Hope for EA yet?

[Jdopus]

Tell me, is anyone else getting the impression that EA might be actually improving?

They seem to be making the effort to produce original games, rather than just churn out the same old tired sports games with a few tweaks.
Well, we did have Bad company, while, not being an excellent game was an improvement on their usual standards at least.

But their line-up is impressing me, they actually have two original games on the way, Mirror's edge and Dead space.

So, what does the escapist readership reckon? Could EA actually manage to improve themselves?

And please, do not come in here and say 'lol EA sux' give some valid reasons, we all know how popular EA hating is, it accomplishes nothing.

 

[Syphonz]

Mirror's Edge I give that to you, Dead Space...well its Doom 3..with low gravity effects.

I'm not an EA hater, but they fuck up sometimes. And when they do, its usually pretty bad and everyone will remember it.

 

[Jdopus]

Hmm...Doom 3? I haven't really been getting that impression from what I've seen. Although it does seem to focus a lot on how your character dies which may get annoying if they oerkill you. They even have a web-comic to cover the backstory, I find that pretty impressive.

 

[Caliostro]

People, keep in mind that there's a difference between publishing and developing. EA publishes a LOT of games it does not develop...

To me EA sponsors some good stuff, which is good, but they also annoy me immensely by releasing the same fucking titles every fucking year... To the point where they stopped numbering them, they just give them the year they're on to identify them...

This creates 2 huge problems:

1 - People get sick and tired of the same goddamn games shoved down their throats all the time;
2 - They don't have enough time to fully develop the new games... So it ends up being "old game + 1 or 2 different features".


I'm hoping that, as we reach or rapidly approach a point where graphics can no longer be any better as they're already photo-realistic, EA will take a step back and consider that in order for them to keep selling their games they need to upgrade the gameplay instead.

 

[Knight Templar]

EA cares about money, not us.

 

[Silent Biohazard Solid]

Every publisher cares about money. EA, Capcom, Konami, Squenix, Midway. That's the nature of the business. So it's kind of pointless to single EA out for a reason like that.

 

[The_General]

The fact that EA can now team up with a company without buyin it out gives me hope that mr. Riccitello is making the induustry better.

 

[Mariena]

Geh, I sortof lost faith in EA when they decided to mess up Battlefield 2 even further and milk the concept with BF2142 and the general poor state that EA leaves the games in. I'm not going to expect another patch either for the still buggy Rainbow Six: Vegas 2.

And after their latest fiasco, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, I'm not sure what to think. I can't tell whether it was Pandemic failing to deliver, or EA deciding to rush the product and sever just about all communications with the fanbase. Don't expect much to any support for this game.

I really don't know. EA is too big and too greedy. My faith lies with developers like Egosoft and Stardock, who LISTEN to the players. They actively participate in the forums and COMMUNICATE with the players.

I never, ever understood why it's such a 'taboo' to communicate with the fanbase. Developers posting on the forums is such a ridiculously rare occasion (well, for EA published games anyway). It's no wonder the players feel alienated - they don't even know whether they're being supported anymore.

 

[Jdopus]

I'm aware the EA are the publishers, but as you said, they release the same games continuously.

Perhaps we're already at the point where EA have realised that they can't keep upgrading graphics. I know for a fact that I'm seeing far fewer people keeping up to date on FIFA titles than I once did

 

[Tsuki Tanaka]

Mirror's Edge I give that to you, Dead Space...well its Doom 3..with low gravity effects.

I'm not an EA hater, but they fuck up sometimes. And when they do, its usually pretty bad and everyone will remember it.

Sorry, dude, but I hate to tell you that you're WRONG. Well, I actually enjoy it, in this case.

I've beta tested Dead Space and, even in its early stages, it has enough solid storyline and gameplay to make a run at Game of the Year.

The only thing this game could share with Doom 3 is, perhaps, the premise. Other than that, very different.

 

[Steelfox1]

there are some things out there by ea that they do good, their sports games are pretty good

 

[crimson5pheonix]

there are some things out there by ea that they do good, their sports games are pretty good

Good sports games? That's an oxymoron.

 

[Silent Biohazard Solid]

EA makes quality products. The only reason people hate them is because they're a mogul. If people buy The Sims expansion packs, then it's because people who play the Sims WANT expansion packs.
Frankly, I have yet to play an EA game that has completely been bastardized. Which is more than I can say for companies like Capcom.

 

[DemonI81]

EA is just digging themselves into the grave in my opinion.
They're doing illegal things Falsely advertised ALL maps tip videos on BF:BC for the Gold Edition, (it was missing one), illegally installing their DRM software through Spore, (this software acts in the same way spyware does, it does not inform you it will be installed, it's automatic, even if you uninstall the game the DRM software stays, sending data to EA, etc....)
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/spore/news.html?sid=6198136 There's a link to read all about that.
On top of that the glitchy, broken, half finished games they're pushing out, ie. BF:BC, Mercs 2, etc... I'm not gonna list all the reasons for each EA game that's come out lately being glitchy, broken, and half finished, just go to EA's forums and read about all the issues yourselves.
EA is a horrible company attempting to monopolize the gaming industry. I have the highest respect for Take Two turning them down. EA produces sub par games and refuses to even admit when there's problems, let alone fix them. EA should be shut down and if they keep up the illegal activity, it wont be long until they are.
I wonder how the EA devs (DICE, Pandemic, etc..) would perform without EA forcing out games that aren't finished or properly tested.

 

[pieeater911]

Meh, in general EA kind of sucks. Every now and again they hit gold, but since they make so many shitty games (I'm looking at you John Madden football number 6,056,729!) it's hard to find the good ones through all of the shit.

But Dead Space looks like it is shaping up to be a pretty awesome game. I'm actually considering pre-ordering it.

Mirrors Edge will probably be a rental for me, unless it ends up being amazing.

 

[Mariena]

EA makes quality products. The only reason people hate them is because they're a mogul. If people buy The Sims expansion packs, then it's because people who play the Sims WANT expansion packs.
Frankly, I have yet to play an EA game that has completely been bastardized. Which is more than I can say for companies like Capcom.

I'm really glad EA aren't developers. They don't make games (well, apart from EA "Redwood Shores" that I know of. But that one is probably a subsidiary like the rest of em), they publish them.

 

[Silent Biohazard Solid]

EA makes quality products. The only reason people hate them is because they're a mogul. If people buy The Sims expansion packs, then it's because people who play the Sims WANT expansion packs.
Frankly, I have yet to play an EA game that has completely been bastardized. Which is more than I can say for companies like Capcom.

I'm really glad EA aren't developers. They don't make games, they publish them.

Well, they had some developing studios. Fight Night Round 3 was made by EA Chicago... That particular studio might've went under, but nevertheless.

 

[Ixus Illwrath]

I've been playing Warhammer online for a few days now and I love it. They also have a monopoly on footbal games, so they've not fucked everything up.

Edit: The reason EA sucks is they pressure good developers like maxis to release titles early when they've gained sufficient 'hype'. All they do is serve as intermediaries between devs and deadlines. That's not going to get you many fans by nature. Plus, whenever you play a game released by them but developed by another, you get to see the ominous EA logo, so basically they take credit for tons of things they don't really do.

 

[Mariena]

Guess the edits aren't updated that quickly.

Yes, well, they have developing studios, but I'm sure they're all subsidiaries. Acquired studios that used to be independent. Correct me if I'm wrong

I still have little faith in EA. Their history of rushing games in their awful state, lack of support and horrible services lead me to believe they aren't going from "the devil" to an "angel" in a fingersnap.

 

[Silent Biohazard Solid]

Guess the edits aren't updated that quickly.

Yes, well, they have developing studios, but I'm sure they're all subsidiaries. Acquired studios that used to be independent. Correct me if I'm wrong

I still have little faith in EA. Their history of rushing games in their awful state, lack of support and horrible services lead me to believe they aren't going from "the devil" to an "angel" in a fingersnap.

I don't know enough about EA to prove you wrong.

But EA is a massive publisher. They publish a lot of games, so obviously some aren't gonna turn out that well, and it's partially the developer's fault anyway.
It's not about EA, it's about the games and developers. Some people were disappointed with Silent Hill Origins. They complained about Climax, not Konami.