"New" EA is about quality, not quantity

By Robert Purchese Published 22 February, 2008

That's why it bought us, says Pandemic.

Pandemic boss Josh Resnick believes Electronic Arts has turned a corner and is now committed to offering quality games.

He feels it was the reason the giant publisher splashed out USD 860 million to acquire Pandemic and BioWare last October, and is confident boss John Riccitello can eventually alter your opinion of EA.

"There was also a communication internally [from Riccitello] that stated, 'I'm serious about this path I'm putting the company on, and I'm creating a company where the BioWares and Pandemics will want to be a part of it'," Resnick told Next-Gen.

"It's going to change through action and rebuilding trust. He knows the future of EA's success is in empowering the really talented creative people and giving them what they need to stretch their wings. "

Doing that means leaving the developers alone and pitching in when asked, apparently, as well as taking care of promoting and shipping the game to as many people as possible around the world.

"Within EA I'm not distracted. I get to just focus on making great Pandemic games," added Resnick.

"And it makes sense. Why would they invest all that money in us if they're just going to change us?"

Resnick is keen to keep working on Mercenaries, but only if and when the passion is there. He seems quite unperturbed by the reputation EA has for milking a franchise and delivering clockwork yearly updates.

"We want to continue working on Mercenaries. Already we have things in store for Mercenaries 3. In our heads, I mean. We know where we want to take this franchise," explained Resnick.

"They will sequel the product if it makes sense to sequel the product and if they have the team behind it that's really passionate about it."

But, lest we get carried away, Resnick points out that Electronic Arts is not the only publisher having a rethink about its quality over quantity ratio.

"I think there's been a maturing among the executive ranks in the industry; realising it's better to cancel IP, not do IP, or start something fresh if you don't feel you're going to be able to deliver on gamers' expectations," concluded Resnick.

"It does not make sense to milk that cow to death. It just doesn't."

Mercenaries 2 will be out on PC, Xbox 360, PS3 and PS2 sometime after April this year.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (31) Latest comment 4 years ago

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

  • NewbieZilla #1 4 years ago

    They like to talk about Mercenaries. I want to hear whats up with Saboteur.

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #2 4 years ago

    Probably not a lot, until Mercenaries 2 comes out.

  • Nylkran #3 4 years ago

    This is only a bit less ironic than Bush getting a Noble price.

    (Either because he is an idiot so he cant get any of the science ones, or because he started the war on Iraq so he cant the peace one you pick).

  • Pac-man-ate-my-wife #4 4 years ago

    EA are fucking ace.

    People who think otherwise should really look at the titles the company publishs before resorting to lazy generalisations.

  • seasidebaz #5 4 years ago

    ??? i want a noble price too! for my noble steed!

  • _Price_ #6 4 years ago

    Perhaps this corner that they've turned had Fifa Street 3 hanging around on it, downing a bottle of Aftershock and intimidating old women.

    But they're right about one thing: EA now has the quality developers that they need to really start focusing on infrequently released, but extremely good, titles.

    Like KotOR III for example.

    Teasing bastards.

    Edit: I'm fairly noble. Casual swearing aside.
    Edited by 1 at 22/02/08 @ 15:46

  • optimusprym8 #7 4 years ago

    /looks forward to Mercenaries 09, 10 and Euro updates

  • bad09 #8 4 years ago

    @ Pac-man ate my wife

    I kind of agree. There is no denying they are fantastic and given us many, many great games over the years, they have slipped in recent years down the shove out an average game and market 'em massively so they sell route. Things are looking up though I feel, in fact I'm quite looking forward to their Dead Space game.

  • mikew1985 #9 4 years ago

    Sorry people who cannot see the significant step forward most of EA's core titles and new IP's took forward last year are just blinded by their own previous conceptions of EA.

    Last year they published a serious amount of genuinely great content and it really would seem that they have turned a corner. Now I'm not for one minute suggesting that this is set to be a constant with EA but they have been making all the right noises as late. As regards their yearly updates; like it or not that is what people (i.e. the idiot public) wants in relation to Fifa, Madden et al and I really find it hard to criticise them for it especially with Fifa 08 being damn good and their current gen titles being far more up to scratch than my beloved PES.

    // Rant over

  • kangarootoo #10 4 years ago

    I have to say I think he is right.

    For all of EA's past, they do seem to be turning out some quality titles of late and actually focussing on making good games that sell, rather than just making games that sell.

    I've not heard much about their eomployment practices lately mind, so I have no clue whether they are getting any better (some people have had a fine old time there I should add for balance, but others have nothing good to say).

  • Eraysor #11 4 years ago

    So what's the next Need For Speed called again?

    Although I must admit, Skate was mighty impressive.
    Edited by 1 at 22/02/08 @ 16:00

  • bad09 #12 4 years ago

    @ designerheadache

    Sorry mate but I have to defend EA (I can't believe it things are changing!). Just look...

    [link url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Electronic_Arts_g ames
    ]http://en .wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ele...[/link]

    They may have lost their way they are still ace
    Edited by 2 at 22/02/08 @ 16:08

  • mikew1985 #13 4 years ago

    Yea SKATE was my GOTY 2007 by some margin.

    @ designerheadache

    Fair point I do tend to forget about their recent lazy PS3 ports which is obviously not good.
    Hopefully that will turnaround this year (Burnout: Paradise) as that is just shoddy.

    Apart from that though C&C 3 was great c'mon! I really cant agree with what you said and would point to a underlying "it's cool to hate EA" attitude that I mentioned earlier.

  • fergal_oc #14 4 years ago

    If it's about quality why did they make the testing team responsible for testing some of their middleware redundant last year?

  • neilka #15 4 years ago

    Can you actually milk a cow to death?

    There's only one way to find out.

    /fetches bucket

  • Nylkran #16 4 years ago

    If I thought this was serious, I would applaud EA but I dont think it is, I think they realized they dont have a good reputation, and they are trying to change with some PR and marketting, but they will still release the same rubbish as before, and buy the competition and make them rubbish too.

  • MightyMouse #17 4 years ago

    Please don't eat my hat :(

  • penhalion #18 4 years ago

    hahahahahahhahaahhahhahahahahahahah....whew...hahahhahahhaha hhhahahhahahhhaha

    Sorry that was a seriously early april fools joke there...wasn't it...come on it was wasn't it?

  • Zomoniac #19 4 years ago

    the sports games are not innovative its the same crap over and over again

    They are slow progressions. People want an annual update, there's only so much you can re-write a game in a year. But the fact remains that FIFA, TW, Madden and Skate are all the best games in their field by a considerable margin. If you don't think FIFA 08 is innovative then evidently you have no clue (or are just spouting shite having never played it).

    If the PS3 versions are crap then don't buy the PS3 versions. If you only have a PS3, then buy a proper console.

  • Calgon #20 4 years ago

    Yeah Ive said alot bad things about EAs quality to shite ratio but I can already see its improved this gen and theyve made more steps to improve that further.

    Theres no shame in buying an EA game some gamers really need to grow up(its not "cool";), if its good buy it! or they wont bother spending the extra on making games better quality or taking risks with new IPs. If its a bluff and they release lazy garbage that people are getting bored of, then dont buy it but dont be so hasty, check these games out and see for yourself instead of assuming you know better than everyone whos telling you otherwise.
    Edited by 2 at 22/02/08 @ 20:52

  • VMerken #21 4 years ago

    Seeing is believing.

  • Xerx3s #22 4 years ago

    I believe it when I see it. Westwood, Bullfrog, Origin , etc. all claimed the same. Until EA came about and pissed on their graves.

    Well, EA have the opportunity to prove the likes of me wrong. We will see it with the next bioware/pandemic projects. Either they remain independent and make fantastic games or they go the way of all the others.

    History repeats itself?

  • gorf #23 4 years ago

    lets see if EA can come up with an original title that doesnt include word 'street' or 200x. Oooh look lets combine the two..Fifa Street 2008. Snerk. As for selling madden games in europe...who consumes this stuff...why would someoene want to simulate a bunch of grown men mincing around in polystryrene suits is beyond me especially as no one else apart from USA plays this sport?

  • Luckz #24 4 years ago

    lol.
    It's nice how people try trusting their word again, and again, and again, and... yet always have to reach the same conclusion.

    "they have slipped in recent years down the shove out an average game and market 'em massively so they sell route"
    Lolwut? They were beyond "slipping" more than five years ago.


    "But the fact remains that FIFA, TW, Madden and Skate are all the best games in their field by a considerable margin."
    Seriously, the last FIFA game arguably worth spending time on I can't even remember; I know no basketball fan who actually likes their shitty NBA games, and so on.

  • kangarootoo #25 4 years ago

    "who don't really like to push their own expenses if it means they lose profit"

    No company with any sense would push their expenses at the cost of profit. That doesn't make them bad, it just makes them a business.

    "quite frankly does not deserve to be called a gamer. "

    Lol. /wipes eyes

    Is that seriously supposed to be a bad thing, that someone loses the apparent right to be called "a gamer"? What does that even mean? I don't care if people call me a gamer or not. It doesn't stop me playing games, so what is the difference?

    For the record, the more I see of AoT the more I worry about it. The macho bollox doesn't appeal but neither does it particularly bother me. It is the core gameplay mechanics such as the aiming system and AI that look worrying everytime I see them in motion. The concept is great and I'm sure there will be some great ideas, but I'm not sure how its going to turn out. I hope its ace, as co-op gaming is great and anything that extols that is alright in my book (even if the lead characters do talk nonsense and the politics of it all are abhorrent). I just worry (I'm still renting it, no doubt).

  • bad09 #26 4 years ago

    "JSPOOLE"

    "You're scraping the barrel when you throw your cartoon icons into a sports game."

    Have you PLAYED mario/sonic olympics? It's actually quite good.........

    As for you "macho" spiel, are you trying to prove something?

  • bad09 #27 4 years ago


    "It seems some people just don't have the spine for the ''tougher'' style of games like army of two, which is fair enough, just don't bore me with your half assed liberal politics if thats the case."

    Are you on something? People do have the spine for them and enjoy them. It's just boring now as it's been milked to death just like all those macho Arnie action movies (which I love also). I like "macho" shooting games but there is just TOO MANY! Hard group of soldiers/space marines etc. Been there many many times, it's time for something new.

    "Plus, most EA sports titles get good reviews too. What's your point? If it was a good game, wouldn't it be just as good without the cash cows splashed over the title?"

    My point was you said they were scraping the barrel. That is not the case, Sega offered a fun take on a genre that is sorely neglected these days (can we have a next gen Track and Field PLEASE!!) to tie in with the Olympics. It was fresh and (imo) was one of the few Wii games that deserve to do really well.

    Besides I'm not knocking EAs sports games (although, for me, FIFA didn't find it's next gen feet until 2008).

  • bad09 #28 4 years ago

    @ JSPOOLE

    "frothing at the mouth over AoT's 'politics''

    Dude, lets put this into perspective...it's a computer game!

    "How many paper mario games are there? Party games? Princess Peach and Yoshis and spin offs? Heck in the last few months Mario will be in like four games, galaxy, smash bros, kart and the olympics."

    How many FIFA, Madden, Street Fighter, Mortla Kombat, Burnout, Need For Speed, Gran Turimso, Crash Bandicoot, Sonic.............I can go on and on.

    If it sells they will make more games around that mascot or series, you may not like it but obviously there are a lot of people who do!

    Not to mention the the fact that ninty has always made games around their figurehead mascots, that's what defines Ninty. Mario IS Nintendo!
    Edited by 1 at 24/02/08 @ 12:43

  • bad09 #29 4 years ago


    "Thats what Im saying...its not like they go out of their way to get political usually, its people who usually bring their own views and plant them on the game. Like Soldier of Fortune, this site called it racist because you kill black and arab people even though you pretty much kill people of EVERY race."

    I agree there. It's like the whole RE5 is racist because you shoot black people rubbish. But people are entitled to their opinion. As long as games don't get banned over it let them have their say.

    "I don't think there's as many of any of those games as Mario related games to be honest. But the point is, you can't complain about EA doing it and then being ok with Nintendo doing the exact same thing, thats hypocritical. I dont personally have a problem with sequels, if they suck I simply don't buy them, its just people who have double standards that annoy me."

    I don't think you can compare the two. It's their brand identity and they use it. EA have been shoving out average games and marketing to death to sell there is a big difference.

    The problem most people have with EA is them releasing crap more than sequels (unless you're talking NFS games). Sure some moan about yearly sports games but in general people who play them DO want annual updates with the latest players and improvements to the game (not always the case sadly). Ninty don't release sequel after sequel anyway, most will get a new game on a new platform - Mario 64, Sunshine, Galaxy. Yes their are spin-offs PM, MK etc. but the only reason you don't get that with Sony and MS is because they do not have such strong brand mascots (remember Sony did try with Crash). Sega ties many of it's games into it's mascots it's not a bad thing (well depends on the game), if they were still making consoles they would do the exact same thing as Ninty.

  • bad09 #30 4 years ago

    @ JSPOOLE

    I see what you are saying but you have to remember Ninty have ALWAYS been about family/children friendly gaming (remember green blood in MK on SNES?) They will always have very little in terms of adult themed games. That's what Sony and MS are for!

    As for EA, I think they deserve the rep they got IMO (I still can't forgive what they did to Marvel beat 'em ups!), but it looks like they have learned from that and are trying to change it now so Kudos for them. It's good that publishers do actually listen to criticism!
    Edited by 1 at 24/02/08 @ 14:42

  • MGG #31 4 years ago

    Well for my 2 pennies worth, I think EA have improved - but my god, its taken long enough. I bought my first EA game in about 10 years the other week, FIFA 08, and amazingly enough, I do think the gameplay is now better than PES08. Treason, I know. However, lets talk menus and interfaces. EA, WTF were you on when you wrote that interface (PC version btw)? I mean seriously? Where to begin with the errors and stupidity there....There are stupid designs on the loading, creating a new game, playing as a manager, saving your game, etc etc Classic for me is: at half time in a game, while the replays are playing of the best action in the 1st half, a few menu options appear on screen, such as stats, continue etc. None of them take you into the formations/tactics/substitutions screen (or if they do, I've missed it yet again). Now, why would you want to hide that option in a football game? I mean, wtf man? Awful, just woeful.

    Oh and JSPOOLE, anyone who says "my simplistic view of politics is right and everyone elses is wrong" is either 12 years old, or not too clever. Which is it?

    Luv, a Bush-hating, anti-racist, liberal, who hates brainless macho BS in games, films or politcs.
    x