EA to focus on doing HD blockbusters

By Ellie Gibson Published 25 November, 2009

Not so keen on the Wii any more?

EA Montreal boss Alain Tascan has said the company is going to focus on producing big blockbusters from now on.

Speaking to Edge, Tascan said it's all about "action titles and HD-quality products" these days. That might mean less Wii titles such as Boogie Superstar and Skate It coming out of EAM.

"The Wii market is a little bit unpredictable these days. We’re going to see how Christmas is going to do and while with the Wii we have had very successful titles, we are going to focus on big, blockbuster-type titles," said Tascan.

"It doesn't mean that we are going to abandon the Wii, but as a studio we want to be ready for new challenges."

Could those challenges include another Army of Two game? Seems likely, what with Tascan stating that AoT is "the most successful original IP EA has had in the last few years". They'll probably want to see how the second instalment does first though - Army of Two: The 40th Day, is out in January, and you can read all about it on the gamepage.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (47) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • beastmaster #1 2 years ago

    If Nitro doesn't sell this Xmas then I think they may abandon the Wii. Shame really as EA were looking quite good over the last year or so. Now they want every game to sell like MW2.

  • HuggyAtHome #2 2 years ago

    ........with the same hefty price tag too, no doubt.

  • FooAtari #3 2 years ago

    What a shame, just when EA were make some positive changes to the games they were releasing...

    Not every games needs to sell like MW2, surely as long as some healthy profits are made it's all good. If everyone tries to mimick the most successful games all we are going to end up with it many "mee too" titles with every games feeling and looking the same as the last.

    A company needs to make money to survive, I understand that. But it's the desire to maximise profits to their fullest potential at the expense of creativity and innovation that is depressing and ultimately damaging to the industry.

    Thank fuck for indy scene...

  • wizlon #4 2 years ago

    Well there is the death of originality, I bet most "hardcore" gamers will welcome it with open arms too. I miss the 16 bit days when fun and innovation was regarded higher than realism and blockbuster storylines...

  • menage #5 2 years ago

    @Wizion

    Next to the 1000 cute platformers that system had no doubt. Rose tinted glasses.

    Come on guys. It's all well and good, but people need to actually buy shit for it to be viable. I'll bet a huge amount of players bitching about this are still buying Modern Warfare over Machinarium
    Edited by 2 at 25/11/09 @ 08:48

  • Eraysor #6 2 years ago

    I thought Dead Space was EA's best new original IP? Even if it did sell less than Army of Two, it's a much better idea and game.

  • des #7 2 years ago

    Title is a bit misleading...hehe

  • ignatiusjreilly #8 2 years ago

    In the last couple of years, EA have made their best games for decades. During that same time they've lost millions of dollars and thousands of employees.

    Also during that same time, Wii Fit and Wii Sports have become two of the most successful games ever made, and Modern Warfare 2 smashed all opening records.

    It really does seem sometimes like there is a choice between making good games or making lots of money. When you are a corporate giant like EA there is only one choice to make, and we can't blame them for making it.

    I think if I want to keep enjoying gaming I have to hope there are still developers coming into the industry whose prioirity is making good games first, becoming millionaires second. Luckily I suspect there always will be :)

  • dr_faulk #9 2 years ago

    Why didn't they enforce the same methodology for new IPs on the Wii? If ever a console could have broken the mold, or helped developers refocused on a new type of game.... I mean, where' the Wii's "Ouendan"?

  • penhalion #10 2 years ago

    "It doesn't mean that we are going to abandon the Wii, but as a studio we want to be ready for new challenges."

    Then you're in the minority EA. Most houses are doing exactly that i.e. abandoning the wii. Only Nintendo stuff is selling and even then it's the sports resorts, fitness games and not really anything else. Where I work, the Wii team have already been re-assigned to the 360 and PS3 teams. They are making the transition to Natal and wand.

  • Eighthours #11 2 years ago

    Hardly surprising. Dead Space Extraction was amazing, but sales-figures wise, it barely sold to the dev team's mums. True, there was zero marketing, but it just seems that some types of game won't sell on the Wii.

  • Quixz #12 2 years ago

    GIVE ME BATTLE FIELD 3 thank you.

  • kangarootoo #13 2 years ago

    "I miss the 16 bit days when fun and innovation was regarded higher than realism and blockbuster storylines"

    I remember those days too, and I'm not sure there was a lot of choice when it came to realism and large story lines (though there were games with epic storylines, even back then - they were called text adventures :) ).

  • Dan234 #14 2 years ago

    I thought there was no bigger money pit than doing HD blockbusters, because you're never sure if it's going to be a blockbuster or not...

  • kangarootoo #15 2 years ago

    @Eighthours

    The whole marketing pitch and art style for Deadpace did it no favours imo. I had zero interested in the game for a long time, as it just looked super generic in every way I can think of (even gravity free zones were a bit last season).

    Then came the awful demo that just had me fighting enemies in a room, with little explanation as to how not to get my head kicked in (or bitten off).

    Then after a few friends had played it and raved about it, I thought I would give it a fair chance. And it was brilliant, and utterly exceeded my meagre expectations.

    A few art style changes, and a better marketing campaign and it could have flown off the shelves. Its as if EA thought it was a bit generic too, and didn't think the gameplay would be enough to sell it. Self fulfilling prophecy right there.

    Edit: typo Wednesday!
    Edited by 1 at 25/11/09 @ 10:51

  • davisorle #16 2 years ago

    "It doesn't mean that we are going to abandon the Wii, but as a studio we want to be ready for new challenges."

    Yeah, it kinda does and you know it. I personally dont mind. EA are from the ones with lots of money flowing and promising to make some new blockbuster titles. They just havent done anything significant of the kind lately with new IPs.. Hope they do now that they made this statement.

  • CaptainScarlet #17 2 years ago

    MMmm, HD by EA.

    So, Shit but at a higher resolution?

  • FooAtari #18 2 years ago

    On the subject of HD is no one else sick of that buzz word yet. Especially when you consider that many games are not true HD but upscaled

  • ignatiusjreilly #19 2 years ago

    @FooAtari

    Yes! It's basically meaningless now, and really means the same thing as sticking 'X' or 'Utra' at the end of your product name.

  • jonsaan #20 2 years ago

    @Wizlon. Get an ipod touch then. Seriously. The innovation in that space reminds me of the old days.

  • Freek #21 2 years ago

    That's another needlessly sensationalist headline; it's only ONE of EA's many many studios that's focussing more on HD and less on Wii, NOT the whole of EA.

  • kangarootoo #22 2 years ago

    @FooAtari

    I am equally sick of both the "HD" buzzword, and discussions about whether upscaled games are "true HD" or not :)

  • TonyHarrison #23 2 years ago

    "Hardly surprising. Dead Space Extraction was amazing, but sales-figures wise, it barely sold to the dev team's mums. True, there was zero marketing, but it just seems that some types of game won't sell on the Wii."

    Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles was from the same genre and it sold well over a million copies.

    In order to have a successful 'core' Wii game you have to first of all make it decent, and secondly market it. Doing neither, as EA have done, will simply spell instant doom. Of course, you have to ask yourself if that's exactly what EA wanted....

  • Alterego-X #24 2 years ago

    EA is already making terrible losses, If they would decide t ignore the market leader, that brings the majority of their profits, we will see them crash and burn like nothing before.

  • electrolite #25 2 years ago

    If their games aren't selling for the Wii (and EA have done some pretty good stuff on their) you can hardly blame them for not bothering. 360/PS3 offers a similar size base but more predictable buying behaviour. This studio haven't done that much of note though, the apparently decent NFS : Nitro aside. Boogie and Skate It didn't exactly set the world on fire.

    If this, along with the studio closures, reflects a general trend within EA then it's upsetting, they've produced some really good stuff over the last couple of years. Seems quality doesn't guarantee sales on any format.

  • riz23 #26 2 years ago

    @TonyHarrision I have to disagree with your comment. Perhaps the reason Resi Umbrella Chronicles sold was because it is "Resident Evil" a recognised Blockbuster brand. Yes the game needs to be good to. Which Dead Space Extraction is. In fact it's very good indeed. The game was marketed to some extent, I recall seeing ads on the sides of buses for example. Resi was also released in November 2007 a time when Wii interest and software attachment was high(er). Dead space Extraction does not have the benefit of that now, Wii software purchases outside of First Party titles are practically dead.

  • sneetch #27 2 years ago

    EA Montreal is EA now?

    A "Misleading Headline of the Year" award nomination for Ellie. :)

  • PlugMonkey #28 2 years ago

    Perhaps the reason Resi Umbrella Chronicles sold was because it is "Resident Evil" a recognised Blockbuster brand.

    I think with DeadSpace EA have fallen into the trap of the Wii being a lot of gamer's 2nd system.

    I'd be interested in getting Umbrella Chronicles because it's a completely different game to the one I can play on my PS3 or Xbox.

    Dead Space: Extraction is basically the same game, but with worse graphics and the inclusion of a steady hand buzzer game. That's a less attractive proposition for someone who already has the original game on an HD console.

  • makeamazing #29 2 years ago

    I think this is one of the challenges of the Nintendo console. I'm not sure how Nintendo solve it for this generation. They are making lots of money, but future they have to go HD, and have to make it an easy transition from Xbox/PS3/PC Dev to Wii... otherwise will games companies want to spend the money on the risk that the games wont sell.

    Problem for Nintendo is that HD means longer development times and more cost, so they really need more internal studios making games, as the turnaround time can be quite long. If they intend to make a HD console and release it in the next couple of years, they really need to get as many studios making games for it now. They should probably bung some money at publishers to make certain higher quality games for them to keep it ticking over.

  • dkronik #30 2 years ago

    Finally! Thank God this Wii (ner) development BS has died a well deserved death at EA and other publishers. I was so pissed at all these DEV houses shifting dev$ away from AAA blockbusters to the GRANDMA & SOCCER MOMS WII FAD. I was also concerned that the 'success' of the Wii would have influenced the exclusion of bleeding edge NEXTGEN tech in the 2012-13 hardware cycle. Hopefully MS would pull the trigger and include 2GBGPU @28nm, FlashSSDs, 3D, 100MB EDRAM, 16+ cores,etc.

  • kangarootoo #31 2 years ago

    @TonyHarrison

    Dead Space was new IP. Res Evil has a 10 year + history, which can't harm its sales.

  • butler` #32 2 years ago

    AoT is "the most successful original IP EA has had in the last few years"

    LOL

    that pretty much sums it up

  • tobi #33 2 years ago

    SSX is worthy of being a HD blockbuster.

  • MoGamer2006 #34 2 years ago

    @plugmonkey

    Re. DS: Extraction, your comments illuminate why the game sold poorly. It wasn't the HD game ported down at all, but a totally new experience and story prequelling the events in the first game. And if gamers loitering on gaming news sites hadn't worked that out, how could anyone else? Not getting that key message across is a failure of marketing.

    Of course, the original didn't sell much either... which would also be a factor. The nature of spin-offs is they typically sell fewer than the core games. If the HD game sold poorly, you'd expect the spin-off to do significantly worse... which probably explains why EA didn't put much marketing spend into it.

    Good game or not, internally at EA poor old DS:Extraction was probably seen as something of a dead duck before it even got released... And by withholding marketing spend, the prophesy is fulfilled. :(

  • WizenWolfBain #35 2 years ago

    If EA wants to make some serious cash, then they should focus on what is probably their most successful franchise; BattleField. I heard rumors that Battlefield 3 was slated for release in 2010, then was pushed back to 2013. Why? Battlefield 2 and all the expansions are still very much alive and thriving online. There are still hundreds of servers and thousands of players, and that game came out years ago in the last generation. Get a solid team together and start making the sequel to arguably the best and most diverse PC FPS of all time... And stop butchering the franchise name with "bad company" and "modern combat" which are basically cheap knock-off's of the original masterpiece.

    Oh, and remember who puts your bread on the table. PC gamers. Start with PC and then focus on consoles later. I am a massive Xbox fan but i hate EA dumbing down Battlefield for consoles. You really need a mouse and keyboard to make use of all the vehicles, options and stuff... And 100+ player servers would but nice but not mandatory ;)

    Edited by 2 at 25/11/09 @ 14:24

  • ShinMegami08 #36 2 years ago

    By the way: I don't understand why Dead Space is called a "commercial failure". Damn, they sold about 1,5 to 2 million copies of the game on PS3 and 360. Since when is that bad?

    I think EA doesn't exactly know where it's going. First they lay their priority on the "HD"-machines (2006-2008), then they see how good the Wii is selling and change their priority to that one, and now, that some titles have failed...o.k. we're back to HD.
    This is not going to end well.
    Also I wouldn't be surprised if Activision had the same problems soon: No new IP, only pushing sequel after sequel.... It's not going to end well.

  • FooAtari #37 2 years ago

    @kangarootoo

    :p

  • poopmonster #38 2 years ago

    The problem is that EA are too big to be faffing around with what they no doubt consider 'piecemeal' markets.

    Wii was (yeah yeah, is) massively successful because it attracted new people to games - just don't make the mistake of saying it created new hardcore gamers, because it didn't. Just because millions of mums and dads play Wii Sports with their kids doesn't mean they're going to start buying games every month... that's not something a responsible parent does, unless they want to spoil their kids.

    If EA divided all their money between all the best indi developers out there, the indy's would probably make loads of crap games. Invention through neccessity... the more money involved, the more people, the more crap ideas and the less focus on what makes a game a game.

    EA can't do non-EA games. They just wasted £300 million - again... they don't have the internal culture for creating this generation's popular games, and anyone they buy is just going to swallowed up, and they'll lose their own culture.

  • Bravestinsane #39 2 years ago

    Well i hope they do it.

    They have made some brilliant games lately including dead space and the upcoming Bad Company 2 which i am already tempted to buy.

    However as for Army of Two 40th day i will NOT be buying that purely based on the god awful matchmaking from the first one 3 hours to find one game was horrific, on top of the segregated communities (separate US and EU games) made online play virtually impossible.

  • Machiavellian #40 2 years ago

    Actually the problem is not marketing on the Wii for new IP games, instead you have to already have a successful IP in order o sell on the Wii. Look at the games that have really sold well on the Wii. There are a few exception but those games played off of the mini game format early. Usually people I know get a Wii for Nintendo games. After that, the are pretty much not interested in anything else. This has been a problem for Nintendo system for a number of years and it has not improved with the Wii.

  • Zomeguy #41 2 years ago

    The dumb masses buy heavily hyped sports and fps games in pseudo HD graphics and that's what EA is going to concentrate on.

    As Casual or hardcore, we all lose the same. I don't really see how this could be of benefit to anyone visiting these forums.
    It is certainly not an issue of Wii vs. other...

  • malexous #42 2 years ago

    "Just because millions of mums and dads play Wii Sports with their kids doesn't mean they're going to start buying games every month.."

    How many millions though? The Wii's attach rate is similar to the PS3's and Xbox 360's (at least in America, according to NPD).

  • PlugMonkey #43 2 years ago

    @ MoGamer2006

    No, you misunderstand me. It’s not that I think Extraction is a port, it’s that Umbrella Chronicles offers a completely different game experience.

    DeadSpace = 'Next Gen' survival horror. Deadspace: Extraction = Survival horror with a steady hand buzzer minigame.

    Resi 5 = 'Next Gen' survival horror. Umbrella Chronicles = Lightgun game.

    For people who own a Wii as a 2nd system, Umbrella Chronicles makes for a better companion piece, as they already have loads of adventure and survival horror games to choose from, but not many lightgun games. It also offers a game experience that’s more attractive to the average Wii gamer. I could play it with the girlfiend. It stands out from the crowd.

    I daresay Extraction is a great game in its own right, but I’m not sure who it’s aimed at. 2nd system owners who are fans of the original are too distracted by all the big xmas releases to notice DeadSpace’s little brother. People who only own a Wii are not traditionally interested in action adventure survival horrors, or they wouldn’t just have a Wii. You either never cared in the first place, or you’re up to your eyeballs in Uncharted and Assassin’s Creed.

    I’m sure the fact that RE is a massive established franchise that has spawned a string of successful movies no doubt helps – particularly on the Wii – but I still feel Capcom have tailored their offering to the system far better than EA have managed. While Capcom offer something completely different that’s likely to appeal to a broad section of the Wii market, EA offer more of the same...but on the Wii. Big deal.

    This is a perfect example of how EA have been out of position on Nintendo’s recent machines.

  • vegard #44 2 years ago

    "Then came the awful demo that just had me fighting enemies in a room, with little explanation as to how not to get my head kicked in (or bitten off). "

    i think most of us knew what we had to know as soon as we heard "you've got to shoot their limbs off!!!" right before you enter the room:)

  • Quixz #45 2 years ago

    @vegard i hated that demo, not surprised it didn't sell very well.

  • malloc #46 2 years ago

    Can't help thinking that they ramped up production too late for the Wii and missed the first wave and now that they're scaling back are probably going to be missing the second wave.

  • metalangel #47 2 years ago

    Surely they'll make more profit selling EA Presents Puppy Bottom Wiper 2010 on Wii than Need for Space: Jumping Screaming Through A Flaming Mirror?