860°

EA Is Buying Titanfall Developer Respawn For Over $400 Million

Mega-publisher EA has purchased a new studio—Respawn, the developer of Titanfall. The news comes just weeks after the publisher shuttered Visceral Games.

maybelovehate2358d ago

Very interesting. Probably means their next game will be done with Frostbite. They did amazing things with the Source engine, but definitely intrigued with what these guys can do with Frostbite.

-Foxtrot2358d ago (Edited 2358d ago )

Oh they'll do interesting things alright...but you know how the story will go

EA will set Titanfall 3 or their new IP up to die

If it dosen't make as much as they want they'll dismantle them

EA collects the most needed assets whatever they can scavenge

I mean these are the guys who EA screwed over when they basically left Titanfall 2 out to die by not supporting it or gave it enough marketing...they literally tossed it aside as they focused on shining the spotlight on their other games releasing at the same time.

Thatguy-3102358d ago

*welp* We can forget about free dlc for Titanfall 3 lol EA will shut them down in a few yrs :(. This leads me to believe EA purposely sent out Titanfall 2 to die last yr.

supermonkeyfox2358d ago

Maybe they let it die on purpose to drive down the asking price before buying? If respawn had done better they would have potentially cost alot more to buy.

Testfire2358d ago

Microtransactions incoming...

gbsrnctaln2358d ago

So THIS is why they released it in that suicide window. Wow...slimy fuckers.

glenn19792358d ago

Don't forget those damm lootboxes

RacerX2358d ago

Well, TF1 was fun but needed SP. TF2 was much better.

I guess TF3 will now die as EA desperately scrapes the bottom of your pockets for whatever change is left.

scofios2358d ago (Edited 2358d ago )

@foxtrot

Dont forget respawn are the same people who made the good medal of honor games back in the ps2 \GC \ og xbox days , then theye had issues with AE , and went call of duty with activision ( the real infinity ward ) , then get screwed
By Activision , now they are back with EA only to get screwed again . Some people will never learn i guess

NewMonday2358d ago (Edited 2358d ago )

@gbsrnctaln

exactly what I thought
now they will put them in rotation with Battlefield and Battlefront.

they could resurrect Medal of Honor with them

phoenix_21212358d ago

Apparently Respawn will make the new Star Wars game now, the one that Visceral was supposed to be working on.

http://www.respawn.com/game...

fiveby92358d ago (Edited 2358d ago )

Has any company done better after having been acquired by EA? I believe that few if any would be considered more successful after acquisition. I don't see why Respawn would be any different. EA is destroying creativity in the industry. EA is like a virus with a wake of destruction in it's wake. We'll all soon mourn the loss of Respawn after it shudders in's doors in the next couple years.

mikeslemonade2357d ago

This is basically non-news because respawn was pretty much owned by EA.

RegorL2357d ago

@fivebynine I think DICE does a lot better with EA than they would by themselves. No chance their engine would be this polished. And just look at their games output!

2013 BF4
2014 with 4 DLC for BF4
2015 SWBF
2016 BF1 & MirrorsEdge Catalyst
2017 SWBF2

One major game per year! Some studios have problem to manage one game per console generation...

+ Show (9) more repliesLast reply 2357d ago
UCForce2358d ago

Do you really think that its good new ? EA shut down Visceral Games few weeks ago. They will do the same thing to Respwan. EA made big mistakes by release TitanFall 2 on holiday last years which have two well know AAA games. Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty Infinite Warfare sales have kill TitanFall 2 sales.

maybelovehate2358d ago

I think Frostbite is an awesome engine, yeah. Can't wait to see what they do with it! I won't get into the politics of the Titanfall release. I just like to play games.

OB1Biker2358d ago

I hope Respawn SW game is alright

badz1492358d ago

@UCForce

"EA made big mistakes by release TitanFall 2 on holiday last years which have two well know AAA games. Battlefield 1 and..."

I think they purposely did that and now Respawn have no leverage against this acquisition. EA is a crappy gaming company but you have to admit, they are smart businessmen albeit shady and slimy af!

Respawn wanted to stay indipendent, went to EA for funding and kept the IP but EA obviously had other ideas! I knew this would happen from the very beginning. EA won

UCForce2358d ago

@EDMIX I know, but EA is beyond worse than any other publishers.

UltraNova2358d ago (Edited 2358d ago )

They left Activision to be independent, then partnered with the Devi's other partner only to get methodically and entirely, certainly not by accident, devoured by them.

Well yeah some people will never learn.

This is the fate of Respawn: EA orders Titanf3 with the explicit directive to be a MT MP game first and foremost. Then depending on the games success they will either dismantle the studio or and this is stretching it, have them work on a last ditch effort to revive the Metal of Honor IP again focused on MT -MP .

Respawn are in for some tough years ahead for sure.

PapaBop2358d ago

EA didn't make a big mistake releasing Titanfall 2 when they did, it was probably all a part of their plan to acquire Respawn's talent. Incoming Titanfall 3, see that cool looking Titan arm your friend has? Just keep buying loot crates like a sucker for a chance to get it too! It'll either be a success and Respawn will become EA's new cash cow or Respawn will join the rest of the studios in the EA graveyard while EA reassign all their talent to studios they have more "creative" control over.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 2358d ago
hulk_bash19872358d ago

Hopefully they are treated with respect. Let's not have a repeat of the Titanfall 2 and Battlefield 1 simultaneous release dates.

UCForce2358d ago

With EA, I don't think so. Sooner or later, EA will shut them down eventually.

_-EDMIX-_2358d ago

Likely not.

@Uc- " With EA, I don't think so. Sooner or later, EA will shut them down eventually."

Not if they actually keep making games that sell. This is not simply just "EA", this is any business.

Even publishers I like, Sony, Nintendo, Square, they've all shut down, closed, sold teams that under perform, this is business. It happens.

UCForce2358d ago

You should care about this. EA isn't going to treat Respawn fairly. Sooner or later, they will shut down Respawn.

_-EDMIX-_2358d ago

"You should care about this. EA isn't going to treat Respawn fairly. Sooner or later, they will shut down Respawn."

Except you don't really know that , for all we know they will be around just as long as DICE is and still releasing quality titles. Who knows.

RememberThe3572358d ago

More often than not EA seems to find themselves on the wrong side of the publisher/developer relationship. It's not unreasonable to think the pattern will continue.

showtimefolks2358d ago

Maybe now EA won't release their game next to anott y error huge game they are publishing

And respawn i guess yall didn't learn anything from your relationship with Activision but 4000 million is 400 million

EA basically paid that for Titanfall IP and their future focus is on multi player and micro translations so respawn fits into what EA wants out of their studios

NarooN2358d ago

RIP Respawn. Wonder how many years it'll take before they go kaput.

Ceaser98573612358d ago

I will say it now May the force be with you Respawn... I hope you survive

mark_parch2358d ago

not sure why Microsoft didn't buy them when they had the chance

oof462357d ago

I'd rather they not. So many of EA's internal studios have struggled using the Frostbite engine.

maybelovehate2357d ago

Only game I can think of that uses Frostbite that didn't do well was Mirror's Edge Catalyst but it wasn't due to the engine

oof462352d ago

@maybelovehate: Bioware and Visceral had problems using it. I've seen complaints about it, in regards to Madden. I understand EA wanting all their internal studios to use one engine, to cut down on costs, but I think it's not a "one size fits all" engine because frostbite was made for a 1st person shooter.

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 2352d ago
lptmg2358d ago

in four years time:

"EA shuts down Respawn"

like the pricks always do with developers of fantastic games that don't sell according to EA's insane projections

2357d ago
arq_angel19712358d ago (Edited 2358d ago )

I was just thinking the same thing. Don't do it respawn!! However,it is 400 million dollars. Tough decision.

Darkstryder3602358d ago

Will only benefit the big wigs when things go down the pan. Talented artists will lose their jobs while the man up top keeps his millions.

crazychris41242358d ago

And lets start the clock on their inevitable death: I give them 5 years before they are shut down or most of the company leaves.

Paytaa2358d ago

It's odd too, since most of the team at Respawn when they were Infinity Ward left Activision to have ownership of what they make, have actual creative freedom, and not having to worry about not getting paid/royalties.

EA buying any developer is always a sad thing to read. We all saw games like Dead Space and Mass Effect have huge success and critical acclaim last gen only to see those two franchises dead and buried at this point.

Titanfall is surprisingly one of the most refreshing and innovative FPS games that came out this gen. Titanfall 2 stepped up and even came with a campaign that was shockingly good considering the type of campaigns we get out of similar games in comparison.

EA is going to either set their next game up to die in favor of marketing Battlefield Whatever or turn Titanfall into GaaS featuring paid map packs again, loot boxes, and a shit campaign.

Atomicjuicer2358d ago

Just wanted to again oppose the mass effect andromeda criticism: That game is actually good.

2358d ago
Activemessiah2358d ago

R.I.P

And no, you won't be able to Respawn for the kiss of death from EA.

lelo2play2358d ago (Edited 2358d ago )

Yep... RIP Respawn. I give them till 2020-2021.

I'm sure Jason West and Vince Zampella will bounce back with a few more millions in their pocket and found another studio.

2357d ago
FallenAngel19842358d ago

EA probably gave Titanfall 2 a bad release date just to make it that much easier to buy Respawn

Seraphim2358d ago

yep, give it a good release date with better sales and this 400 million deal is a $600 million deal. Wouldn't surprise if that were the case. EA would definitely do something like that. Try to devalue a company is order to suck them up cheaper.

Like others are saying, this is the death of Respawn. It's only a matter of time before EA shutters them.

ziggurcat2358d ago

Or they force them to make F2P GaaS garbage...

NeoGamer2322357d ago

To me Titanfall 2 was a great game and I bought it.

Gamers should buy great games regardless of the release date.

Seraphim2357d ago

and gamers should simply buy great games but by in large they don't. I've been saying this for 2 decades. Games just don't sell like they should.

I do agree that it shouldn't matter what the release date is. However, some people simply can't afford to buy everything at any point in time. Some have families, bills, etc and need to pick and choose what and when they buy a particular title. For those with limited resources a release date a huge impact on a games sales. That's why we see strategic release dates and games pushed back from their initial date at times. Hitting the market at the opportune time is key to getting day 1 sales. Though what really matters is lifetime sales in the grand scheme. Some companies are just too quick to judge based off initial sales.

Show all comments (185)
100°

Sony Patents To Prevent You From In-Game Harassment By Reading Your Emotions

A new patent recently published by Sony wants to gather biometric data of gamers to track whether one is being harassed using AI tools.

Profchaos9h ago(Edited 9h ago)

I hope this is one of those patents that never comes to fruition.

I already dislike the fact you can pay a significant amount for a online service buy associated games and content on said service and get banned from that service over potentially a misunderstanding the bans are already handed out for flimsy reasons

I'd rather see money invested in a ban that simply removes the offensive players ability to communicate with unknown players allow them to continue party chats with friends but not with Joe blow on cod.

exputers6h ago

Agreed. Blizzard recently banned a college Overwatch 2 player who's dependent for saying "shit." Pretty harsh.

z2g2h ago

Take my social security and bank account numbers too! Here’s a picture of my wife and our address.

phoenixwing1h ago

Cmon where's the pictures of your children. Don't hold out on them.

H92h ago

At this rate I feel Sony will eventually sell a room to play games in it where they can monitor your every breath

SegaSaturn6691h ago

I want them to censor erotic content by measuring my groin temperature so i dont get too distracted while playing black ops 2.

Popsicle53m ago

Terrible idea. Not only do I not consent to providing my biometric data, the potential for mishandling biometric data is almost a certainty. Positive stress and negative stress can produce similar changes in biometrics. Interpreting the precise emotion a person is feeling is not only invasive but could be easily misconstrued. I hope this never comes to fruition.

Show all comments (9)
70°

Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors: "I deserve a lot of criticism."

Embracer CEO demonstrates a masterclass in mental gymnastics in latest interview.
"I'm sure I deserve a lot of criticism, but I don't think my team or companies deserve all the criticism. I could take a lot of that blame myself. But ultimately I need to believe in the mission," he said.

Read Full Story >>
gamesindustry.biz
on_line_forever4h ago

OK give us Kingdoms of Amalur 2 with AAA budget and we will accept your excuse

kaos892h ago(Edited 2h ago)

The king of the studio asset flip scheme that failed.

280°

Microsoft Seemingly Closes Bethesda France

As part of its plans to cut 1,900 jobs, Microsoft has reportedly shut down operations at Bethesda France, letting go roughly 15 people

Read Full Story >>
insider-gaming.com
Hereandthere17h ago

Microsoft should have left them stay 3rd party

GamerRN14h ago

If they are let go, they can be whatever they want. They ARE 3rd party now... 🤦

Barlos12h ago

Yeah, they're also jobless.

GamerRN5h ago

They can form a company if they want, they are just as jobless as if "Microsoft had left them as 3rd party".

peppeaccardo7h ago

"MIcrosoft leaves Bethesda do what they know how to do best" ... close! Oh the irony ....
(Citation from a week old article)

ChasterMies3h ago

I think Microsoft and other game publishers are letting people go because they think ai will replace them. Doesn’t matter how much profit they make. They were always going to be let go.

PassNextquestion16h ago(Edited 16h ago)

Bethesda France was made up of roughly 15 people... they couldn't of being doing much

Bethesda France mainly did publishing and marketing within the region

blacktiger14h ago

that's a shame for you to say that, i'm sure Elite loves hearing what you just said.

Mr Logic56m ago

What a stupid thing to say. The elites give 0 fucks what we say on an obscure website in the comments section.

Crows9018m ago

You can always reach out and give them jobs at your company man. Don't wait

Profchaos16h ago(Edited 16h ago)

Bethesda France focused on publishing and marketing in the region. And 15 people lost their jobs as part of the closure.

I wonder if this is part of Microsoft's strategy to abandoned physical media or possibly gamepass advertising makes their roles redundant you don't need to market a game as hard when the majority of players get the game as part of a sub which already promoted upcoming games

Tacoboto16h ago

It's France too, there's a high likelihood only 1-2 people on the team even had an Xbox.

Profchaos16h ago

Possibly guven all the leaks we know the Xbox brand is really struggling in the region.

Yi-Long13h ago

Well, if your consoles and games are barely found in any stores any more, of course you're gonna struggle finding consumers ...

XiNatsuDragnel15h ago

Tbh Microsoft I think Bethesda being 3rd party same with Activision would probably more competitive than thus scenario imo

Profchaos13h ago(Edited 13h ago)

I think it would have been better for all parties really especially gamers

TheColbertinator14h ago

The recently purchased Activision French offices might take over all the licensing and marketing for Microsoft in France from now on.

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