Spielberg Developing Games for EA

Icesickle · Post by **Icesickle** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 12:09 pm

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051014/med ... ielberg_dc

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg and Electronic Arts Inc., the world's biggest video game publisher, said on Friday they are teaming up to develop three original video games.

Spielberg, a video game enthusiast and co-founder of movie studio DreamWorks SKG, will work with EA's Los Angeles studio on the concept, story and design of the games.

EA, whose shares jumped 3.5 percent in morning trading, did not disclose the terms of the multiyear, exclusive agreement.

Neil Young, vice president and studio head at EA Los Angeles, said Spielberg and EA developers aim to take advantage of new technology in upcoming gaming consoles and deliver more engaging and novel play and entertainment.

"Who is a better person to tackle that challenge with than Steven Spielberg?" Young said.

The pact comes as the video game industry -- whose revenues rival those of the nation's box offices -- continues to gain status, taming its maverick image and moving closer to Hollywood. The industry has worked with such hit film franchises as "Lord of the Rings" to bring out new games.

More recently, popular games, whose rich stories are ripe for leaping from computer monitor to the big screen, have been developed into feature films. They include Universal Pictures' monster-chase epic "Doom," which opens this month, and the alien battle adventure "Halo," the best-selling title for Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox console, due in 2007.

Under their agreement, EA will own the intellectual property and the games, which it will develop, publish and distribute. Spielberg -- who directed such films as "Schindler's List," "Saving Private Ryan" and "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" -- gets the first crack at turning the games into film or television productions.

While financial details were not disclosed, American Technology Research analyst Paul-Jon McNealy called the pact good news for EA.

"It strengthens its leadership position and broadens its portfolio heading into the next generation of video game console hardware," McNealy said in a client note.

For a time, DreamWorks produced video games under its DreamWorks Interactive division, but EA bought that property in 2000. The unit, which created the World War II "Medal of Honor" game series, is now known as EA Los Angeles.

EA shares were up $1.82 to $54.22 in late-morning trading on the Nasdaq.

Useff · Post by **Useff** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 1:02 pm

These could be good. I hope EA doesn't put a very restrictive deadline on them.

cascarrabias · Post by **cascarrabias** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 1:12 pm

I predict the first half of these games will rule. Then, about half way through, it will get overly sentimental, preachy, and ultimately suck.

Andvil · Post by **Andvil** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 2:08 pm

zing!

I'm excited

SeaTownBlues · Post by **SeaTownBlues** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 2:26 pm

EA is making it harder and harder to hate them.

T-Wrex · Post by **T-Wrex** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:07 pm

EA make great nonsport games..
LucasArts used to make great games..
Ive had great gaming experiences playing airhockey at GameWorks..

stupidregister · Post by **stupidregister** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:13 pm

Who cares. What's he gonna do, make an ET RPG?

Lame.

slimebucato · Post by **slimebucato** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:40 pm

Damn Peter Jackson, now Spielberg? Legitimacy is getting close.

I'm not getting my hopes up too high for the games themselves, EA's track record is really spotty. I can't imagine how much impact Spielberg could have unless he is 100 percent day in day out involved in the the creation of the game.

T=Wrex wrote:EA make great nonsport games

since when?

None · Post by **None** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 7:15 pm

ChristPuncher wrote:Damn Peter Jackson, now Spielberg? Legitimacy is getting close.

I'm not getting my hopes up too high for the games themselves, EA's track record is really spotty. I can't imagine how much impact Spielberg could have unless he is 100 percent day in day out involved in the the creation of the game.

T=Wrex wrote:EA make great nonsport games
since when?

You haven't played Marvel Nemisis? shits brilliant

slimebucato · Post by **slimebucato** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 8:13 pm

None wrote:
ChristPuncher wrote:Damn Peter Jackson, now Spielberg? Legitimacy is getting close.

I'm not getting my hopes up too high for the games themselves, EA's track record is really spotty. I can't imagine how much impact Spielberg could have unless he is 100 percent day in day out involved in the the creation of the game.

T=Wrex wrote:EA make great nonsport games
since when?
You haven't played Marvel Nemisis? shits brilliant

yes, if by brilliant you mean hot garbage

http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/ ... %20nemesis

None · Post by **None** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 12:55 am

ChristPuncher wrote:
None wrote:
ChristPuncher wrote:Damn Peter Jackson, now Spielberg? Legitimacy is getting close.

I'm not getting my hopes up too high for the games themselves, EA's track record is really spotty. I can't imagine how much impact Spielberg could have unless he is 100 percent day in day out involved in the the creation of the game.

T=Wrex wrote:EA make great nonsport games
since when?
You haven't played Marvel Nemisis? shits brilliant
yes, if by brilliant you mean hot garbage

http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/ ... %20nemesis

Exactually what I meant

IKILL · Post by **IKILL** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 9:09 am

EA is... All the good games they put out are from small developers that they eventually buy out and just own the rights to the games. Then when those games put out sequels under EAs supervision they're subpar. It's a shame. EAs trump card are their sports games which they recycle each year and change rosters and some game mechanics just to have fanatics buy an updated version of the previous years game.

~KILL

Combo7 · Post by **Combo7** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 11:41 am

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath was under EA.

slimebucato · Post by **slimebucato** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 11:46 am

Combo7 wrote:Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath was under EA.

pretty sure they just published it, which goes in line with what IKILL said.

Combo7 · Post by **Combo7** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 2:19 pm

Yeah, that's what I meant. It was still made by Oddworld Inhabitants.

T-Wrex · Post by **T-Wrex** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 6:03 pm

EA used to have all those tight diagonal helicopter games thar were fun

boogie shoes · Post by **boogie shoes** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:46 am

maybe we can play the game version of ai.