EA Launching 11 "Major Titles" in the Next 11 Months

[StewShearerOld]

EA Launching 11 "Major Titles" in the Next 11 Months

The publisher has nearly a dozen new titles in the works as well as big reveal for E3 2013.

Between the <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122761-EA-CEO-John-Riccitiello-Resigns-UPDATED>resignation of its CEO following substantial financial shortfalls, the company's repeated capture of the <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123161-Electronic-Arts-Repeats-as-Worst-Company-in-America>Worst Company in America award and a <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123834-EA-Earnings-Show-Mobile-Gaming-Pays-Off-Big-Time>bevy of layoffs and closures impacting several studios under its banner, 2013 has kind of sucked for Electronic Arts. Some, of course, might argue that this is all just karma for debacles like the <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122557-Electronic-Arts-Disables-Non-Critical-SimCity-Features-UPDATED>deeply troubled launch of SimCity in March. Whatever your take on it, many would probably agree that EA has a lot of work ahead to pull its fat from the fire. The publisher, in turn, looks as though it intends to come out of its recent troubles feet on the floor and running.

EA has apparently been prepping a "great reveal" for this year's E3, which could include new games from Bioware and DICE. Despite recent layoffs, it is also promising a string of major releases that should all arrive before the end of the fiscal year. "In fiscal 14 we will release 11 major titles across consoles and on the PC," said Frank Gibeau, president of EA Labels. "This includes our core sports titles, Madden, FIFA, FIFA Manager, NBA Live, NHL and NCAA Football, as well as Need for Speed, Battlefield, Command & Conquer and from our partners at Insomniac, Fuse."

One of the eleven games will include The Sims 4, which EA <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123778-Electronic-Arts-Unveils-The-Sims-4>announced a few days ago. In addition to the promised eleven console and PC games, consumers can also expect fifteen mobile games to be released within the same time frame. What gamers shouldn't expect to see are any new Star Wars games. Despite EA's recent <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123783-Electronic-Arts-Signs-Exclusive-Star-Wars-Game-Deal-With-Disney>multi-year, exclusive licensing agreement with Disney, it apparently has no plans to release any Star Wars games in the near future.

Source: CVG


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[Artemis923]

So, 8 recycled sports titles, and a few others that are more likely than not to be the same shit as their predecessors.

You're not fooling anyone here, EA.

 

[Legion]

Yes, but how many of those eleven games will be good enough for people to stop hating them?

Madden, FIFA, FIFA Manager, NBA Live, NHL, NCAA Football, Need for Speed, Battlefield 4, Command & Conquer, The Sims 4 and Dragon Age 3.

The fact that six out of those eleven are sports games (and sports games tend to remain fairly consistent in what they provide) leaves five games that might make people change their mind. All of the games are sequels and most of them are the kind that are likely to do fairly well, but not drastically change peoples opinions about EA. If a person liked last years sports title, then unless they screw up massively, they will probably like these ones too.

The only games that are likely to have any effect on peoples opinions are Dragon Age 3, The Sims 4, Battlefield 4 and Command and Conquer.

- Dragon Age 3 will need to be pretty amazing to remove the stigma attached to Bioware after the mixed opinions of ME3, DA2 and SW:TOR, so that could go either way.

- The Sims is a popular series, but unless they screw up like Sim City, I imagine it will be one of those games that doesn't gain much attention.

- Battlefield is trying to compete with COD's market, so it will probably do okay, but I doubt it's going to make people love EA.

- Command and Conquer is free to play, and seems to be little more than a C+C game in name only. I can't see this one doing anything positive for peoples feelings towards them.

As it stands, I can't see EA having much of a chance of getting into peoples good books this year. Their sales may vastly improve, but I doubt their reputation will change very much.

 

[Ironside]

That means 6 sports games, another Need for Speed, C&C (which they already ruined) The Sims 4, Battlefield 4 and I assume the last one will be Dragon Age 3 or in other words we are getting absolutely nothing new. Sounds fantastic EA.

 

[Erttheking]

Quality over quantity EA, a very simple concept that just can't seem to penetrate your thick skull.

 

[R.Nevermore]

11 titles in a year, all sequels and existing franchises. Nothing creative. AT ALL.
For a company that spews games out at remarkable speed, it's maddening to see absolutely nothing new, creative or remotely interesting for that matter out of these guys. There's no creativity, no inspiration in all their ranks. It's a systematic milking of existing franchises. Each of these games is also overtaking the FOURTH in the series. That's too damn many, and too damn much of the same.

 

[Panorama]

I have to be honest C&C are always games i'm willing to give a go. And if it is terrible i will just play Red alert 2 again.
is the command and Conquer generals 2?

 

[Longstreet]

After that first sentence "The publisher has nearly a dozen NEW titles in the works as well as big reveal for E3 2013." i thought, for a split second, that they meant new IPs.

Then i remembered it was EA, read the rest of the article, and saw that yep. They are gonna milk the shit out of everything they got and come up with nothing new.

 

[Shadow-Phoenix]

The only games that are likely to have any effect on peoples opinions are Dragon Age 3, The Sims 4, Battlefield 4 and Command and Conquer.

- Command and Conquer is free to play, and seems to be little more than a C+C game in name only. I can't see this one doing anything positive for peoples feelings towards them.

As it stands, I can't see EA having much of a chance of getting into peoples good books this year. Their sales may vastly improve, but I doubt their reputation will change very much.

That's the thing though C&C was great back when they made C&C 3 and Kanes Wrath but ever since then all they've done is go downhill and rip it pieces trying to find that more money making piece and it's suffered because of it.

The new C&C no matter how nice it may look just plain alienates me and other fans of the franchise whereas Planetary Annihilation is shaping up to look far more promising. I just wish I knew what's to become of End of Nations because I've not heard anything from them in a long while.

Apart from all that I just can't see EA grabbing everyone's attention over the coming months with other pubs and devs doing more work into gaming and grabbing our attention.

 

[CriticalMiss]

Does EA mean 'Everything Again' now? 11 games in 11 months, none of them new. And more than half of those are sports games which rarely require a huge budget and usually sell well unless they are completely borked. They are playing it safe in a big way. I think they released this to try and show they are doing well and have a strong line up of upcoming titles, but it kind of gives the impression that they are too scared/stupid to try a different approach.

 

[Something Amyss]

11 months
11 sequels
11 more than the number of fucks I give

EA you just landed a perfect Skyrim.

And almost all of them the same deals as normal. So nothing special.

 

[Ticklefist]

Mirror's Edge II* or GTFO

* will also accept new IP with female lead.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Like everyone else, I was excited when I saw the title. Oh, new games! And then I saw the list of games and my hopes died. Sports games mean nothing to me, I gave Battlefield 3 a try and it utterly failed for me, racing games have no appeal to me, and Command and Conquer just isn't my cup of tea.

Where's Dragon Age III? Where's Mirror's Edge II? How about news on some more Dead Space DLC? Where are games that aren't sports games? Is that really all EA wants to be now? The official game company for sports? Because that's what that line up is screaming to me.

Mirror's Edge II* or GTFO

* will also accept new IP with female lead.

Sounds good to me.

 

[l3o2828]

Release all you want EA,It doesn't mean i'll buy it.

 

[Chuppi]

EA Launching 11 "Major Titles" in the Next 11 Months

Reminds me of an old Cypress Hill title.
"When the shit goes down, you better get ready."

 

[Elijin]

My favourite part of this topic is everyone bashing it and saying no one is interested, when those titles all sell like hotcakes each year.

Also interesting to see some people go '11 games? Too many, god, just stop.'

To me I see 11 games as a wider market, since hey, we dont all have the same tastes! Of those 11 maybe 4 have at least captured my attention enough to look at reviews or something when they come out. Because hey, they dont expect you all to buy all 11.

Also to the people complaining about lack of new IPs...the press release is about 11 'major titles'. Which to EA the major titles are the ones which are proven to sell. New IPs would not be branded major titles by a publisher, until proven.

 

[Random Argument Man]

The only two that I may be interested in are NHL and maybe Fuse. I want some news on Dragon Age 3!

 

[RA92]

Why does everyone mention Dragon Age 3?

The 11 games are in the article!

"Madden, FIFA, FIFA Manager, NBA Live, NHL and NCAA Football, as well as Need for Speed, Battlefield, Command & Conquer and from our partners at Insomniac, Fuse."

"One of the eleven games will include The Sims 4."

So one new IP, a shooter out this month otherwise all sequel's till at least march next year.

I thought the EA Partners program was scrapped?