EA in Talks to Secure Portal 2 Publishing Rights

[Logan Westbrook]

EA in Talks to Secure Portal 2 Publishing Rights

EA Partners boss David DeMartini says that Valve is an "excellent partner" and hopes to be able to work with it on Portal 2.

Pop quiz time: who's publishing Portal 2? What's that, you're not sure? Well don't worry about it too much; it was pretty much a trick question. As yet, no publisher has been announced for the game, but EA is in talks with the developer and is hoping that its previous relationship with Valve might tip the scales in its favor.

EA Partners boss David DeMartini said that Valve was a very high-quality partner and demanded excellence from anyone it worked with. He said that you couldn't take a relationship with Valve for granted and that you had to earn its business each and every time. DeMartini was optimistic that EA's close relationship with the studio - it has published a number of Valve games in the past, including the Orange Box, and has links via Steam and through distribution ties - would give it an advantage.

"I don't have anything signed in blood yet. I'm certainly working on it," he said. "They're a great partner and just a great studio. Clearly one of the best in the world. They just know what they're doing. They know what consumers want."

It's hardly surprising that EA wants to publish Portal 2, as it's almost certainly going to be one of the biggest games of 2011, but it's interesting to learn that there's no standing agreement between the two companies. Portal 2 will be released on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on February 9th, 2011.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-08-23-ea-in-talks-with-valve-to-sign-portal-2]



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[sephiroth1991]

Why can't Valve publish it them selfs

Didn't they for Half-life, Team Fortress etc.

 

[LandoCristo]

Why can't Valve publish it them selfs

Didn't they for Half-life, Team Fortress etc.

They do for the PC, through Steam, but I'm guessing since Portal 2 is a larger project they want, or EA hopes they want, outside support for publishing on PS3 and Xbox.

 

[Femaref]

Why can't Valve publish it them selfs

Didn't they for Half-life, Team Fortress etc.

Nope, Half Life was published by Sierra and then EA, Half Life 2 as well, first Sierra and then Valve. You are right though concerning TF2 and the Orange Box, they published it themselves, but EA took care of the Distribution in retail. And that's probably what this is about - distribution in retail. And I can understand Valve - muss less stress for a bit of revenue gone to EA.

 

[The Lost Big Boss]

Even though I have nothing against EA, with them cleaning up their act (mostly). I can confidently say STAY AWAY FROM MY BABY AND GO BACK TO YOUR VAN.

EDIT: Well if you really must EA, take the 360 and PS3, I never cared for those kids anyways. But the PC child stays with me.

 

[sephiroth1991]

Why can't Valve publish it them selfs

Didn't they for Half-life, Team Fortress etc.

They do for the PC, through Steam, but I'm guessing since Portal 2 is a larger project they want, or EA hopes they want, outside support for publishing on PS3 and Xbox.

Why can't Valve publish it them selfs

Didn't they for Half-life, Team Fortress etc.

Not the console versions, they don't have the infrastructure to do that and a traditional publisher is more desireable with the 360/PS3 versions.

Why can't Valve publish it them selfs

Didn't they for Half-life, Team Fortress etc.

Nope, Half Life was published by Sierra and then EA, Half Life 2 as well, first Sierra and then Valve. You are right though concerning TF2 and the Orange Box, they published it themselves, but EA took care of the Distribution in retail. And that's probably what this is about - distribution in retail. And I can understand Valve - muss less stress for a bit of revenue gone to EA.

Intresting, well i guess EA isn't that bad, if they just want to distribute it.

 

[SimuLord]

Portal 2 releases February 9, 2011. There will also be cake and grief counseling on the same date.

EA knows hard copy and boxes and retail stores. Valve knows "click this and wait for goodness to fill your hard drive like so much sweet, delicious candy." It's a match made in the Aperture Science Enrichment Center.

 

[nelsonr100]

May I be the first to...



Lets just hope all EA do is publish the game and in no way filter or alter the genius of valve

 

[fix-the-spade]

but it's interesting to learn that there's no standing agreement between the two companies.

I suspect that after the lackluster job EA did with the PS3 Orange box Valve have been much, much more exacting in their negotiations.

Not having any kind of guarantee strikes me as good business sense for Valve, one of their games is pretty much a certain hit, so they can go to any publisher they want, assuming they go to a publisher at all.
EA will be aware of that, so there's plenty of incentive for them to do their job properly.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Lets just hope all EA do is publish the game and in no way filter or alter the genius of valve

EA also distributed the Xbox versions of Left 4 Dead/2, it's not as if this is a new thing.

 

[Glamorgan]

EA, if you are reading this... Please don't! The PS3 Orange box was botched together, and the PS3/Steam collaboration is actually really important. I don't want this to suck!

 

[Anah'ya]

He said that you couldn't take a relationship with Valve for granted and that you had to earn its business each and every time

I like this line.

And while I agree that I would preferably see Valve handling it all on their Awesome lonesome, EA is the only publisher I can think of that seems to have the potential to be allowed to buddy up with Valve.

At that note, Valve still needs to marry me.

 

[Plinglebob]

*Snip*

Remember, EA are the good guys now with the development of unique IPS such as Mirrors Edge and the fun advertising with Dantes Inferno.

 

[NLS]

Why are people getting upset?
EA has been publishing retail copies of Valve's games since Valve broke up with Sierra. Valve works on their own and publish their own games through Steam without problem, but someone needs to make sure that there's physical copies around to buy, and that is EA's job, and nothing more. It's not like EA is going to have a SWAT team break into Valve's offices, shoot Gabe Newell, and declare Portal 2 to be developed by EA.

 

[jebussaves88]

I was pretty sure Valve would be be publishing it for themselves, what with some form of steamworks going with into the PS3. They certainly don't need a publisher on PC. All I can think is EA could lend a hand with the somewhat abused Xbox 360 version, which seems to be getting the raw end of the deal this time.

 

[Chechosaurus]

When he said that he didn't have anything "signed in blood", that was literally. Everyone knows that EA signs things in blood and has pacts with the Devil. At least it's not as bad as Activision requiring the first born son of everyone on the production team. To be honest, it's probably a good thing if EA publish Portal 2. They have helped get some great games out there in the past. My only real concern is how their new MASSIVE logo will affect the box art....

 

[Soviet Steve]

Even though I know this is just business, and I am writing this from a business college, I can't help but feel that there is something sinister and perverted at work here.