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[CharmingCharlie]

12 being gently.

Old enough to see what EA has done to once great studios that have created fantastic games I have cherished. But hey because I used the term "Evil Arseholes" I must be a child then, rather than angry that yet again EA steam rolls over another developer and is pushing the industry in a direction I do not wish it to go.

I mean EA has a rep for this. Whenever another big publisher closes a studio do you ever see people trot out the "Developer Pit of Death" meme for them ? No you don't it is exclusively a meme that gets trotted out when EA does it because EA does it that damn often.

 

[WillyFive]

Yup. One Star Wars game every three years. Disney's losing a lot of potential income from this exclusivity deal with EA.

Yeah, and to think in an off-year inbetween Star Wars movies in 2001 we got six major console ones at one E3.

 

[Bishop89]

Hope all the ex V employees will find a new job

good on SMS

 

[Crossing Eden]

EA had 4 years to produce something after acquiring the Star Wars license and all we have is half a game (Battlefront) to show for it.

At what point does the publisher take accountability for their incompetence?

A)Is game development not more time consuming and expensive this gen
B)Is Battlefront 2 not coming out this year?
C)What arbitrary number of games should've been made in four years?

Yeah, and to think in an off-year inbetween Star Wars movies in 2001 we got six major console ones at one E3.

Almost like game development was a lot less expensive and much faster 16 years ago or something. And ah yes, we would get TRUE classics before the dastardly EA, liek SW Obi-wan:

 

[kyser73]

Star Wars: The Open World Loot Box Saga with asynchronous Multiplayer Loot boxes.

 

[Yukinari]

Kinda hurts a little that we cant just get a Rogue Squadron collection on PC or something.

 

[Bishop89]

Star Wars: The Open World Loot Box Saga.

I would have gone with Star Wars: Attack of the Loot Boxes

 

[MrGreencastle]

Just get Criterion to do podracing and be done with it.


This EA Star Wars deal sucks.

 

[zsynqx]

good on SMS

Yep, good to see.

A lot of other devs have been reaching out as well. Search #visceraljobs on twitter.

 

[Pizza]

Shit if they’re looking at “market trends” maybe we’re getting an open world sandbox Star Wars rpg, which actually sounds rad! Hopefully everyone at visceral lands on their feet

Also, EA should insource Kojima for a MGSV type of Star Wars game (from a gameplay standpoint)

Sneaking around imperial occupied planets and doing rebel shit sounds neat!

 

[Bronetta]

A)Is game development not more time consuming and expensive this gen
B)Is Battlefront 2 not coming out this year?

With all their cash and assets and studios, all they could muster out was 2 games in 4 years? So much for being one of the biggest publisher around.

 

[tamaster92]

Oh fuck you EA

 

[Crossing Eden]

With all their cash and assets and studios, all they could muster out was 2 games in 4 years? So much for being one of the biggest publisher around.

Yea again, what arbitrary number of games should've been made by now? It's almost like cash doesn't magically make game development go faster. YES, two games in four years is incredibly reasonable. Have you not been paying attention to this industry at all?

 

[facetheslayer92]

Star Wars Obi Wan was still a better game over the shit EA puts out.

 

[Bishop89]

Yep, good to see.

A lot of other devs have been reaching out as well. Search #visceraljobs on twitter.

just searched it up.
Very touching to see that level of support.

 

[ElBoxyBrown]

With all their cash and assets and studios, all they could muster out was 2 games in 4 years? So much for being one of the biggest publisher around.

Still more than the current Marvel offerings. A lot more since everyone forgot Infinite came out last month.

 

[Spyder_Monkey]

It baffles how some people will go to defend a company that just cost a ton of people their jobs for reasons unknown.

 

[strafer]

So since DS is basically dead now its safe to say that

Spoiler

the Necromorphs won

at the end of DS3 Awakening.

Nah, now the DLC doesn't exist to me.

DS3 ending spoilers

Spoiler

Isaac died saving the world. Seems like a better ending.

 

[Curious Puppy]

It baffles how some people will go to defend a company that just cost a ton of people their jobs for reasons unknown.

They think big wigs at EA are watching this thread and will hand out job offers to whoever stans the hardest.

 

[AtkO]

C)What arbitrary number of games should've been made in four years?

Yes.

Spoiler

I don't think he knows himself.

OT : Holy shit EA, how can one reach a point where restructuring makes less sense than closing a studio..

 

[Steel]

Almost like game development was a lot less expensive and much faster 16 years ago or something. And ah yes, we would get TRUE classics before the dastardly EA, liek SW Obi-wan:

Ah yes, now we get one microtransaction infested mediocre series every 4 years or so rather than 4 good games out of 6. We're definitely in quality over quantity territory now.

 

[wilsonda]

Basically this means that they are pivoting a single player story driven game to another genre that will sell better, aka multiplayer or online grind rpg... sad days

 

[UnemployedVillain]

The day EA closes DICE is the day EA closes.

Are DICE still the main developers of Frostbite? I feel like that and Battlefield usually doing well are their only leverages

 

[LastNac]

Almost like game development was a lot less expensive and much faster 16 years ago or something. And ah yes, we would get TRUE classics before the dastardly EA, liek SW Obi-wan:

That's one fine looking Strawman you got there...

 

[Joco]

EA's statement makes it sound like they thought this singeplayer Star Wars game wasn't going to be profitable enough and decided to turn Visceral's project into a Star Wars themed Anthem/Destiny/The Division. While killing Visceral.

Very disappointing news.

 

[Sohaim]

that was unexpected, i hope everyone will be able to find new jobs soon, as for the Star Wars game, i hope it stays a SP experience.

 

[TheGameshark]

Fucking EA

 

[WillyFive]

Almost like game development was a lot less expensive and much faster 16 years ago or something. And ah yes, we would get TRUE classics before the dastardly EA, liek SW Obi-wan:

And that year we got Rogue Leader.

Imagine a scenario where you only have Obi-Wan.

That one(1) Obi-Wan game.

For the next two years.

 

[Haint]

How long had this game been in active development, 2 or 3 years?

 

[Crossing Eden]

Star Wars Obi Wan was still a better game over the shit EA puts out.

Lol no.

Ah yes, now we get one microtransaction infested mediocre series every 4 years or so rather than 4 good games out of 6. We're definitely in quality over quantity territory now.

Or two games in four years, one having a much better base package than the other.

And that year we got Rogue Leader.

Imagine a scenario where you only have Obi-Wan.

That one(1) Obi-Wan game.

For the next two years.

Why focus on pointless hypotheticals? We know of two triple A games in development. They take longer to develop because they're more complex both in terms of what's under the hood and what's being rendered at one given time. Someone the other day had it right when they said that the cost to develop ONE battlefront 2017 map likely costs more than making all of the battlefront maps from two gens ago combined.

That's one fine looking Strawman you got there...

So how many games do YOU think should've been made in four years?

 

[dottme]

With all their cash and assets and studios, all they could muster out was 2 games in 4 years? So much for being one of the biggest publisher around.

You should look at the iOS and Android side too. They cover all the genre they can over there.

 

[Sanke__]

Just get Criterion to do podracing and be done with it.


This EA Star Wars deal sucks.

You have my vote for new CEO of EA

 

[Baron_Calamity]

I would have gone with Star Wars: Attack of the Loot Boxes

Loot Skyboxer

 

[JeffZero]

Loot Skyboxer

Micro Tran kills Han Solo Player.

 

[bastardly]

man, first 1313 now this? ugh, hoping battlefront 2's campaign is awesome and paves the way for more sp content

 

[keltickennedy]

Which leaves the question, why put them there in the first place?

Because they see the numbers and they rack in a bunch of money.

 

[JeremyEtcetera]

Lol no.


Or two games in four years, one having a much better base package than the other.


Why focus on pointless hypotheticals? We know of two triple A games in development. They take longer to develop because they're more complex both in terms of what's under the hood and what's being rendered at one given time. Someone the other day had it right when they said that the cost to develop ONE battlefront 2017 map likely costs more than making all of the battlefront maps from two gens ago combined.


So how many games do YOU think should've been made in four years?

Your argument from this should be focused on how we can alleviate the rising costs of production especially in tools and asset creation, rather than being the dog in the room full of fire stating 'everything is fine' when you know deep down it isn't. Things are screwed in both directions.

 

[PhantomThief]

EA's statement makes it sound like they thought this singeplayer Star Wars game wasn't going to be profitable enough and decided to turn Visceral's project into a Star Wars themed Anthem/Destiny/The Division. While killing Visceral.

Very disappointing news.

Pretty much. Very sad to hear this

 

[hououinkyouma00]

EA keeps proving itself to be one of my least favorite gaming companies.

Glad I took a break from FIFA this year.

 

[butman]

EA is the western Konami

 

[Bishop89]

Loot Skyboxer

Micro Tran kills Han Solo Player.

These 2 posts slayed me! hahahaahah!

 

[brunomartynhak]

They were doing a liner Star Wars game. I can't grief enough.

It is a shame I can't think of many good new linear games anymore. =/

 

[TheVoidDragon]

Looking back at what they said about getting the Star Wars rights for a decade, it's even more absurd that this would happen. They went on about how they were letting their top studios make a game in such an expansive universe as Star Wars, and that they'd each have their own unique story and gameplay seperate from the movies.

"Every developer dreams of creating games for the Star Wars universe," said Frank Gibeau, president of EA Labels, in a press release from EA. "Three of our top studios will fulfill that dream, crafting epic adventures for Star Wars fans. DICE and Visceral will produce new games, joining the BioWare team which continues to develop for the Star Wars franchise. The new experiences we create may borrow from films, but the games will be entirely original with all new stories and gameplay.

To have what seemed like such a promising, refereshing title scrapped because of what sounds like greed is just so disappointing. They've really mistreated the Star Wars ip. Nearly 5 years in and we've had a bare-bones multiplayer FPS that lacked in pretty much every way, and we're about to get a sequel to that which has decided that shoving Pay-to-win microtransactions in is a good way forward, alongside what some consider other smaller problems like every hero being in every era.

If this had problems during development and it was all falling apart, maybe it would be understandable...but to have this pretty much cancelled because it was a linear story-based game is like a slap in the face to both those looking forward to it and worst of all the developer.

From saying Visceral were one of their top studios that are going to make a great story set in the Star Wars universe, to them being shut down and their game torn apart and reworked just to follow trends and focus testing....i think they've once again shown how they have no respect for anything.

 

[Crossing Eden]

Your argument from this should be focused on how we can alleviate the rising costs of production especially in tools and asset creation, rather than being the dog in the room full of fire stating 'everything is fine' when you know deep down it isn't. Things are screwed in both directions.

Devs have already been doing that. They've been coming up with a multitude of ways to make game development "easier." Thing is, at the same time, better asset creation is expensive, creating more complex games is more time consuming, creating more complex engines is time consuming and expensive, creating a sequel more ambitious than the first one is more expensive even with asset reuse, team sizes are larger because of all of the above. And audiences expect even more the next time. And even then, if it's not enough, suddenly that game is faced with "x game 1.5 and "doesn't count as a true sequel." There's no magical "make game dev easier" button. There's no "make completely unique high quality zbrush assets" button. There's no "make AI functions more complex" button. etc.etc.etc. The rising costs are for the same reason as they've always been, because the medium is evolving.

 

[RealityPales]

Had high hopes for Amy post-ND.

Fuck.

 

[PR_rambo]

Cant blame Druckmann for this one

 

[Metroidvania]

In its current form, it was shaping up to be a story-based, linear adventure game. Throughout the development process, we have been testing the game concept with players, listening to the feedback about what and how they want to play, and closely tracking fundamental shifts in the marketplace. 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. We will maintain the stunning visuals, authenticity in the Star Wars universe, and focus on bringing a Star Wars story to life. Importantly, we are shifting the game to be a broader experience that allows for more variety and player agency, leaning into the capabilities of our Frostbite engine and reimagining central elements of the game to give players a Star Wars adventure of greater depth and breadth to explore.

IE we needed to add an open-world design with repeatable quests, and/or lootboxes.

There must have really been something weird going on with EA in that this is the 2nd multi-year dev cycle product that's been either shitcanned (this) or heavily/hastily reworked (ME:A)

I seriously don't get what EA's plans with the Star Wars license are - yeah, Battlefront 2 will be profitable (though probably not as much as its predecessor, given what happened to word of mouth and longevity lacking in the 1st game), but they've got.....this and SWTOR? (which, although doing fine, likely isn't burning up the sales charts?)

edit: Also, didn't the 'focus testing' and such excuse already happen with Insomniac's FUSE?

 

[LastNac]

EA needs to use the license and bring third party devs on like obsidian.

This whole 1 game every 2-3 years ain't gonna cut it. Look at 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005. Several Star Wars games a year!

 

[Yukinari]

It baffles how some people will go to defend a company that just cost a ton of people their jobs for reasons unknown.

Some people just want a new tag.

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

EA needs to use the license and bring third party devs on like obsidian.

This whole 1 game every 2-3 years ain't gonna cut it. Look at 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005. Several Star Wars games a year!

As big as EA is, 1 game every 2-3 years is actually alot for a single IP in the AAA space.

it was idiotic to sign an exclusive deal with EA. Every major publisher would be interested in Star Wars games, especially after Episode VII was announced.

Does anyone know when EA's star wars exclusivity deal is up?