Electronic Arts is quick to boast about its new independent studio system, but some wonder how much autonomy is actually given. While EA Games label president Frank Gibeau somewhat dodged the question about requiring some element of multiplayer, he did reveal his thoughts on the necessity of being connected.
“I mean, EA used to be against M-rated content. Go check out Dead Space [laughs],” said Gibeau. “It’s one of my core cultural studio values to allow developers to decide more on what they want to build. And a studio s creative call needs to be balanced against a commercial imperative, and if you look at online these days that s the place to be.”
“Game makers, the really good ones, they want to make great games but they also want to make blockbusters. One of the things they need to do is balance that out I have the right team to help them, he continued. I volunteer you to speak to EA’s studio heads; they’ll tell you the same thing. They re very comfortable moving the discussion towards how we make connected gameplay be it co-operative or multiplayer or online services as opposed to fire-and-forget, packaged goods only, single-player, 25-hours-and you’re out. I think that model is finished. Online is where the innovation, and the action, is at.”
Source: Develop
