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  • SATURDAY OCTOBER 15 2005 1:52 AM

EA's Latest Developer: Steven Spielberg

Submitted by Jeff_Fries

Edited by MisterSatan

After a considerable line of movie adaptations, past and pending (Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, The Godfather), imperious videogame developer/publisher Electronic Arts has tired of aquiring rights and has moved onto human capital, starting with the most successful director of all time:

Game maker Electronic Arts said Friday it has signed blockbuster moviemaker Steven Spielberg to collaborate on three video games that EA’s Los Angeles studio will create.

The games were described as “three new original franchise properties,” so they probably will not be based on previous films, such as Mr. Spielberg’s Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, or E.T. The titles and subjects of the games were not disclosed, and neither were the financial terms.

...“I have been playing EA games for years and have watched them master the interactive format,” said Mr. Spielberg. “Having watched the game industry grow from a niche into a major creative force in entertainment, I have a great deal of respect for EA’s understanding of the interactive form.”



Spielberg has had a long-time love and association with videogames: the Computer Space machine in Jaws, his story contribution to the 1995 LucasArts adventure game The Dig, his co-founding of the less-popular-than-Dave & Buster's-but-still-OK GameWorks arcade chain, and the success of the nakedly Saving Private Ryan-influenced Medal of Honor games under his Dreamworks Interactive label (published by EA).

In case anyone was wondering about the newsworthiness of Spielberg putting his name on something, EA is stressing his high level of involvement.

The deal involves much more than the Hollywood director merely putting his stamp on a game or popping in for quick consultations, said Neil Young, vice president and studio head of EA's Los Angeles studio.

Instead, Spielberg will have an office in EA's studio. He plans to work side-by-side with game developers to create original gaming content beginning with the concept — not a game based on a movie, or vice versa, both of which are common practices nowadays.

"It's really the first time a filmmaker, and a filmmaker of Steven Spielberg's caliber will collaborate at this level on an original game," Young said. "He understands how our medium works and wants to push it in different directions, putting innovations in a game that no one has ever seen before."



So he's not running to a developer with a gameplay concept ala Michael Crichton, but is helping EA come up with some fresh franchises. The significance here is that someone with a career based on making his adolescent obsessions accessable and enjoyable to everyone will be given control over the development of a videogame. No word on whether Robin Williams will be playtesting.

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Comments
Girthy

Girthy

Canoga Park, CA
July 2005

OCT 15, 2005 05:51 AM

Crazy, my school is right by the EA Los Angeles offices, I drive by it all the time. Now everytime I do, I wont be able to forget that Spielbergo himself will be in that building.

Tadzi

Tadzi

Greeley, CO
April 2003

OCT 15, 2005 07:41 AM

what? no game based on schindlers list?

baudot

baudot

Oakland, CA
February 2004

OCT 15, 2005 07:58 AM

"Mr. Spielberg, get in the office."
"What are you talking about? It's 9pm on a Saturday!"
"It's crunch-time, Mr. Spielberg."
"We've only been developing for 2 weeks! We're nowhere near going gold!"
"Welcome to EA, Mr. Spielberg."

Snottlebocket

Snottlebocket

Netherlands
March 2004

OCT 15, 2005 08:34 AM


“I have been playing EA games for years and have watched them master the interactive format,” said Mr. Spielberg. “Having watched the game industry grow from a niche into a major creative force in entertainment, I have a great deal of respect for EA’s understanding of the interactive form.”



what a load of bull, if EA mastered anything it's
-employee abuse
-churning out medeocre quality games and endless sequels
-publish games by studio's that are actually talented but need EA to finance things soEA can pad their portfolio with a few games that aren't utter tripe.

ChocolateJesus

ChocolateJesus

I'm lost
January 2005

OCT 15, 2005 10:04 AM

Snottlebocket said:

what a load of bull, if EA mastered anything it's
-churning out medeocre quality games and endless sequels
QUOTE]

mediocre games?

The SSX franchise, Madden franchise, Medal of Honor....

some of the best games on any platform.

Snottlebocket

Snottlebocket

Netherlands
March 2004

OCT 15, 2005 10:15 AM

ChocolateJesus said:
Snottlebocket said:

what a load of bull, if EA mastered anything it's
-churning out medeocre quality games and endless sequels
QUOTE]

mediocre games?

The SSX franchise, Madden franchise, Medal of Honor....

some of the best games on any platform.



medal of honor or endless repetitions of one game with a new subtitle is hardly something to be proud of.

alpha_hazard

alpha_hazard

Fort Collins, CO
April 2004

OCT 15, 2005 12:45 PM

at least there are new franchises...that makes me a little more optimistic...

of course that probably means it'll be 2015 before we see another Indiana Jones movie.

Sen

Sen

USA
January 2004

OCT 15, 2005 01:03 PM

Gotta go with Snottle on that one... maybe you enjoy Madden games... of which there are hundreds... but that's nothing original. And I spent 3 years play MOHAA, WWII games are nothing original either.
It'll probably have a great story and horrid gameplay.

Chitin

Chitin

New York, NY
December 2004

OCT 16, 2005 09:10 PM

So is the ending going to suck?

MistahPrince

MistahPrince

Chicago, IL
February 2005

OCT 16, 2005 09:32 PM

"So, I guess what I'm just saying, is that, like, uh, EA sucks my balls.

I think, like, that's what I'm saying, pretty much.

See, like, I've got this one ball here, 'E' and this other all here, 'A.' So, like, the E and the A are just sucking both my balls."

KMFCM

KMFCM

Peekskill, NY
September 2002

OCT 16, 2005 10:11 PM


everybody knows movie based games suck

JoshXXX

JoshXXX

Northborough, MA
March 2004

OCT 16, 2005 11:16 PM

Indigo Prophecy is probably the best first step in combining movies and video games that I've seen. It has its faults, but if he can build on that type of game, I see good things in the future.

...wait, it's EA. Nevermind.

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