Tag: Electronic Arts

Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard, shares his opinion on who the worst CEO in the industry is

In 2013, John Riccitiello resigned as CEO of Electronic Arts after a six-year period marked by challenges and controversies. During his tenure, the popularity of Activision’s Call of Duty franchise surpassed that of Battlefield, which contributed to the pressure on his leadership. Riccitiello made comments that were considered insensitive, such as suggesting that Battlefield players should pay to reload, which only worsened his image among fans. Bobby Kotick, the CEO that no one wants, says there are worse ones Recently, Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard, […]

In 2013, John Riccitiello resigned as CEO of Electronic Arts after a six-year period marked by challenges and controversies. During his tenure, the popularity of Activision’s Call of Duty franchise surpassed that of Battlefield, which contributed to the pressure on his leadership. Riccitiello went on to make comments that were considered insensitive, such as suggesting that Battlefield players should pay to reload, which only worsened his image among fans.

Bobby Kotick, the CEO that no one wants, says there are worse

Recently, Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard, shared his critical opinion about Riccitiello, calling him the worst CEO in the video game industry. In a joint appearance on the “Grit” podcast with Bing Gordon, former creative director of EA, Kotick revealed that there was concern within Activision about the possibility of Gordon taking control of EA. “We feared that Bing was going to run [EA]. And we would have paid for Riccitiello to stay as CEO forever,” he commented.

Kotick also recalled that there were multiple attempts at a merger between EA and Activision. According to him, EA tried to buy Activision several times and held discussions about mergers. However, EA ultimately rejected significant opportunities to acquire popular franchises like Guitar Hero, Call of Duty, and Blizzard, which ended up in the hands of Activision.

Additionally, Kotick criticized the Warcraft movie, describing it as one of the worst he has seen and pointing out that it was a mistake for Blizzard to dedicate so much time and resources to this project. This perspective reflects a broader criticism of the strategic direction of some of the most influential companies in the industry at that time.

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According to the creators of Baldur's Gate 3, the blame for the failure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard does not lie with its developers

The current situation at BioWare is concerning following the recent commercial failure of their fantasy RPG, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which only managed to reach 50% of the sales targets set by Electronic Arts. This discouraging performance has led the company to make drastic decisions, including the dismissal of veteran developers with decades of experience in the industry. The gaming community has reacted with controversy, especially considering that EA has not issued official comments on the layoffs. EA has stated that they have restructured their team at BioWare and moved some members to other projects […]

The current situation at BioWare is concerning following the recent commercial failure of their fantasy RPG, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which only managed to reach 50% of the sales targets set by Electronic Arts. This discouraging performance has led the company to make drastic decisions, including the dismissal of veteran developers who had decades of experience in the industry. The gaming community has reacted with controversy, especially considering that EA has not issued official comments on the layoffs.

EA has announced that it has restructured its team at BioWare and relocated some members to other projects within the company. This reconfiguration has left a core group of fewer than 100 developers working on the next installment of Mass Effect. This situation has raised concerns about the viability and continuity of future productions from the developer, which was once renowned for its innovation and deep narratives.

The people of Larian Studios, speaking candidly

Michael Douse, director of Larian Studios, has expressed his criticism of EA’s management in a recent statement on social media, stating that layoffs are a short-term cost-saving response that involves a high human cost and does not solve long-term problems. Douse emphasized the importance of maintaining institutional knowledge and questioned the strategy of cuts by large corporations, which he believes negatively impacts development teams.

“It is always the people at the bottom of the food chain who suffer, when it is clearly the people at the top who are causing the problem,” Douse stated, suggesting that the solution lies in trusting developers rather than firing them. The situation at BioWare seems to not only reflect internal tensions but also a disturbing shift in the video game development landscape under the pressure of large corporations.

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Do you want to play The Sims 5? Sit tight, because it’s not happening

From The Sims in 2000 to the fourth installment in 2014, four years passed between each sequel. However, the series is very comfortable releasing patches and perfecting the game through expansions. Some fans, however, demand to know when they will be able to enjoy something completely new without having to constantly install updates. When will ‘The Sims 5’ arrive? Well, the answer is not going to please you. Five? With how beautiful the number four is! And EA has stated today that it has no interest in continuing the series, which […]

Since the first version The Sims in 2000 to the fourth installment in 2014, four years passed between each sequel. The series is very comfortable releasing patches and perfecting the game through expansions. Some fans, however, demand to know when they will be able to enjoy something completely new, without the need for continuous updates. When will The Sims 5 arrive? Well, the answer may not exactly please you.

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Five? How beautiful the number four is!

EA has stated today that it has no interest in continuing the saga, which makes sense: more than 80 million people are still playing the game and the shift to free-to-play has only brought them more and more joy. EA is no longer interested in people buying The Sims 5, but would rather have them continue to acquire packs, expansions, and the usual extras of free games.

In other words: we will have The Sims 4 for a long time, so they can take advantage of its tenth anniversary to mark a new era in the saga. If that annoys you, think about it from a strategic point of view: the fourth part is still alive, this year more than two billion hours have been played so far. That’s not a small amount!

In fact, Simmers now seem to have more content than ever because the strategic vision is clear: they don’t want a replacement, but simply to build on what exists and, thus, ensure that people don’t lose their progress. The next stop, by the way, is multiplayer. From there, we may have The Sims 4 until we all speak Simlish fluently.

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EA speaks for the first time about the next Battlefield: release date and theme

We all know that Battlefield 2042 was a real disaster at launch. Luckily for fans of the series, the game gradually improved, becoming a truly powerful game by the end of 2023. The change was such that the title reached its peak number of players two years after its release. In April 2024, when DICE announced that Battlefield 2042 was coming to an end in terms of new seasons and content, we wrote an in-depth article in this magazine discussing the game and reviewing its journey. Had Battlefield 2042 managed to become a good game? We, […]

We all know that Battlefield 2042 was a real disaster at launch. Luckily for fans of the saga, the game gradually improved, becoming a really powerful game by the end of 2023. The change was such that the title reached its peak number of players two years after its release.

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In April 2024, when DICE announced that Battlefield 2042 was coming to an end in terms of new seasons and content, we published an in-depth article in this magazine discussing the game and reviewing its journey. Had Battlefield 2042 managed to be a good game?

We, in a few words, believe so. We are even confident that if the launch game had arrived a bit more polished, the title could have performed as well as the best installments of the saga.

Now, Vince Zampella, head of Respawn and general manager of EA Studios Organization, has spoken about the upcoming Battlefield and how EA is preparing to get it right from day 1 with this game. The information was published exclusively on IGN, which spoke with Zampella before the company’s investor day.

Battlefield will return to the origins of the saga

The first thing Vince Zampella said in the interview is that in this new Battlefield, the inspiration has been clear: Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 4. No futuristic or historical war, it’s set on a contemporary battlefield.

“If you look back at the peak or pinnacle of Battlefield, you will see that it was Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 4, where everything was modern. And I think we need to get back to the core of what Battlefield is and do it incredibly well, and then we’ll see where it takes us. But for me, the high point of Battlefield is in the days of Battlefield 3 and 4. So I think it’s nostalgic. For the players, for me, even for the teams,” says Zampella.

The return to a modern setting represents a course correction for the series after Battlefield 2042 (which only at the end of its days earned the forgiveness of the players).

What players do not forgive BF2042 for is the inclusion of specialists, characters that made it seem like Battlefield was trying to be a hero shooter. After Concord, we know there is no room for more games of this style.

For the next Battlefield, specialists will be a thing of the past. “I wasn’t in 2042. I don’t know what the reason was, but to me, it’s like the team tried something new. You have to applaud that effort. Not everyone liked it, but you have to try things. It didn’t work. It didn’t fit. Specialists won’t be coming back. So classes are the core of Battlefield, and we’re going back to them,” reassures Zampella.

And its ambitious maps for 128 players were also not well-received by fans, who preferred a more focused experience. Over time, Battlefield 2042 returned to offering 64 players per map, and the next Battlefield plans to maintain that approach.

“Yes, the 128 players, did it make it more fun? Doing the number for the number’s sake doesn’t make any sense. We are testing everything around what is more fun. So, as you said, the maps, once they reach a certain scale, become different. It’s a different play space, and I think you have to design around that. So we are designing something more akin to previous Battlefields,” says Zampella. “I prefer to have beautiful, dense, really beautiful, and well-designed play spaces. Some are really good. I can’t wait for you to see some of them.”

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It is not clear when the next Battlefield will go on sale, but there are indications that EA is preparing for 2025 after entering full production earlier this year.

According to Zampella on IGN, EA is “testing the game every week” and plans to launch a community program next year, although it is unclear whether it will be a closed beta or something else.

Silently, ‘The Sims 4’ continues to add dream locations for your characters

In total, ‘The Sims 4’ already has fifteen expansion packs and twelve game packs. But, when everyone thought they had definitively moved on, they surprised with two more new packs: ‘Retreat in the Riviera’ and ‘Cozy Bistro’.

It’s been ten years since ‘The Sims 4’ appeared, but EA is not tired… not even the release of the future fifth part is going to make them stop giving love to the money-making machine. If in the third part we already saw that everything was marketable (those unforgettable IKEA furniture packs), in this fourth one the developers are going to include pools and bistros to welcome the summer.

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Simulating wealth

In total, The Sims 4 already has fifteen expansion packs and twelve game packs. But, just when everyone thought they had definitively abandoned it, they surprise us with two new packs: ‘Retreat on the Riviera’ and ‘Cozy Bistro’. The first one will allow you to create crystal-clear pools, marble structures, waterfalls, and everything you have always dreamed of for your characters.

And the second one? Well, of course, an opportunity to create an ideal restaurant for setting up romance thanks to the vintage and wooden decoration. Oh, yes: although the base game is free, don’t forget that these packs are paid. We have to make money somehow! Especially since EA has acknowledged that the game has bugs and they will do everything possible to eliminate them and provide a good gaming experience. Knowing if they succeeded or not is just a matter of time.

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Do you like watching ads while you play? I hope so, because EA is going to try to put them back in no matter what

Don’t you want players in the next ‘FIFA’ to look at the screen while enjoying a nice Pepsi Light? Or for the new Mako in ‘Mass Effect’ to have the Nissan logo? Tough luck.

Not long ago, companies tried to sell us that we had to buy their products no matter what because they had no ads: Netflix, Prime Video, video games… The future was going to be ad-free. It was. In the past. In the end, not only streaming services have given in: everything points to Electronic Arts trying to sell us things through their own video games again. Yes. Again.

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EA, it’s in the advert

In 2020, EA attempted to include ‘The Boys‘ ads in the middle of fights in ‘UFC 4′, but the public response was so negative that they had no choice but to backpedal. However, they still believe that forcefully shoving advertising down consumers’ throats is a good idea for increasing profits, and their CEO, Andrew Wilson, has already talked to investors (the industry’s big evil) about the possibility of introducing “dynamic ads” but with some taste. In his mind, it sounds spectacular.

“We currently have teams internally in the company looking at how we can implement it sensibly in our gaming experiences”. Do you know that saying “the customer is always right”? It’s a maxim that died a long time ago: the investors are the ones who are right, and if they want ads in their completely disconnected from reality world, then they will have ads. Of course.

Moreover, from EA, looking at a non-existent reality, they have stated that they intend for ads to help grow their community. These are senseless statements, but we should not be surprised if in the coming months we are bombarded with advertising in our favorite games out of the blue.

Don’t you want players in the next ‘FIFA’ to look at the screen while enjoying a good Pepsi Light? Or for the new Mako in ‘Mass Effect’ to have the Nissan logo? Tough luck: as consumers, we could only dream of a world without advertising before they decided, among all of us, that we were going to eat it up whether we liked it or not.

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This Star Wars game is the only one that is saved from Electronic Arts’ cancellations

Fortunately for fans of the Star Wars Jedi saga, Cal Kestis’ franchise will continue, even though EA is focusing on its intellectual properties…

EA has announced today a major company reorganization that will result in the loss of approximately 670 jobs, which is 5% of its workforce. As part of the same reorganization, the Star Wars FPS that Respawn was developing will be canceled.

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Following the announcement of the cuts made today by CEO Andrew Wilson, EA Entertainment President Laura Miele shared a note with the staff explaining in more detail what EA’s business priorities will be in the future.

This includes their announcement that EA is shutting down an early-stage Star Wars FPS action game as part of a continued focus on their own brands and supporting their existing games. It seems that using expensive licensed IPs will no longer be EA’s business strategy.

Goodbye to future Star Wars games, but not to Cal Kestis’ current saga

“It is always difficult to abandon a project, and this decision is not a reflection of the team’s talent, their tenacity, or the passion they feel for the game,” wrote Miele. “Giving fans the next installments of the iconic franchises they want is the definition of box office success and the right place to focus on.”

Not much is known about the Star Wars FPS, but it was rumored to feature a Mandalorian protagonist in some way. The fate of the EA Star Wars strategy game is also unclear.

EA is carrying out the movement in part due to what it perceives as a rapid shift towards large open-world games, massive communities, and live service games.

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Fortunately for Star Wars Jedi saga fans, Cal Kestis’ franchise will continue, even though EA focuses on its intellectual properties, and it is said that EA will continue to focus on its long-standing relationship with Disney/Marvel.

Electronic Arts announces that it is joining the trend of massive layoffs

EA states that the layoffs are part of a broader restructuring aimed at supporting “the company’s strategic priorities.”

There is no week of this year that does not start with a string of technological layoffs. No company is safe, no matter how big it is. There are layoffs at Microsoft, at Sony, at Embracer Group, and now at Electronic Arts.

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Electronic Arts, creator of successful sagas such as FIFA, Battlefield or The Sims, has announced today that it plans to lay off 5% of its employees and stop working on several games.

The announcement is a continuation of the staff reduction that is taking place in the technology and video game sector, where thousands of jobs have been lost.

Justifying layoffs, as always

EA states that the layoffs are part of a broader restructuring aimed at supporting “strategic priorities and growth initiatives,” according to a statement of values ​​filed on Tuesday. In that document, EA also states that it plans to downsize its offices.

Last year, EA laid off 800 employees, while Epic Games cut 830 jobs in September. In January, Tencent’s Riot Games announced it would lay off 11% of its workforce and Microsoft said it would eliminate 1,900 jobs from its Activision Blizzard and Xbox gaming divisions.

On Tuesday, Sony announced it would cut 8% of its global workforce, which amounts to about 900 jobs.

According to EA’s annual report, published in May of last year, the company had 13,400 employees. This means that the current layoffs could result in the loss of about 600 jobs.

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Goodbye to secret projects that were already underway

Along with the staff cuts, CEO Andrew Wilson has sent a letter to the entire company informing them of the publisher’s restructuring. This means the disappearance of some live service titles and the cessation of development for certain projects.

In his letter, Wilson states that EA is restructuring to be more agile in order to offer “deeper and connected experiences for fans around the world that build community, shape culture, and grow fandom”. The company will move away from licensed IPs and close some titles to reallocate their development resources.

It is expected that the restructuring will be completed at the beginning of the next quarter. Video Games Chronicle has reported that the upcoming first-person shooter Stars Wars from Respawn is one of the titles that will not move forward.

In a statement to VGC, EA Entertainment President Laura Miele said in part: “It is always difficult to leave a project, and this decision is not a reflection of the team’s talent, tenacity, or passion for the game. Offering fans the next installments of the iconic franchises they desire is the definition of box office success and the right place to focus on.”

The voice actor of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor reveals the future of the franchise

The Star Wars Jedi saga could have something in its future, if the news of its director leaving the studio does not imply anything about it.

Star Wars is an everlasting franchise that never truly ends. There’s always a new trilogy, a new comic, a new video game, and if not that, a sequel. That’s why we should never be surprised when something new related to the Disney universe is announced or leaked. It’s in a perpetual expansion, always delving deeper into the happenings of the Empire, the rebels, and the small group of characters we first met back in ’77.

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That’s why it’s not surprising that Cameron Monaghan, the actor who voices Cal Kestis in the Star Wars Jedi games, has confirmed that a third installment is already in the works, or at least in the planning stages. During a panel at the Ocala Comic Con event, Monaghan told the audience that the game is not currently in development, but when the discussions conclude, he hopes they can start and create something truly special.

This shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone, not only because Star Wars Jedi: Survivors was a critical and commercial success, but also because similar information has surfaced in recent months. After all, Stig Asmussen, the director of both Star Wars Jedi games, stated in a conversation with IGN that he hoped to create a video game trilogy with Cal Kestis. So, it shouldn’t be too surprising that there are indeed discussions to once again put us in the shoes of this charismatic young Jedi.

The problem here is that there is quite a bit more drama than it initially appears. Asmussen has departed both Respawn and Electronic Arts for reasons that are still unknown. According to the statement released by the companies, this was Asmussen’s own decision, which leaves the future and the form the Star Wars: Jedi franchise will take even more uncertain. However, one thing that seems clear is that, with or without Asmussen, it appears that we will continue to experience Cal Kestis’ personal journey to become a true Jedi knight.

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When a bad launch costs you to fire half the staff: it just happened at EA

A former employee explained that the cuts were due to poor sales of Immortals of Aveum. This game is one of the worst in history…

Ascendant Studios, the company responsible for the highly anticipated fantasy FPS Immortals of Aveum, has laid off nearly half of its staff following the release of its debut title. As you can imagine, sales have not been favorable.

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For that reason, the indie studio stated that the layoffs were ‘difficult but necessary’ in the current times. It is estimated that Ascendant Studios employed between 80 and 100 people, meaning they have let go of around 40 employees.

CEO’s Twitter message announcing the layoffs

Today, our hearts are broken as we say goodbye to friends and colleagues at Ascendant Studios, around 45% of our team,” CEO Bret Robbins explained on Twitter/X yesterday.

“This was a painfully difficult but necessary decision that was not taken lightly; however, we have to make this adjustment now that Immortals of Aveum has been released,” he concluded.

Robbins added that the studio will continue to support the development of the game and the Immortals IP in the future, so future patches and new content are expected, but now with a much smaller team.

Dismissals due to extremely low sales

An former employee told Polygon that the layoffs were due to the poor sales of Immortals of Aveum, which was released on August 22. The game was heavily promoted as one of the first major titles for Unreal Engine 5.1, with improvements in lighting, video effects, and physics thanks to Nanite and Lumen.

In the technical section of Immortals of Aveum, the Nanite micropolygon geometry system is mentioned, which intelligently adjusts the level of detail of any object in the game based on how close you are to it.

There’s also a section on Lumen, which provides real-time mobile and changing lighting.

But advanced graphical technology doesn’t count for much when people simply don’t enjoy the game; performance issues on PC didn’t help either.

Immortals of Aveum received mixed reviews. While its 73% rating on Steam qualifies it as “mostly positive,” the peak concurrent players in 24 hours are only 67, with a historical peak of just 751, according to SteamDB. This is in stark contrast to the million players Starfield reached a few days ago.

A former employee told Polygon that Immortals of Aveum is probably one of the worst-selling EA Original titles for Electronic Arts as its publisher. That’s saying something.

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