EA Departures

[Feb 16, 2011, 11:24 am ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

Gordon Walton has departed Electronic Arts where he served as a vice president at BioWare Austin, reports Develop. They received a statement from EA saying "it is business as usual" at the Star Wars: The Old Republic developer. They also note a story on Inside Social Games saying Sebastien de Halleux and Sami Lababidi, two of the cofounders of Playfish, have also parted ways with EA, though both will remain as consultants. Only one of four Playfish founders, Kristian Segerstale, remains with the company since its November 2009 acquisition. In other EA-related news, VG247 reports on a talk given by John Riccitiello to a Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference in San Francisco. The EA CEO describes missteps they made a few years back, saying: "And we dropped the ball. Our IP deteriorated, our costs went up, and we didn’t really have an answer for the rise of digital." He goes on to the present day offering his assessment of their revival: "We have the strongest intellectual property portfolio by far in the games industry today."

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Re: EA Departures

Feb 16, 2011, 20:29

Kxmode

John Riccitiello said in a talk given at a Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference in San Francisco: "Aha. Look what I've created. I have made FIRE. Fire is good."

Re: EA Departures

Feb 16, 2011, 18:24

the_culture

RollinThundr wrote on Feb 16, 2011, 17:57: the_culture wrote on Feb 16, 2011, 11:11: We have the strongest intellectual property portfolio by far in the games industry today." Um not sure why this is eye roll inducing. EA's portfolio is huge, and they seem genuine about not just milking 1 or 2 IP's to death like Ol Bobby "Douchecanoe" Koticover at Vivendi Bl.. er Activision Blizzard. Just because their portfolio is huge doesn't mean it's the strongest. I'm sure Riccitiello is referring to money-making when he says strongest (and maybe you are too), but I was rolling my eyes at the way he portrays it. There aren't many titles I enjoy from EA apart from the Dead Space series. They have so many past series that they could reboot and if done well, would sell by the truckload. I won't argue with that. Unfortunately, if you just sit on them they are essentially useless.

Re: EA Departures

Feb 16, 2011, 17:57

RollinThundr

the_culture wrote on Feb 16, 2011, 11:11: We have the strongest intellectual property portfolio by far in the games industry today." Um not sure why this is eye roll inducing. EA's portfolio is huge, and they seem genuine about not just milking 1 or 2 IP's to death like Ol Bobby "Douchecanoe" Koticover at Vivendi Bl.. er Activision Blizzard. They have so many past series that they could reboot and if done well, would sell by the truckload.

No subject

Feb 16, 2011, 17:10

AnointedSword

Lol it is business as usually guys. People come in go in corporations, you guys should take a few business classes. I also believe EA made some nice profits, who is failing?




If you were right, I would be agreeing with you.

Re: EA Departures

Feb 16, 2011, 17:07

JoeNapalm

Kajetan wrote on Feb 16, 2011, 16:37: w34sl3 wrote on Feb 16, 2011, 12:21: This story sounds like the same regurgitated speach we hear from EA every so many years. "Oh we really dropped the ball, but we are going to do much better now." Yeah ok, if that was really the case then they wouldn't have a continual track record of the same failing practices. Yes, they sound like Peter Molyneux: "Uuh, my last game was sooo bad, but this one will be good! Really, i mean it this time!". Funny you should say that...Molyneux left Bullfrog when they got bought by EA. I forgive that man many sins, for he brought us Syndicate. -Jn- Ifriti Sophist

Re: EA Departures

Feb 16, 2011, 16:37

Kajetan

w34sl3 wrote on Feb 16, 2011, 12:21: This story sounds like the same regurgitated speach we hear from EA every so many years. "Oh we really dropped the ball, but we are going to do much better now." Yeah ok, if that was really the case then they wouldn't have a continual track record of the same failing practices. Yes, they sound like Peter Molyneux: "Uuh, my last game was sooo bad, but this one will be good! Really, i mean it this time!".

Re: EA Departures

Feb 16, 2011, 16:10

venomhed

Anyone that joins EA is asking for trouble. They have a horrid work ethic, treat people like dog shit, treat creators like crap, lost Origin, cannot create anything new themselves, sit on some of the best IP's of all time yet still don't remake them. Bunch of over aged bloat at the top with no one having vision or the balls to can the idiots and cut the fat. Much like Microsoft and the American Government.

Re: EA Departures

Feb 16, 2011, 15:29

Acleacius

I'm just glad people are leaving, any brainwaves not radiating at ea is a good thing. The more people leaving, the more chances new independents will rise from the ashes of the ea cesspool.

Publishers are dead or dying, long live independent developers! Cheers




Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history.....and they are stupid. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Re: EA Departures

Feb 16, 2011, 12:21

w34sl3

I agree with you, like having the strongest portfolio matters when your upper management is full of guys who dont have a clue. This story sounds like the same regurgitated speach we hear from EA every so many years. "Oh we really dropped the ball, but we are going to do much better now." Yeah ok, if that was really the case then they wouldn't have a continual track record of the same failing practices.

Re: EA Departures

Feb 16, 2011, 11:11

the_culture

We have the strongest intellectual property portfolio by far in the games industry today."

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