EA Is "Not Making A Single Dollar" On Co-op Adventure A Way Out

Josef Fares, the film director turned game director behind Brothers: a Tale of Two Sons and the upcoming A Way Out, is quite the character. His enthusiasm for his game shines through, he doesn’t mince his words, and he’s a lot of fun to talk to.

We recently sat down to play a few snippets of A Way Out ahead of its release next week – read our impressions here – playing alongside and chatting with Fares along the way. Out of this came an interesting tidbit about how the game has been financed under the EA Originals brand:

[LizardRock]

That's how EA works. They shower a dev with support while they're new, once they build up their success, they short-end them, buy them out, and squeeze every last monetary drop from their products before throwing them in the pit.

edit: Look at Respawn Entertainment

[Jinger]

What happened to Respawn? From what I'm seeing is they made a great sequel to a fantastic MP game and now will be working on one of the biggest media franchises ever... Unless I missed something...

Sure EA picked the wrong time to launch Titanfall 2, but its not like they closed their studio or anything.

[LizardRock]

They schedule the games release at the same time as their biggest shooter, and a few months later buy out the company.

They know what they're doing

[ocelot07]

This is just my theory. Yes Repawn made a good game in Titanfall 2. But it didn't sell that well. Mane reason is because they released it in between Battlefield 1 and Call Of Duty. Now I think EA had a hand in the release date as the publisher I think they made Respawn release it at that time.

Since they didn't make the money they where hoping for with Titanfall 2. They accepted EA's offer to be bought them out. Now EA own Respawn and the Titanfall IP they are free to milk it dry and put as many MT and lootboxes into Titanfall 3.

[morganfell]

Yeah, preach it! Look at how EA ran a massive Ad Campaign to support Titanfall 2 and din't dump any of their other less worthy games on top of it...

...Oh wait...

[Jinger]

Isn't Respawn working on a new Star Wars game? Seems like EA isn't looking to kill them yet...

[CorndogBurglar]

Come on dude. EA released Titanfall 2 like a month or two away from CoD and then put no advertising behind TF. Then, when TF failed financially, they swooped in and bought Respawn.

That was clearly planned.

[InKnight7s]

Wrong launch cost is people ignore.
TF2 pretty empty as remasters games online.

[PhantomT1412]

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[Jinger]

Y'all can blame EA All you want for TF2's failure, but I also blame gamers themselves. They chose with their wallets and they chose to buy CoD instead of a superior game like TF2

[Nodoze]

I recently started playing TF2 and have to say it is WORLDS better than BF2 in every way. The progression system is not tied to ridiculous loot boxes. There is much fun to be had, and the single player campaign and much better than the pointless offering from DICE. Have to say for any gamer that enjoys a good Sci Fi shooter....buy it NOW. Play it and you will not be disappointed.

Sad that it was not as successful as it should have been.

[UCForce]

Now you defending EA who is abusive company. Can you do the same thing to Destiny 2 and Metal Gear Survive ? This is why game community have been divided. People like me against EA for their greedy but other like you defending them. EA knew exactly what they were doing. Titanfall 2 sales got screwed by EA for releasing it between two biggest shooters. Battlefield 1 and COD IW just killed it. They even shut down Dead Space developers. Have you learn anything about EA from the past ?

[_-EDMIX-_]

@UCF- make your point without attacking this individual I would argue the biggest problem this community is there unable to have a simple disagreement without trying to attack the individual simply because they think about something differently.

So stop assuming that what is being stated is in defense of the practice you're assuming. You're basically saying this individual recognizes that this is a bad practice confirms it and is now defending and agreeing with the action which is not actually being stated.

One could argue that Electronic Arts might have been under the belief that they could sell better than Call of Duty if they had more games releasing around it to take away attention.

It's just speculation but to be honest all of this is speculation I don't think any of us have any proof that the release was malicious or done purposely. Please stop attacking other Gamers on here just because they think differently. I mean a lot of you are literally going out of your ways to attack this publisher especially considering their actions that are very normal in the game industry so yes they shut down visceral but it would not be the first time in the history of gaming a studio has been shut down.

So what's next? Are you only going to play games by Publishers that have never shut down any Studios ever? Or does this only apply to electronic Arts to build a narrative of hate?

I mean taking the consideration I like Sony Computer Entertainment but just because they shut down a game Studio doesn't mean I'm going to hate the publisher

it's business, it happens.

Put it this way can anyone even say anything about this publisher is doing anything exclusive that has never been done before in gaming? Can anyone even prove that the actions are malicious?

The reality is the launch of another game is not going to permanently stop someone from ever buying another game as it's still going to exist we don't really know how Titanfall 2 was ever really going to perform for all we know regardless of release it might have always inevitably sold a specific amount of units.

[Jinger]

@UCForce

At what point did I defend EA in any of my comments here?

Everything you guys are saying is just conjecture and hate mongering. Respawn made a fantastic game and hardly anyone bought it. Instead they bought CoD: IW which was one of the worst CoD's to date, yet gamers ate that up instead.

Would releasing it during a slower time helped sales? Perhaps, but the fact remains that Titan fall 2 went h2h with CoD and got killed.

But now they are working on one of the biggest media franchises ever, Star Wars. So is it all DOOM and gloom for Respawn? Doesn't look like it. They have the chance to make one of the best recent SW games with the talent they posses. So how about y all stop being such negative nancy' s all the time? Mmmkay?

[addictedtochaos]

Yet.

[UCForce]

You should know that EA have a Infamous reputation for screwing game industry and the community. I can tell you that Yongyea know more than you do. I know I have rely on Yongyea with his opinion. I know he isn’t perfect, but the guy know how to understand the game industry and the market. I understand people need money but there have to be balance. It’s about earning consumers trust. Like I said, game Community have been divided because of this. Some people will defend it and others will against it, not just fanboy war. About Star War ? Sure, Respawn making it, but knowing EA they will find a way to screw it just like they did with Battlefront 2. Can you say the same thing about Activision and Bungie for screwing Destiny 2 and Konami for screwing gamers with their disgusting MT and insulting Metal Gear series after Kojima left ?

[Elwenil]

Ah, the EA shill is back to promote their ridiculous policies and failed games once again.

[Jinger]

@UCForce

Ugh, you and this yongea guy... why don't you have one original thought for yourself?

"It’s about earning consumers trust."

Respawn has yet to put out a bad game, so I trust them completely.

"Sure, Respawn making it, but knowing EA they will find a way to screw it just like they did with Battlefront 2."

Again, just spouting more crap because you guys don't like EA. How about we see what Respawn actually has in store before you go damning their game before it's even announced?

"
Can you say the same thing about Activision and Bungie for screwing Destiny 2 and Konami for screwing gamers with their disgusting MT and insulting Metal Gear series after Kojima left ?"

Again, you're misunderstanding my love for Respawn as defending EA. I'm not defending EA, I know exactly what kind of publisher they are. But at the same time, they have released quite a few really fun games. So how about we let Respawn prove themselves before we already kill their second game because of "EA". Titan fall 2 didn't have any of the shady EA MT/lootbox crap. Their MT's were very calm compared, they didnt have lootboxes or pay 2 win and they released free content. So take a step back and calm yourself.

@elwinil

Gtfo, I'm not even defending EA. I'm talking about Respawn here.

[HeyNowChillax]

The only thing I dislike about Titanfall 2 is the smallish online playerbase as a result of the bad launch timing. It limits you in no way to finding a match to play, but you've got to be good to great because those who remain are pulling off Matrix fight scenes. Pretty sick really.

[moomoo319]

I'd say bioware is up next, those papa EA memes were so damn accurate lol

[ChrisW]

If Bioware fails, EA will also fail.

If any of those money grubbing whores at EA are capable of understanding that, they will keep it from happening.

[Sono421]

This makes me very confident in my purchase of this game, glad to help out these devs, they seem passionate. Best of luck to them!

[_-EDMIX-_]

I mean technically speaking they could only buy you if you're available for sale in the first place

[HeyNowChillax]

We'll Electronic Arts Inc.is trading at $127.10 today, so they are doing something right. Respawn seems to be hiring for multiple projects including Titanfall 3 and a Star Wars game, which I hope isn't EA'd to death with transactions that boost performance, cosmetics ok but zero pay-to-win. http://www.respawn.com/care...

We'll have to give Rewspawn a solid 2 years to see where they are headed under EA, but I can see both of those titles keeping Respawn's team well above the cutting line. I for one am excited to see what the people behind Titanfall can come up with in the Star Wars universe.

[AizenSosuke]

EA you snakes, lying between your teeth, and shedding crocodile tears. Summary what a croc of BS.

[AnotherProGamer]

EA do a lot of bad practices but they are making this game for gamer cred, its a low budget single player game with no microtransactions or lootboxes. they have other games like Battlefield and Madden to fill their pockets so they made this game to say they aren't just rehash after rehash

[Hungryalpaca]

Of course they won’t make a single dollar. They’ll make more than that.

[ziggurcat]

That's a load of crap. There is no way EA is not making any money on any sale of this game.

[jznrpg]

If they don’t make money now they will get it later when they takeover his company

[RegorL]

How can you make money by taking over a game company? By making a game fail.
Why should developers stay?
You would need to invest heavily to be able to release a sequel, that might also fail?

[r2oB]

@ regorL

The same way people manipulate stock prices until they drop, buy them up, then when the prices rise again they make a killing.

In their current relationship Respawn owns the IPs and makes a larger portion of money. EA could have devalued them (an otherwise reputable studio) by sabotaging the IPs (making sure the games don't sell as well), then buy the studio. That way they own the IPs and have more control over the studio in every way.

Now I'm not saying that's what happened, but addressing your comment as to it's possibility of happening (and logic behind it).

EDIT: This is a tactic that pimps use. They beat and batter a woman until her esteem is at it's lowest, then they swoop in and become the "savior". The fact that they were the caused the pain in the first place is overshadowed by the relief the woman feels afterwards. Then they proceed to pimp them out again to make more money from them.

[1nsomniac]

Yea right, they’re just doing it all completely for free. I really hate it when people say stupidly ridiculous lies & take people for idiots.

[LandoCalrissiano]

https://www.polygon.com/e3/...

From 2016. Fe just released. Stop letting your blind hatred be a negative impact on the community. Stop calling people liars when you're the liar.

[ziggurcat]

it says, "Soderlund added more of the profits will go into developers' hands", not "Soderlund added all of the profits will go into developers' hands."

[LandoCalrissiano]

https://www.mcvuk.com/devel...

"We want all the profit to go back into the hands of the developers so they can keep innovating and developing into the future," said Soderlund.

So, yeah, soderlund did say all.

[_-EDMIX-_]

I don't understand? So even when the publisher actually does something that is nice it is claimed that is a lie? So when they give out free content it must be a trick? So when they don't do season passes and give all content for free they must be Liars?

ummm ok.

I don't think you guys are realizing that the more this company is doing the things that you ask the more you guys are actually doubting the company and bashing them even further....

So it's starting to sound like you guys hate this publisher regardless of what they're doing as this hate is more emotional and personal than it ever is objective.

[PoSTedUP]

if there is any company to be cynical about, it is EA. they brought it upon themselves. a company like this has a long way to go to gain ppls trust and respect and its all their fault.

[The_Jackel]

doesn't sound like EA at all

[LandoCalrissiano]

Yeah, we assumed that at 30 bucks for 2 copies...

[stokedAF]

That first game where they do things like this (getting out of the way and be a publisher) is always a success. Skate and Dead space to name a few. But their popularity ultimately ruins the franchise. EA ruins the franchise.

[TheOttomatic91]

Bullsh*t

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

Didn't know EA was a charity

[PhantomS42]

Well after Josef's coked out rant at the VGA's I'm not going to spend a single dollar on this game either. Completely unprofessional and embarrassing.

[Jinger]

He was the best part of the VGA's. I'm buying the game because of that rant! F*&k the Oscars! This is my time!

[InKnight7s]

Wait Disney Isn't making money of unreleased KH3!! What a suprise, right?

[OpenGL]

Yeah, I'm sure. Sounds like this is just an attempt to make people not skip the game due to the negativity surrounding EA as a brand.

[DillyDilly]

Even if this is true this will change quickly

[FallenAngel1984]

Because EA is doing this outback of the goodness of their most generous hearts 😂

[OffRoadKing]

Feels like this dude is getting the wool pulled over his eyes and being used by EA to spread positive PR.

[Tross]

Spare me, EA. Seriously, it's not like they do stuff like this with no ulterior motive. Even if they're truly making no money on this, they're just trying to get a developer in their back pocket so they won't put up much resistance to being bought out, or foster a reputation as that "benevolent, pro-indie publisher", or to try and make people forget what they tried to pull with Loot Crates, or some combination of all three.

[Zikax]

When someone makes money than its EA

[Silly gameAr]

The honey trap.

[Gwiz]

He knows that the mere mention of EA being linked with this game will end up to be a bad thing for their game.I can't even blame him for saying this.

[greywolf39]

Only a Kid or idiot would belive that ea is not making any money from a game. They really are one of the WORST companys in gaming. To take their community as a fools is disgusting to me honestly

[mykeacid]

"Not making a single dollar"

lol already a bomb and it's not even out yet. good job EA

[KillBill]

There is more than one way to make money out of a deal. EA has gotten something from the deal for sure... what it is we are likely to find out much later.

[FernDiggidy]

Oh please, STFU with your lying asses, EA.