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Pondering EA's Move Towards Hardcore

Posted by Zonk on from the object-to-the-idea-of-bioware-as-unspectacular dept.

The site GigaOM is picking up its games coverage again, and kicks off with an article speculating on just what EA was thinking when it purchased BioWare and Pandemic. On the face of it, the move doesn't make much sense. BioWare is a great development house, but from EA's perspective their games are 'small potatoes'. "So why did they spend so much? The acquisition includes several titles for the Wii and DS already in development, and those may have breakout potential. There's tremendous gamer buzz around BioWare's upcoming RPG Mass Effect, but in all likelihood, it'll do similar numbers to the studio's million-plus-selling Knights of the Old Republic -- a hit, but not a huge one. There are rumors that BioWare is developing a 'Star Wars'-themed MMO, but if that's what inspired the purchase, the mystery only deepens: Sony Online's (SNE) MMO Star Wars Galaxies was a disappointment in relation to cost and anticipation, and that was released at the height of the buzz over a movie franchise that's since become old news."

6 of 51 comments (clear)

  1. Two words by Reason58 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Madden's Gate. 08.

  2. Re:Innovation by jollyreaper · · Score: 3, Funny

    Many of EAs games are reworks of the same game with a new feature or 2 added: madden and the sims come to mind. Perhaps this is a way for EA to jumpstart some innovation - by buying people who are already innovative. Yes, and then they will run those innovations into the ground. *steeples fingers* Eeeeexcellent. Smithers, buy stock in EA!
    --
    Kwisatz Haderach
    Sell the spice to CHOAM
    This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
  3. More words by PrescriptionWarning · · Score: 4, Funny

    Product Title:
            Knights of the Old NCAA '09

    Product Description:
            Use the force as you progress through the NCAA college basketball championship and March madness! Use powers such as force speed to cross the court in less than a second, force jump to slam dunk with a white midget, force push to knock over other players without causing a foul, and more... just don't use force lightning on the ball, or you'll get a penalty for exploding the ball!

    1. Re:More words by jfclavette · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'd play that.

      "James going in for the dunk.... OH WHAT A FORCE PUSH BY SMITH !"

  4. Pondering EA's Move Towards Hardcore... by SeaFox · · Score: 4, Funny

    Are they going to change their name to "Erotic Arts"?

  5. Re:I've said it before, I'll say it again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    EA will have started to go downhill
    Started? Started??

    Are you retarded?