130°

The Hardline Day One Launch - Brokenfield or Battlefield?

MWEB GameZone writes: "Over the weekend, Battlefield: Hardline developer Visceral Games promised the game will work at launch. The fact that they even needed to say that is just utterly ridiculous. Hardline is being developed by a studio with a lot of games in their portfolio and being published by a house with an even longer portfolio (EA). A few years ago, asking either one of those organisations if their game would work on launch day wouldn't even have occurred to anyone.

For a lot of Battlefield fans the disappointments from Battlefield 4 are still too fresh. Let's take a look at why Visceral Games and EA think the concerns are unfounded and why we think it's not."

HanCilliers3495d ago (Edited 3495d ago )

Very interesting read.I agree with the writer that it SHOULDN'T be necessary to make the promise that a game will work on launch day. It's ridiculous to say the least, but then again, given EA's rep for delivering broken games, I guess it's needed.

If I was a fan, I would most definitely not pre-order BFH.

knifefight3495d ago (Edited 3495d ago )

I agree that the question about it working really shouldn't even HAVE to be asked....

But maybe the fact that it is being asked...and the fact that it's getting such a response from the internet, can help wake EA the heck up.

It's about time someone went in with some friggin' balls and asked a tough question about the real issue that all the customers will be wondering. Instead of just asking "So how AWESOME is your new game!?" I'm not about that.

plut0nash3495d ago

There are a few games out there where can ask how awesome they really are: Lords of the Fallen for one. The new Doom looks great, and so did Wolfenstein. Hell I said the same for a few games that came this year, including Forza Horizon 2. The difference comes in the way the community is engaged.

HanCilliers3495d ago

I agree, I think all the media coverage about it has gotten the right attention.

lord zaid3495d ago

That is a very interesting perspective. And I think you right. If we put pressure on company's to fulfill these standards, it does act as a safeguard.

It still ridiculous that that has to be the case, though.

XBLSkull3495d ago

Yep

A. Why risk it
B. This game isn't Battlefield, it just borrows the title to sell you a copy

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3495d ago
BX813495d ago

This reminds me of the xb1 announcement but ms had time to change things before launch. In the end they still felt the unhappy co sumer sting. With bf4 many of us already paid for the game then found out it was broken. I expect to see very little pre order numbers for this game and a lot less sold in the first 2 months. I hope gamers stick to their guns and dont pick this game up right away. Its one thing to complain on forums non stop about bf4.......at that point they already had our money. Now we get to speak with our wallets right from the start.

bmf73643495d ago

Visceral may be a very talented developer, but Battlefield is a much bigger project than anything they have done. I greatly respect them for their efforts put into Hardline, especially with them delaying it, (I'm buying it on day one) but games always have problems on launch. Battlefield 4 was simply not finished because EA wanted to compete against COD: Ghosts. Well this year, they're not competing with Advanced Warfare so they have 3-5 months more time to complete the game to a satisfactory level.

lord zaid3495d ago

But that's the point. Is it really asking for too much for games to work. To be functioning products on the day you buy them? I don't think that is unreasonable.

Detoxx3495d ago

I've got faith in Hardline after yesterdays BF4 patch. The game feels like a BF3/BF4/Hardline fusion now, I love it.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3495d ago
plut0nash3495d ago

Ok so here's my take: If EA hasn't learned it yet, they're screwed if Hardline doesn't work. Also - does Hardline really stand a chance in the face of other great games coming this year? It's hardly innovative - despite being potentially fun.

lord zaid3495d ago (Edited 3495d ago )

You are spot on. Whether Hardline is a good game or not is almost irrelevent.

If this game tanks because of bugs, I reckon we get a riot. Or not.

Gamers are fickle with their rage.

HanCilliers3495d ago

If Hardline has a buggy launch, it's over for EA and all BF games

lord zaid3495d ago

For BF, perhaps. It may just take the MOH route.
But EA has FIFA and Madded. Those two franchises will keep them going forever.

CongoKyle3495d ago

Meh, not really interested. I think the only way to save the Battlefield franchise now is to create a remastered 1942 on the new engine! Now that's a game I'd play.

dreamed3495d ago

Ea think our concerns are unfounded!!!!

that statement alone would stop me preordering.

HanCilliers3495d ago

I don't think EA said that exactly. They are trying to convince customers that BFH won't have the same launch day problems as BF4

KyRo3495d ago

I love the way the media act as if BF4 was a complete disaster when it was far from it. Pretty much every games multiplayer has a ropey start yet it's BF that takes all the flak. It had a lot of bugs, what game don't?

Hardline has been using the data from the CTE servers to insure certain mistakes are not made again.

HanCilliers3495d ago

But EA was the only company which has several lawsuits against them over Battlefield 4. There's also a big difference between a ropey start and unplayable - which was the case with BF4 on several platforms.

However, I don't think Visceral is going to make the same mistakes.

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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.

Read Full Story >>
techraptor.net
thorstein51d 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.

Cacabunga50d ago

EA is already dying a painful death..

peppeaccardo50d ago

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

just_looken50d 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.

GamerRN50d ago

Maybe they should just focus on making good games?

Just a thought...

Kiryu199249d 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 49d ago
Knightofelemia51d ago (Edited 51d 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.

Stuart575650d ago

EA layoffs followed by 'Generative AI to Drive Monetization'

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

ChasterMies50d 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.

DarXyde49d 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?

Barlos50d ago (Edited 50d 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.

CobraKai50d 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_looken50d 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...

Eonjay50d 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.

Chocoburger50d ago (Edited 50d 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_Brazil58d 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_Sakai58d ago (Edited 58d 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

outsider162458d ago

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

just_looken57d 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.

Sonic188157d ago

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

thorstein57d 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 57d ago
CrimsonWing6958d ago (Edited 58d 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.

Andrew33658d ago

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

CrimsonWing6958d ago (Edited 58d 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.

thorstein57d ago (Edited 57d 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.

RhinoGamer8858d ago

No Executive accountability or firings I see...

just_looken57d ago

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

blackblades57d 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 $

Sonic188158d ago

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

Petebloodyonion58d 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.

TheColbertinator58d ago

EA is certainly among the worst,if not the worst

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