210°

The Walt Disney Company and EA Announce Multi-Year Star Wars Games Agreement

BURBANK & REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) and Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) today announced a new multi-year exclusive licensing agreement to develop and publish globally new games based on Star Wars characters and storylines.

Under the agreement, EA will develop and publish new Star Wars titles for a core gaming audience, spanning all interactive platforms and the most popular game genres, while Disney will retain certain rights to develop new titles within the mobile, social, tablet and online game categories.

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ea.newshq.businesswire.com
majiebeast3999d ago (Edited 3999d ago )

Im okay with this aslong as it means Battlefront 3 by DICE, 1313 development resumed by Visceral and KOTOR 3 by Bioware.

Rainstorm813999d ago (Edited 3999d ago )

That sounds ideal

Next gen KOTOR 3 by BioWare is what I need

LOL_WUT3999d ago

A battlefront 3 by DICE would be epic! Glad EA got the License for the Star Wars franchise. ;)

minimur123999d ago

I just want them to continue 1313 xD

it looked so cool!

darthv723999d ago

lets hope EA stick to traditional SW type of games and doesnt muck up the license.

I'd hate to see a Madden-esq type of SW football game. Galactic empire vs the rebels with vader and luke as the respected quarter backs.

thorstein3999d ago

Let's just hope they don't go the EA Sports route:

Starwars 14, Starwars 15, Starwars 16. Each installment would have a roster update to the Jedi and Sith but little if any graphical or gameplay improvements.

thorstein3999d ago

And I certainly don't want: The Sims Star Wars Jedi Edition. Sith edition maybe, but not Jedi.

HammadTheBeast3999d ago

I have hope now... but I'm scared.

Hold me Chewbacca.

Wenis3999d ago

I don't want DICE to ruin SWBF the way they ruined the BF franchise. Well that might be too harsh, but BF has definitely gone downhill since BF2 to cater to a mainstream audience. I would rather EA Los Angeles make SWBF3, since they hired a bunch of ex-Pandemic employees, the people who originally made SWBF.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 3999d ago
Fergusonxplainsall3999d ago

Totally agree. We need Battlefront 3 and 1313 Bounty Hunter game. Hope EA does not go full retard and make Pod Racer 2..

Still want a move compatible lightsaber game but with EA at the helm , i doubt that will ever happen.

Anon19743999d ago

Are you basing Episode One Racer? That game was a blast!

Don't get me wrong, I'd rather see a more constructive use of the Star Wars franchise then to do another racing game, but I loved the hell out of the original pod racing game.

Not that there's a shortage of first person shooters out there, but I found Star Wars Republic Commando to be a really good game (at least the single player had a decent campaign. Never tried the multiplayer). I was always looking forward to a followup that never came.

KOTOR actually turned me off Bioware games for years. I just need the next mission, I don't need the bloody life history of everyone I meet. It wasn't until Dragon Age that I gave Bioware another chance (since have gone back and played Mass Effect. Loved em). I know everyone seems to have some nostalgic love of KOTOR, but I tried multiple times to get into that game and just couldn't stop from being bored to tears. A new KOTOR game...I could take it or leave it.

Jedi Knights/Dark Forces I played all of but they never really stuck with me. The Force Unleashed had a cool story but just felt like a missed opportunity overall. I wouldn't mind seeing a resurrection of Shadows of the Empire. The Rogue Squadron games were a helluva lot of fun as well.

Xwing..space shooters were all the rage back in the day but I don't know that they have any appeal these days. I used to love X-wing, Tie-Figher, Wing Commander, etc, but is anyone making space shooters any more? Didn't they just do a Star Trek one a few years ago that was good but no one bought it?

Star Wars: The Arcade Game ate up a good chunk of my time, and quarters, as a youth. Still brings a smile to my face. :)

darthv723999d ago

There already was a pod racer 2. it was called Racer Revenge and was exclusive to the PS2.

Not a bad game but not as much fun as the original on the DC and PC or the suped up Arcade version with full sit down pod racer cabinet.

smokelocc3999d ago

Everybody know you dont go full retard'!

Fergusonxplainsall3999d ago

Yes we can still have pod racing as in a GTA like Star Wars game.Take a break from bounty hunting or being a jedi to pod race with friends.

That would be sweet, take it to a whole other level EA. I want it all!

LoveOfTheGame3998d ago

@darkride66
You do realize that Dragon Age Origins and KOTOR are essentially the same game with different skins, which is why I love both.

I do wish though that somehow Obsidian would get the chance over Bioware...they have gone downhill over the years and I enjoyed KOTOR 2 over the first.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3998d ago
DarthJay3999d ago

Yes, yes, yes, yes, take my money, here it is, make me those three games from those three studios. PLEASE!! Say what you want about EA, but I don't care, this is amazing, perfect and I couldn't think of three better studios to start working on games. Whatever they do, it will be great, because all of their games are awesome. So excited.

himdeel3999d ago

Player: "DAMN that dual light saber is nice!"
EA: "Yeah it is but if you want to use it that will be $1.99."
Player: "Hmm I think I'll just use the force."
EA: "Funny you should mention that, all force use is actually $4.99 plus an additional $1.99 for each use after 10 uses."
Player goes back to playing Star Wars on SNES.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3998d ago
Root3999d ago (Edited 3999d ago )

Well it could of been worse...it could of been Activision

Still 1313 will probably end up a let down and Battlefront 3 will be COD-ified

tristanwerbe3999d ago

well they already have 1313 and Battlefront 3 builds so they will most likely pick up off those

Root3999d ago

Hopefully....but you know what EA are like

MikeMyers3999d ago (Edited 3999d ago )

Here we go again, pessimism at its finest.

This is great news because we will get some great core games and they are making new Star Wars movies for quite awhile now that Lucas sold it off. Some thought 1313 was going to be scrapped.

Root3999d ago

It's EA what the hell do you expect

Jeez Mike Myers to EA,s rescue...just like when people pointed out how crap dmc was.

"Oh goodness no guys, you have to actually buy the game if you want to judge it, even though we can all see it's going to be a letdown from previous DMC games"

You call people for having an opinion that dosen't match your own. I mean you don't see me coming onto your comments and getting mad because they don't match my views.

MikeMyers3999d ago (Edited 3999d ago )

No point in having an opinion saying Battlefield 3 will be like Call of Duty. We don't know anything about it yet. I guess some people just like to focus on the negatives more than the positives. It would be different if I were responding to someone who is quite level-headed and can show a positive attitude and a negative one. When most comments are negative the credibility gets tossed aside and comes across of more like whining and complaining than an opinion.

I just don't see any benefit in saying 1313 will be a letdown either other than trying to gather attention and hoping others will jump on-board waving their EA flags being burned. I view each game on their own. I don't think EA and then all of the sudden all their games are crap. NHL is the best sports games out there IMO. No point in generalizing unless you're trying to gather troops on the 'hate EA' campaign.

I don't see how being reasonable is coming to their rescue. Did I say these games will be great? Just awhile ago we thought they scrapped the games. Now they announce Star Wars is back. I see that as a positive because now we'll get to play them, you focus on the negatives.

GraveLord3999d ago

You can't get worse than EA. But really, they're the biggest publisher out there. Disney probably didn't have a choice.

pompombrum3999d ago (Edited 3999d ago )

Why would Activision be worse? If they treated it like their next potential big thing, they'd give it the love and attention it needs to become their next successful franchise. Sure there would be DLC map packs but at least we wouldn't be paying to unlock lightsabers early.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3999d ago
OC_MurphysLaw3999d ago

It makes sense give EA and their history with Star Wars. Now lets hope 1313 is able to be resurrected from the ashes...

3999d ago
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220°

EA Hopes to Use Generative AI to Drive Monetization and Make Development 30% More Efficient

Today Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson provided a look into his ideas for the use of generative AI in the company's development processes.

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thorstein42d ago

I wonder what the next buzz word they'll slap in front of AI to make it sound exciting next? "Generative" as if it's creating its own content. Lol.

Cacabunga41d ago

EA is already dying a painful death..

peppeaccardo41d ago

i have a better idea .. why the whole exec team doesn't get replaced by chat bots ?

just_looken42d ago

Though i agree the ai thing is already in other forms of media there have been ai translations/scripts/voice over and even full ai commercials aired on tv. Ubisoft has created a ai game creator story/vo/music except the building of the game

The new unreal engine has auto terrain creation tools

In the world of greed in which it is winning without any major blow back ai is our future.

everyone want's biden dead on the mic or a criminal instead of a woman and now we are getting ai everything because no one will stop watching/playing ai created media.

GamerRN41d ago

Maybe they should just focus on making good games?

Just a thought...

Kiryu199241d ago

Exactly EA are just pure evil. When they are beating Bank of America to be voted the worst company to work for that’s saying a lot

Good thing I don’t buy their games day one and wait for deep deep sale years after launch (the select few games I am actually interested in)

Gaming is making so much money yet the greed of these companies is never ending

CEO’s and people on board making millions yet cutting jobs to those who are actually making the products

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 41d ago
Knightofelemia42d ago (Edited 42d ago )

EA is still a shady shitty company even with or without the help of Skynet. All they will use AI for is new ways to milk loot boxes and come up with the same sports title with a different year on the label. They are one company I truly do hate with a passion. They single handedly ruined some great franchise with their death touch. ME, Dead Space, Alice Returns, Dante's Inferno.

Stuart575642d ago

EA layoffs followed by 'Generative AI to Drive Monetization'

I knew it. Wonder what AI salary looks like? Nothing.

ChasterMies41d ago

I having a feeling that most of the layoffs in the industry are based on the idea that AI will do the same job for less.

DarXyde41d ago

Very likely, yes.

Made worse by the fact that the execs aren't changing their compensations.

My deepest fear at this point is that we are now in the capitalism endgame.

At this point, we really should just burn AI to the ground. Executives cannot be trusted to do the right thing.
How are those people expected to support families if everything gets automated?

Barlos42d ago (Edited 42d ago )

And take away creativity, and people's jobs as we've been seeing. Got it.

No thanks. I want my games created by people, not AI.

CobraKai42d ago

Exactly. If or when games start becoming more AI than people, im done with gaming. AI and companies like EA can suck donkey d***k.

just_looken42d ago

Though i agree remember this is no ps3/360 era were we got up to 3 games in one generation from on developer like gears/halo/bioware/sony/ms

The people today are pro esg/sweet baby for the most part AAA gaming is imploding right now.

We should be stepping back re evaluate everything as a whole this year xmen 97 written/directed by a woman that is nuts and its also being made by a group reshaping bodies to be less sexual like wtf. A dam famous cartoon from the 90's is being rebuilt with millions spent to be worse in everyway.

Gaming/movies/tv shows made today are worse than what we had 7years ago ai won't change this but that ai is also being made by these groups so either way we are screwed.
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

Eonjay41d ago

Don't be of afraid of women. Sexy characters in games and movies still exist. Got my Stellar Blade on preorder!!! Everything all the time doesn't need to be sexual...that's stupid, childish and dull.

Chocoburger41d ago (Edited 41d ago )

EA doesn't want to lose their title of worst gaming company ever, always trying their best to remain the champs!
What's sad is that they have so much potential to be a decent publisher.

SSX Tricky / SSX 3
Def Jam Vendetta / Fight for New York
NBA Street
NFL Steet
Mirror's Edge
Bad Company
Burnout 3 / 4 / 5

Remember when EA used to be awesome? It's all over with now. Unpolished, if not out-right broken games these days. Endless monetization and gambling in their sports games, and let's not forget wasting hours of your life trying to unlock characters or equipment using "surprise boxes!"

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80°

EA And Sony Layoffs, Entertainment News And More Skewedcast

Gareth, Justin, and JoeyZ look at Layoff news for EA and Sony and reasons behind the downturn in the industry and more.

220°

EA - Continuing to evolve our business and teams

EA CEO Andrew Wilson writes: "In this time of change, we expect these decisions to impact approximately 5 percent of our workforce. I understand this will create uncertainty and be challenging for many who have worked with such dedication and passion and have made important contributions to our company. While not every team will be impacted, this is the hardest part of these changes, and we have deeply considered every option to try and limit impacts to our teams. Our primary goal is to provide team members with opportunities to find new roles and paths to transition onto other projects. Where that’s not possible, we will support and work with each colleague with the utmost attention, care, and respect. Communicating these impacts has already begun and will be largely completed by early next quarter."

LG_Fox_Brazil49d ago

All the big ones doing the same stuff. Terrible. I just hope that all these people are able to get a new job as soon as possible, God know that it is horrible to be left jobless when you have your kids or your parents depending on your financial help

Jin_Sakai49d ago (Edited 49d ago )

2024 so far.

Feb ’28 Electronic Arts (EA) 670 (5%)
Feb ’24 PlayStation 900 (8%)
Feb ’24 Vice Media Group Several hundred
Feb ’24 Buzzfeed 16%
Feb ’24 NowThis 26 (50%)
Feb ’24 Paramount Global 800 (3%)
Feb ’24 SiriusXM 160 (3%)
Feb ’24 Snapchat 10%
Jan ’24 TechCrunch 8 + subscription product
Jan ’24 U.K.’s Channel 4 200
Jan ’24 Business Insider 8%
Jan ’24 Microsoft Gaming 1,900
Jan ’24 Riot Games 530
Jan ’24 Sports Illustrated Possibly all
Jan ’24 YouTube 100
Jan ’24 Pitchfork (Conde Nast) Undisclosed
Jan ’24 Universal Music Group Hundreds
Jan ’24 Discord 17%
Jan ’24 NBC News 50-100
Jan ’24 Audible 5%
Jan ’24 Google Hundreds
Jan ’24 Amazon Hundreds
Jan ’24 Duolingo 10%
Jan ’24 VideoAmp 20%

DATA AS OF FEB. 28, 2024

outsider162449d ago

Is it possible maybe this whole ai thing is in play?

just_looken49d ago

Another long list that skips over UPS cutting 12,000 jobs those workers as we know work without ac low pay and old box trucks but that company had to cut 12k jobs do too loosing billions of dollars year 2 year.

https://edition.cnn.com/202...

The greed and lack of transparency/oversight is disgusting.

Ups are still making bang but not enough for a golden boat fleet.

Remember we all use ups at some time even stuff in our stores this is going to be a huge issue gong forward i know in my area they removed half the state ups stores northern half least population got some 3rd party running packages now from minivans.

Sonic188148d ago

When I explan this I get called a troll 🤔 like wtf

thorstein48d ago

@just_looken

UPS is a different story altogether.

They are paying the people doing the actual work/ earning the money more and eliminating management.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 48d ago
CrimsonWing6949d ago (Edited 49d ago )

You do realize around this time this happens all throughout many industries (not just the game industry), right? It has to do with taxes for these major companies, like tax subsidies for downsizing. You want to know a little secret? Around May or so you’ll see a spike in hiring…

It blows my mind that people are oblivious to corporate workings.

Andrew33649d ago

So over 25 huge companies cut jobs every year like this and it only got noticed this time?

CrimsonWing6949d ago (Edited 49d ago )

@Andrew336

Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Google it up if you’re uninformed of how corporations work. Only gamers seem to live in a bubble and when they see things like crunch, acquisitions, and lay-offs they act like this is the only industry it happens to and how shocked they are about it.

Welcome to the real world, kid.

thorstein48d ago (Edited 48d ago )

EA CEO Wilson's total compensation was 20 million. Let's take away 19 million (I'm sure he can survive on 1 million.... somehow).

1 million is the salary of an in the chair developer @100,000 for 10 years.

He could earn 1 million a year.

And save the jobs of 15 in the chair devs for A DECADE (plus benefits) with ONE YEAR'S compensation.

RhinoGamer8849d ago

No Executive accountability or firings I see...

just_looken49d ago

Do not worry they will take over 40mill say sorry then get hired by playstation or xbox

blackblades48d ago

I heard Japan does it better, they do layoffs like what's happening with companies in the west. The higher ups also being agreeing to to lower there own salary. These MFs like jim and Phil isnt gonna do that they want that $

Sonic188149d ago

Like I said earlier, this is happening all around the gaming industry.

Petebloodyonion49d ago

The point I feel is problematic about all of this is that focusing on Owned Ip means more sequels, remasters and more of what was selling last year.

TheColbertinator49d ago

EA is certainly among the worst,if not the worst

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