EA Shutters Visceral Studios, Pivots on Unreleased Star Wars Game Design

[bug]

I'm not sure they are raking in cash. They keep closing down studios.

They're not proud of some of their games either. A successful company goes out of it's way to show the sales numbers and brag. They hide that stuff, when it comes to Bioware, for example. They probably spent as much as CDProjekt on DAI ($80 million) or more, but the sales sucked. It never even reached top 10 on NPD charts. And dropped price immediately. I knew MEA was doomed before it even released... and that EA would try to keep a brave face. But they ended up having to admit how much it sucked by just shutting future development down.

Well, if the industry triple in value, where do you think the money went? Closing down studios doesn't mean they're doing bad, they probably close those without enough margins.

You don't have to take my word for it either: http://investor.ea.com/releases.cfm?ReleasesType=Earnings

 

[StrayKAT]

Well, if the industry triple in value, where do you think the money went? Closing down studios doesn't mean they're doing bad, they probably close those without enough margins.

You don't have to take my word for it either: http://investor.ea.com/releases.cfm?ReleasesType=Earnings

They're still making profitable games.. FIFA alone is huge. But at the same time, they're becoming irrelevant in many markets. They're not the umbrella company they intended to be.

 

[bug]

They're still making profitable games.. FIFA alone is huge. But at the same time, they're becoming irrelevant in many markets. They're not the umbrella company they intended to be.

I wouldn't mind that, but last year their revenue was almost as big as Ubisoft's and Activision's combined.
But it doesn't matter much how well they're doing. I stopped caring about their titles years ago and unless they drop their rehashes and Origin or take over the gaming world leaving me with no options, they're as good as dead to me.

 

[StrayKAT]

I wouldn't mind that, but last year their revenue was almost as big as Ubisoft's and Activision's combined.
But it doesn't matter much how well they're doing. I stopped caring about their titles years ago and unless they drop their rehashes and Origin or take over the gaming world leaving me with no options, they're as good as dead to me.

Ubisoft isn't very interesting for a big publisher either. They keep issuing out variations of their style of "open worlds" and it's just as tiresome.

I'm surprised about Activision though.

 

[Fx]

I actually started a new playthrough of Dead Space (1) just a week ago.

Sad to see another solid dev torn to pieces

Yep. Dead Space is one of my all-time favorite series. This news is painful to receive. The studio needs an independent reboot, but that hardly ever happens.

 

[Vayra86]

I feel what is happening @ EA is that the investors see mobile gaming and in app purchases as the big cash cow, with only bonus points for them: little to no piracy, no complicated multi platform and low level coding required, smaller low risk high yield projects, no super critical customer base, etc etc.

This is the only explanation for these kinds of shutdowns. At the same time, EA sacrifices so much talent that they will inevitably one day wonder where it all went. For cash flow EA is making great short term moves, but for long term sustainability, they are cutting their own wrists. With only one possible outcome: when the app craze bubble bursts, they will be forced to buy successful studios again to get back in the game, and their brand will be worth less than nothing. Or, the app bubble just keeps growing and EA becomes that publisher nobody really cares about regardless; because nothing it produces is memorable IP.

Inevitably EA is on course for that scenario. Will be fun to watch. As for the gaming market? No reason to be sad really, we need to ditch EA sooner rather than later. Let them have their annual sports game portfolio and leave the real games to that talent that got laid off and now works in independant studios. We have already seen how much good that does for our favorite pastime

Bottom line: if you make such radical moves as a company, shit just hit the fan, the business model is deemed wrong. Says alot about EA management and vision.

To this day I think this is the best sci-fi survival horror I have came across, hands down there is no dispute. I bought the two graphic novels. I've replayed the mobile and PC games many times. There's something there that I haven't seen anywhere else.

Yeah man, I think it is actual, genuine fear. Especially in DS1, with its simplicity, small selection of weapons and its limited ammo and resources. I did feel the sequels sorta missed that, esp in part 3 when it becomes a mod your own guns fiesta.

 

[eidairaman1]

EA used to have that slogan "challenge everything".
It's more like "destroy everything".

I miss the days when their Logo had a Cube, Sphere and Pyramid in it, or was it a Square, Circle, Triangle...

 

[natr0n]

I miss the days when their Logo had a Cube, Sphere and Pyramid in it, or was it a Square, Circle, Triangle...

 

[eidairaman1]

View attachment 93185

Ok well both were right, depends on how you see the image, with the certain shading its 3 dimensional, without its 2D lol.

 

[bug]

I feel what is happening @ EA is that the investors see mobile gaming and in app purchases as the big cash cow, with only bonus points for them: little to no piracy, no complicated multi platform and low level coding required, smaller low risk high yield projects, no super critical customer base, etc etc.

This is the only explanation for these kinds of shutdowns. At the same time, EA sacrifices so much talent that they will inevitably one day wonder where it all went. For cash flow EA is making great short term moves, but for long term sustainability, they are cutting their own wrists. With only one possible outcome: when the app craze bubble bursts, they will be forced to buy successful studios again to get back in the game, and their brand will be worth less than nothing. Or, the app bubble just keeps growing and EA becomes that publisher nobody really cares about regardless; because nothing it produces is memorable IP.

Inevitably EA is on course for that scenario. Will be fun to watch. As for the gaming market? No reason to be sad really, we need to ditch EA sooner rather than later. Let them have their annual sports game portfolio and leave the real games to that talent that got laid off and now works in independant studios. We have already seen how much good that does for our favorite pastime

Bottom line: if you make such radical moves as a company, shit just hit the fan, the business model is deemed wrong. Says alot about EA management and vision.



Yeah man, I think it is actual, genuine fear. Especially in DS1, with its simplicity, small selection of weapons and its limited ammo and resources. I did feel the sequels sorta missed that, esp in part 3 when it becomes a mod your own guns fiesta.

We can't really know why they shut down these studios. If you've ever pruned a tree, you know sometimes you get to prune branches that are in perfect health. Thus, we'll never guess the reasons behind EA's decisions. Luckily for me, I also don't care.

 

[SPLWF]

I really enjoyed Dead Space 1 and 2. Dead Space 3.....I didn't even bother.

I even watched the animated movies which were also good.


EA is scum

 

[StrayKAT]

We can't really know why they shut down these studios. If you've ever pruned a tree, you know sometimes you get to prune branches that are in perfect health. Thus, we'll never guess the reasons behind EA's decisions. Luckily for me, I also don't care.

Bioware devs once pointed out that EA execs insisted every one of their games had to have a multiplayer element... regardless of the game. That should tell you how stupid they are.

This is just an "evolution" in their thinking. They don't even make games on some other pretense anymore. They'll just gut everything that doesn't fit a narrow category.

edit: The news is also saying testers are responsible for this too. So I'm gonna blame them somewhat.

I also kind of hate these gamers on a personal level too. A lot of gamers are introverts and escapists and like interacting with stories. These multiplayer gamers are extroverts on some level... but yet they don't do traditional extroverted activities. They stay inside and play multiplayer games and interact on social media. They have a "need" for people still.. but for one reason or another, insist on living like introverts and stepping on my toes (or rather, my hobbies lol). I honestly think it's because they're ugly (both inside and out). But that need for social interaction still remains.

Enough of my ranting and pop psychology though.

 

[haxzion]

EA, the worst company in the World again in 2017/2018?? They certainly get my vote for sure.

Most definitely the WORST gaming company.
EA games actually ruined the "Star Wars" experience since their battlefront 1 and battlefront 2 don't have any anticheat engine,the game is overpopulated with cheaters and reporting them does absolutely nothing, also their support is non existent.I had the same experience with battlefield 4 and battlefield 1.
At least from me they are not getting any money ever again....

 

[bug]

Most definitely the WORST gaming company.
EA games actually ruined the "Star Wars" experience since their battlefront 1 and battlefront 2 don't have any anticheat engine,the game is overpopulated with cheaters and reporting them does absolutely nothing, also their support is non existent.I had the same experience with battlefield 4 and battlefield 1.
At least from me they are not getting any money ever again....

I haven't played any of those titles, but as far as I understand Battlefronts are just reskinned Battlefields. Which means similar experiences are to be expected.

 

[Frick]

After already destroying Bioware, there wasn't much else to look for story based games from EA. Hennig's game was their "only hope" for me.

May EA be damned.

To be fair Bioware can destroy themselves just fine. Everything they've made since Jade Empire has been severely overrated.

 

[Renald]

Last time I checked, these companies like EA just come with an idea an say :
"Hey, you, Open world is the next-gen game type, and also sandbox self-generated and make it online"
"And also add put choices in dialogue, it creates false impression of choice"
"Oh, and collect things, many things,all kind of things, like flowers"

There's always a story, a basic red line to follow, but basically, most of "AAA games" of the last 5 years.

They don't care about gameplay, background (I mean lore), UX, replayability, details, puzzles (real one, not push cross near the big red sign for the 37th time), etc.
It's sure that your studio will end up 6 feet under in 5 to 10 year top if you deal with them.


I personally think that time of AAA games is over, especially for MMO (this type of game is burried). Co-playing games and good, rich solo games are to be the next face of the market for a lot of year.
Competitive games will also stay alive, by nature.

 

[StrayKAT]

To be fair Bioware can destroy themselves just fine. Everything they've made since Jade Empire has been severely overrated.

I almost agree. I think ME2 rocks. Liked DAO a lot as well. It's kind of classic Bioware.. although very boring combat. The story and choices were dynamic though. Maybe both ME2 and DAO were too dynamic for their own good -- because they could never follow up on many of the choices.

 

[haxzion]

I just love Bioware cause of Mass Effect 1,2 and 3 but they should have never joined EA.

 

[kn00tcn]

EA wasn't much enjoying the way the game was developing; usually, linear, story-based games don't lend themselves much for microtransactions or loot boxes, now do they? Citing "shifts in the marketplace", EA says that "It has become clear that to deliver an experience that players will want to come back to and enjoy for a long time to come, we needed to pivot the design," so that it "allows for more variety and player agency." All in all, this sounds much like Destiny, or upcoming Bioware game Anthem.

what's the opposite of linear? it's open world... where did making up microtransactions or loot boxes come from? destiny had actual campaign expansions, you know, new content to make people come back

so much for unbiased news here, the user comments are even worse

 

[StrayKAT]

what's the opposite of linear? it's open world... where did making up microtransactions or loot boxes come from? destiny had actual campaign expansions, you know, new content to make people come back

so much for unbiased news here, the user comments are even worse

I probably would have liked it without the MMO stuff. It had a cool aesthetic and came at a time when I wanted to play a sci-fi shooter. But the minute I tried the beta, people were bunny hopping everywhere, swamping areas and stealing killspots. /logoff

I just can't stand even a second of that. I don't belong anywhere near this type of gaming space.