top studios and letting them do what they do best without interference. And that bodes very well for Star Wars with the 3 studios they've chosen to get involved. Perfect mix of abilities I think that may lead to the best ever Star Wars game and I hope a multiplayer game that I actually want to keep playing long after I'm done with the single player. Very rare nowadays for shooters outside of Battlefield, Gears & Halo.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

People play Battlefield's single player?

 

[Iceman]

People play Battlefield's single player?

Haha, keep them the hell away from the SP! Bioware & Visceral on a Star Wars SP though? And DICE on Star Wars MP? And maybe Bioware on Star Wars co-op multiplayer?