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John Riccitiello gives an in-depth interview for the first time since taking over as CEO of EA

Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello expressed his concerns regarding computer game publishers who could be alienating gamers.  Speaking to Wall Street Journal reporters in the first-in depth interview since taking over as CEO in April, Riccitiello spoke frankly about new pressures the video game industry currently faces.

"We're boring people to death and making games that are harder and harder to play," Riccitiello said during the interview.

Even though EA is well known as a company which often times produces numerous sequels to popular video game franchises, Riccitiello understands that something needs to change in the future.  Along with criticizing "boring" video games, he added the game industry must attract the casual gamers by creating new sales tactics -- find an alternative to selling expensive games that are too long for many gamers to finish.

"For the most part, the industry has been rinse-and-repeat.  There's been lots of product that looked like last year's product, that looked a lot like the year before," Riccitiello added.

However, he praised Activision's Guitar Hero series, Vivendi's World of Warcraft, and Viacom's Rock Band, a game EA will distribute.  Other video games in the future are "at risk of being a little less interesting than Facebook and iPods and the next cool cellphone."

Riccitiello's comments coincide with the start of a scaled down version of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), which used to be the largest video game convention in the world.

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funny
By Verran on 7/9/2007 1:45:25 PM , Rating: 5
It's funny that this comment comes from EA since they're probably the worst culprit of this behavior. Their whole [insert famous sports figure][inset year] series seems to be their bread and butter.

Make a sports engine. Update stats and re-release at full price for four years straight. Rinse. Repeat.

The real crime is that people buy it.

I wonder if he has any actual ideas on how to do what he's saying...




RE: funny
By FITCamaro on 7/9/2007 1:48:27 PM , Rating: 5
I was thinking the same thing. The majority of the crap that EA themselves create(not the games they just publish) are like that.

Games from other vendors are better. Even the stuff from the studios they've bought which haven't been corrupted yet are better.

Gears of War kicks ass. As does Overlord.


RE: funny
By OblivionMage on 7/10/2007 3:28:47 PM , Rating: 2
Funny how he mentioned World of Warcraft not boring people to death...


RE: funny
By SirLucius on 7/9/2007 1:52:39 PM , Rating: 4
Like FITCamaro, I was thinking the same thing. The only sports games I even play anymore are Mario Tennis and Soccer. The majority of sports games feel and play the same. What's sad is that people are paying money for next-gen consoles just to play a rehashed Madden or basketball game with nicer graphics.


RE: funny
By Lakku on 7/10/2007 3:46:06 AM , Rating: 3
Well, this post replies to people above and below. I imagine that most of you don't play sports in real life or that you aren't huge sport fans/fans of sports video games. I can't argue what's worth 60 dollars for any one person from year to year, but sports games, especially NCAA, Madden, and FIFA, tend to change more then you think they do. If you play them a lot, you WILL notice pretty big changes, most of the time, when playing a new years version. It's not just minor updates to things like rosters etc. On top of that, when a new version comes out, the previous version tends to stop being played online, so if you want to play in leagues or other things online, you need the new version. It's all about perspective, and many of you may not like sports enough to care about the changes made from year to year and playing in online leagues etc, but a lot of us do like it. With that said, a remarkable chunk of console sales proably go to college/under 18 males who play mostly sports on their consoles. They may play the other games too, but they buy them mostly for sports.


RE: funny
By trintron on 7/9/2007 1:53:31 PM , Rating: 3
I lol'd too.

EA = Sequel/refresh generator.

I liked the Burnout series before they got eaten by EA.


RE: funny
By darkpaw on 7/9/2007 1:56:02 PM , Rating: 4
When it comes to sports games, I happen to like them republishing the same ole crap every year with new stats....

It lets me buy last years game used for $5.


RE: funny
By FITCamaro on 7/9/2007 2:18:42 PM , Rating: 2
What they need to do is release one game that can be updated. Then charge just $5-10 for the updated player lists and any new player models. Would save them on development costs. Graphics don't need to be "updated" every damn year. They should try just making a good game the first time.


RE: funny
By darkpaw on 7/9/2007 3:19:41 PM , Rating: 4
That would be ideal but they'd kill their cash cow. From a business standpoint, they have the right idea. As long as 10 million idiots are running out and paying $50-60 a year for minor updates thats how they will sell it. As a gamer I hate seeing that, but if I were EA I'd be laughing all the way to the bank.

I think this is especially true in the console only space. A lot of gamers don't really play pc games at all and the whole concept of updateable games is kinda new to them. Once that becomes more common maybe the consumers will demand they stop being ripped off. Until then, the milking will continue.


RE: funny
By Verran on 7/9/2007 4:20:31 PM , Rating: 2
You simply could not be more right!

From a business standpoint, you almost have to congratulate them. They're charging people full price for an incredibly small update to an existing game. These people seriously must wake up laughing!

That's why I say the real crime is that these morons keep buying it.


RE: funny
By aurareturn on 7/9/2007 5:30:21 PM , Rating: 2
One word: Wii

Nintendo has been trying to correct this issue since the DS. People like me, can't get into MMORPGs because they are just too complicated and have way too many functions. I can't get into WoW, I tried. I got bored out of death in 10 minutes after walking up to a monster and then hold down the left click for 1 min and wait for it to die.

I want more simple games. Games that you can just pick up and have a blast, by yourself or with your friends.


RE: funny
By someguy123 on 7/9/2007 6:15:35 PM , Rating: 3
it sounds more like you didnt even attempt to understand that game, since you just need to click once and it'll auto attack. truthfully wow is probably the most simplistic mmorpg out. this isn't saying that it doesn't get complicated later, but if you got confused within the first 10 minutes the issue is with your own ability to comprehend.

I don't really enjoy playing wow, but it does start off very simple. I do agree that the DS and wii are incredibly easy to pick up and play without any sort of complicated rules and settings, though. At the same time, I think the balance of simple and complex games are fine since the industry now has the wii for a large assortment of "pick and play" games and the other systems battling it out for more and more (sometimes boringly complex) games that require a larger learning curve..


RE: funny
By rbuszka on 7/9/2007 6:51:25 PM , Rating: 2
My personal gripe with WoW is that the world of the game seems to be a 'snapshot' of the Warcraft world taken at a certain point in time, like in the movies when the world freezes and you're able to run around in it, but everyone else is standing still. I don't feel like WoW lets you be part of the story in the same way that you can in the Warcraft RTS games. I'm not such a competitive gamer, so I prefer games with an engaging back-story. There's just so much potential in WoW, but it's still not met. When you kill the dragon, anyone else can just come along and kill the dragon again. If there were a progression of world-shaking events that could be initiated by the most elite players, but whose effects could be felt throughout the game world, that would be awesome. Instead, in WoW we get quests.


RE: funny
By sirtng on 7/9/2007 8:04:12 PM , Rating: 2
There is world events that shape the WOW world the AQ opening quest is one of these and can only be completed 1 time per server, there are others I recall one round the time Naxx came out there may be more but I only played for about 6 months


RE: funny
By Targon on 7/9/2007 9:49:05 PM , Rating: 3
I think the comment about WoW is that the design of WoW, like EQ, and the others is based on a static world, with the super-rare exception that you mentioned. Currently, there are no MMOs where the entire game world evolves over time with new quests being generated on the fly based on the overall game world.

Wish(which never made it past beta) looked like quests were being generated based on changes to the game world, like an invasion quest where an army would spawn and take over an area. Those in the area could try to form up to beat back the invasion. There could be a bunch of these events that happen in the game world, where a part of the fun is that you don't get suckered into the mode of everyone runs the same quests for a chance at the same rare item drops from that encounter.

But, the economy should also play a part in the game world. Those newbie quests to deliver supplies for example should only allow a certain number of people to run the quest before the supply or demand limits have been met. If a city has so many people running the quests, people will need to go to other towns if they want to run these simple quests for money. How many games are there where only one person is needed to run a quest, and then that quest is no longer available to ANYONE for a set duration? How about having supply and demand come into play, where the more people who are providing supplies means there is less of a demand by the NPCs? How about a genocide effect caused by these newbie quests, where all the rats, bats, and other newbie mobs really do get wiped out of an area? What if that caused the next type of creature to start to starve, so then becomes aggressive and attacks players as a result? What if these mobs then having the same thing happen, and you suddenly have a problem with starvation in the area?


RE: funny
By RW on 7/9/07, Rating: 0
RE: funny
By tarv on 7/10/2007 12:03:44 AM , Rating: 2
Its funny because Nintendo has been saying this for years and there the ones with all the marketshare now hmmmm?


RE: funny
By masa77 on 7/10/2007 11:02:37 AM , Rating: 2
Exactly. It's not games that are boring people to death, it's EA's games that are boring people to death. Here we have a case of CEO corporate culture tunnel vision.

EA has become too much like Sony. Instead of putting their focus on creativity they focus on the dollars. How much can we make on this title rather than how can we make this title a real winner.

That's what happens when a company gets too big for it's own good, or rather for the good of the consumer. I haven't purchased any EA games recently as a result because it's same old, same old. I mean, how many years in a row can you play the same Tiger Woods golf with slightly tweaked graphics? Talk about booooooring.

ZZZzzzzz.....


RE: funny
By UsefulIdiot on 7/12/2007 3:55:12 PM , Rating: 2
ne1 saying EA sports games are re-hashed obviously doesn't play them. each year's new release of madden is a better simulation of real football...the casual gamer won't notice all the nuances, but those of us who've been playin madden since '89 appreciate every new addition for it's contribution to the series' evolution

ps
they should remake dr j and larry bird go one on one


RE: funny
By SantiN90 on 7/12/2007 8:43:39 PM , Rating: 2
As I read this whole posting page, I wondered... Have this people have ever played Super Smash Brothers Melee??
This outrageous game has kept me playing it since it was released (December 3, 2001) (I use Marth)

If you haven't, the only thing I can tell you is that you are just wasting you passing through Earth, believe me!

EA is absolutely re-making crap games, what you should do is to follow your gamer instincts and stop buying EA *cof* CRAP! *cof* games for once and find some other *cof* UBISOFT *cof* game developer/distributer to satisfy your gaming thirst.

That's All Folks!
Note: Sorry about my sickness, which is called "Sickness of Truth", by the way.


I agree...
By Netscorer on 7/9/2007 1:57:12 PM , Rating: 2
I consider myself a casual gamer (spending maybe 6 hours per week between PC and console games) and don't see a lot of innovation in the new games or real progress in existing franchises. Every year it's the same old stuff, maybe with slightly better graphics. Where's the original scripting? Where's AI engine that can approach at least an average person's IQ? Where did all arcade games went? The learning curve for many modern games becomes too steep and I don't necessary have time (or desire) to really get into them. There is a dearth of family-oriented games. Instead, all we get is new FPS or racing sym, or RPG that in 90% of the cases is a carbon-copy of what is already out there. Please name me any game released in the past 2-3 years that has reinvented the whole thinking about how we play?
This is why Wii with it's innovative motion-integrated controllers was able to capture minds of the people around the world, why Micorsoft only sells it's consoles to male teenagers and Sony can't even sell theirs to anyone.




RE: I agree...
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 7/9/2007 2:07:39 PM , Rating: 2
Knights of the Old Republic


RE: I agree...
By smitty3268 on 7/9/2007 2:50:18 PM , Rating: 1
Was Knights of the Old Republic really innovative? I was under the impression that it was just a really polished rehash of traditional MMORPGs, much like Starcraft was just a really polished RTS without many actual new ideas.


RE: I agree...
By SirLucius on 7/9/2007 2:55:50 PM , Rating: 2
If I recall it was innovative in the way Halo was innovative - bringing PC goodness to a console.


RE: I agree...
By deeznuts on 7/9/2007 3:25:26 PM , Rating: 5
quote:
If I recall it was innovative in the way Halo was innovative - bringing PC goodness to a console.


You mean Goldeneye, right?


RE: I agree...
By SirLucius on 7/9/2007 3:30:16 PM , Rating: 1
Well, yes and no. I guess Goldeneye was the original (God I loved that game), but just look at how Halo affected console gaming and I think it had a bigger effect. Plus many of the features that sold Halo had been standard in PC games for a while.


RE: I agree...
By darkpaw on 7/9/2007 3:22:07 PM , Rating: 2
Its storyline was very innovative in general. It allowed a lot of freedom not seen since Torment (and sadly most people never saw torment). It also combined an action style Diablo type game with a more serious RPG type.

I think this is a perfect example of a game that was very innovative.


RE: I agree...
By Murst on 7/9/2007 4:25:27 PM , Rating: 2
Morrowind was way more flexible than kotor...


RE: I agree...
By darkpaw on 7/9/2007 4:35:02 PM , Rating: 5
Yup sure was, but it wasn't new. I think it actually had lost some of the character customization that Daggerfall added. The biggest advantage to Morrowind was the ability to easy be modded and inclusion of the construction kit.

The construction kit would be Morrowinds biggest innovation in the RPG realm. Something the FPS realm had had for a long time.


RE: I agree...
By FITCamaro on 7/9/2007 5:13:49 PM , Rating: 2
KOTOR isn't a MMORPG.


RE: I agree...
By NEOCortex on 7/9/2007 4:41:17 PM , Rating: 5
Here's my take on his comments.

He probably realizes that most of what EA comes out with is cookie cutter junk that they can put minimal effort into and still get profit from. However, I don't really agree with what he's saying is wrong with games nowadays. And I have to say, it gives the impression that he wants to jump into the Wii phenomenon without really understanding why its so popular.

The length of the game IMO has nothing to do with its appeal. The reason the Wii is popular is because a group of people who have never played a specific game can jump right into it and actually feel like they know what they're doing. The games are geared towards group play and aren't that involved or complex. This is all well and good, and there is definitely a place for group type games. I've been contemplating getting a Wii for these reasons.

On the other end are the single player games, which can be quite complex, difficult, involved and yes, sometimes very long. These are more my type of game, but again, IMO, the problem isn't the length. The problem is that, especially lately, games seem to be lacking in their story. They just don't have the ability to bring you into their virtual world. Some of the best games I've ever played had great stories, KoToR, Max Payne, Homeworld, Morrowind, Half-life, etc. This is what makes a good single player game. The LAST thing I want game developers to do is dumb down, shorten and try to simplify these types of games. A good single player game should be able to immerse you in its virtual world and I just don't see a water down game doing that.


Yea
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 7/9/2007 1:39:17 PM , Rating: 5
They should rename their CEO, Captain Obvious. Now what is he going to do to cause the necessary paradigm shift?




RE: Yea
By spluurfg on 7/9/2007 1:57:00 PM , Rating: 2
He's already bought his 'Subvert the Dominant Paradigm' Tshirt, what more do you want him to do?

Some games offer challenges and immersion/story at the same time. Homeworld? Deus Ex? I felt challenged and actually cared what happened in the end (the soundtrack in the final level of Homeworld made you feel like you were taking part in something legendary).

I hope he isn't aiming to make all games easier in favor of quirky designs and straight cinematic style... I would feel pretty cheated if I went through a game and my mind didn't work a bit. Not that I want to play through 'Lemmings' on the tricky level, but I think there's still plenty of market for people looking for some sort of challenge. Besides, there's always difficulty levels.


RE: Yea
By redog on 7/9/2007 2:00:46 PM , Rating: 2
I'm going to go with this:

Sports: Buy up what sports are left and churn out same game with updated franchise mode every year. in the end it'll be crap

All others games: Ads, Ads, Ads

-R


RE: Yea
By giantpandaman2 on 7/9/2007 2:17:02 PM , Rating: 5
He's not trying to be visionary. He's simply trying to say, "We've seen the light, and we're adjusting accordingly." He's not talking to hardcore gamers, but to investors and casual watchers who have seen the Wii catch onto the paradigm shift. (Though I think the DS was far more instrumental in its creation.) Even paradigm shift isn't quite right. It's simply stratification occurring in a mature market. It's now big enough that it doesn't have to, and can't quite frankly, only appeal to a hardcore crowd.

So how is EA following?

EA Casual
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070605/20070605006413.html...

EA Family Play
http://news.com.com/EA+brings+Family+Play+to+Wii+g...

Now, before anyone thinks I'm a big fan of EA, I'm not. I own C&C 3 and that's about it. Other than Wii Sports, sports games bore me to tears. I'm simply trying to place his comment in context.


RE: Yea
By spluurfg on 7/9/2007 2:37:26 PM , Rating: 2
Wish I still had votes left to vote you up. I think his rhetoric is so strong because its a signal to investors... causal gamers (family/female/adults) are by far the fastest growing segments of the gaming market. IE the Sims.


RE: Yea
By BladeVenom on 7/9/2007 3:39:18 PM , Rating: 2
It's just empty rhetoric for investors. They aren't going to really improve or develop more innovative games. They still don't support widescreen gaming on the PC and that would take almost no effort.

Let me know when they stop buying up and killing off development studios.


RE: Yea
By XesBOX on 7/9/2007 4:04:47 PM , Rating: 4
@Wii comment:

I think the word you're looking for is "Revolutionary."

@/dev/null:

Video games are very much in the realm of digital art. And as art goes, to be appreciated and truly admired it can't be 'manufactured' for the sake of sales. They are visions that have to be realized. I appreciate Nintendo, and have over the years, because the first party games they produce are very much a hybrid of the industry and love for the art.

EA and much of the struggles the industry is facing is because they bit the hand that fed them, and now they're gnawing on their own skin. If you've ever worked at a retail gaming outlet you would be familiar with the -mountains- of garbage that comes to the shelves, and the sales pitches we are forced to give people on a relentless level. You've paid witness to the destruction of classics and re-makes of the games that you know and love. And you've felt the rage of watching a good concept or idea be ruined or short-handed because of deadlines.

I hope, I really hope that companies discover a way to capitalize on their strong titles without leaving a bad taste in the mouth of the consumer. I hope companies will again choose creativity and excellence over 'holiday season' release dates.

I've always wondered what it would be like to play a fresh Sonic title that packed a DVD to even half capacity.. zooming through ~massive~ levels at breakneck framerates with todays crisper and sharper images.


Simcity Society
By AnnihilatorX on 7/9/2007 1:49:15 PM , Rating: 2
And that's why Simcity become Simcity Society? Bullshit. Taking out every single features of a game and stripe it to bare minimum thus making the game a completely different game is not making it any better.

I don't generally find sequels (not expansions) any much harder than previous generations. There are added complexities due to new features, but the easiest game settings are always accessible.

They can make new series of original games like Spores and make them as easy and accessible as they want. But don't take established franchise and ruin them.




RE: Simcity Society
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 7/9/2007 1:51:54 PM , Rating: 4
Come on, Sim City, was a tough and complex game. The Sims, is an utter joke. Yet it sells like hotcakes because the target demographic is people with low intelligence and easily impressed by risque behavior that can be performed in game. Now that I think about it, most EA titles follow that trend.....


RE: Simcity Society
By killerroach on 7/9/2007 3:08:14 PM , Rating: 2
The way I look at it, games that are harder to play aren't necessarily such a bad thing. What is a bad thing, however, is how games tend to replace the learning curve in favor of the learning cliff. Look at some of Apogee's shareware games of old... they didn't require tutorial levels or anything, but rather gave you a straightforward gameplay objective, with later levels requiring the development of all new tactics. With that sort of a model, it's entirely possible to make a game that is staggeringly difficult to play if dropped into later stages from the get-go, but still accessible to the first-timer. In terms of EA's own projects, this is one of the reasons why Spore is so intriguing, because, from what has been shown of it, it looks like it's attempting just this approach.

If you want people coming back for more, you need both accessibility and a sense of fulfillment in the gaming experience, requiring a very complicated mix of design... but the approach can be quite rewarding if done correctly.


RE: Simcity Society
By giantpandaman2 on 7/9/2007 5:56:01 PM , Rating: 4
quote:
The Sims, is an utter joke. Yet it sells like hotcakes because the target demographic is people with low intelligence...


The Sims sold 22 million copies during EA's last fiscal year. http://www.pgnx.net/news.php?page=full&id=13903

That's a helluva lot of hotcakes.

As for the target demographic...I know PLENTY of intelligent women (and a few stupid ones) that love the game. It allows them to build their dream houses, live out childhood fantasies, and do all sorts of things. Hell it's like playing House on your computer, except without the spooky dolls. You don't understand that type of game. Hell I don't understand that type of thing, but they do. I'm thinking it has something to do with having testicles instead of ovaries...

And why are you criticizing the Sims, which is one of the top casual games out there, and then criticizing EA for not getting with the casual gaming "Paradigm Shift"? It really doesn't make sense.


RE: Simcity Society
By 440sixpack on 7/9/2007 3:41:20 PM , Rating: 2
Damn straight, they're ruining the SimCity franchise with the simplistic, cartoony style SC:S is taking. But of course as is pointed out, that will in the end probably (but I hope not) make them far more money.

Some of us out here LIKE hard, complex games.


RE: Simcity Society
By PrinceGaz on 7/11/2007 10:18:12 AM , Rating: 2
Very similar to taking Civilization and dumbing it down to make Civilization Revolution for current consoles (all except the Wii, which is ironic given that most people called it the Revolution prior to its official name being announced).

I don't want a dumbed down Civilization. If I wanted a simple TBS I'd play something like Risk. All Civ Rev will do is make existing Civ fans wary of Civ V in case it has also had much of the real strategy removed.


Keep it simple.
By Mitch101 on 7/9/2007 2:03:03 PM , Rating: 3
Sometimes even the simplest of games can make a change. I was playing a variation of Space Invaders done by a japanese firm and I have to say at times it was strange but damn was it fun and challenging. I could never play space invaders like I did in the day with as much fun today but this new twist on such a simple game was flat out fun. I played it for 3 hours straight.

Maybe they need to look at old games like Atari 2600 Adventure and figure why the game was fun vs how they can make it so graphic intensive/complex that its not fun anymore.

I believe it was david crane of activision talking about ghost busters for the commodore 64 when they talked about making a game based on a movie. First they started with a fun game then worked it from there despite it not having certain criteria foound in the movie.

This is why the Wii kicks arse.

Here is the formula.
FUN > GRAPHICS




RE: Keep it simple.
By darkpaw on 7/9/2007 2:05:17 PM , Rating: 5
(FUN + GRAHPHICS) > FUN > GRAPHICS


RE: Keep it simple.
By Mitch101 on 7/10/2007 2:53:44 PM , Rating: 2
Good answer. I am always worried when I hear someone talk about thier game coming out and when asked the question about how the game is coming along and they make the comment that "the game LOOKS great".

Doom 3 it looked great but wasnt fun same goes for the movie unfortunately.


WoW
By plimogs on 7/9/2007 2:47:26 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Vivendi's World of Warcraft

Something about that doesn't seem right to me...
*bows down before his mighty Blizzard overlords*




RE: WoW
By EarthsDM on 7/9/2007 3:02:09 PM , Rating: 1
Vivendi is owned by Microsoft, the other Evil Company. Mr. CEO of EA praised Vivendi, he didn't say he owned it.


RE: WoW
By darkpaw on 7/9/2007 3:23:49 PM , Rating: 2
Vivendi is not owned by MS.


RE: WoW
By Murst on 7/9/2007 3:31:07 PM , Rating: 1
Vivendi owned by MS?

Sorry, that's just too funny. I'm not sure about the market cap for both companies, but I'm fairly sure that Vivendi is a larger company than MS.


RE: WoW
By SigmaHyperion on 7/9/2007 6:08:43 PM , Rating: 3
Vivendi is most definitely NOT owned by MS, that's for sure.

But it's certainly not a larger company either.

MS is one of the five largest companies on the planet . Vivendi isn't even a blip on the radar at barely 1/10th the size.


He' Right
By room200 on 7/9/2007 2:08:19 PM , Rating: 3
The problem is, he's not going to get a pass no matter what he says. If he criticizes the game industry, then he's going to get "EA is part of the problem...." If he says "I think the game industry is wonderful, he gets slammed again.

In all fairness, he didn't say that EA wasn't part of the problem, and I don't see anyone disagreeing that more and more games have gotten boring. To me, it's clear that he recognizes that EA is part of the industry that he's criticizing, but as new CEO does anyone honestly expect him to say "EA games suck"?

I think he's challenging his company and the industry at large to do better.




RE: He' Right
By JoKeRr on 7/9/2007 2:16:24 PM , Rating: 2
I did play C&C3, and I thought it was excellent, even though it's remarkably similar to previous C&C, RA, and Generals series. On the other hand, I just started play Splinter Cell Double Agent, wow the story line is amazing and deviates soo much from previous incarnations, however, the game play sucks soo bad. There're so many bugs, and no matter what I do, it keeps crashing like a walking baby. Worst out of the box experience ever. I'm going to return it and get refund.


RE: He' Right
By Zigazoid on 7/9/2007 2:27:51 PM , Rating: 2
I think if he was not the CEO of EA he would bash his own company, but he isn't going to hold that position long if he calls... Well I guess he would be calling himself out.

I will admit I laughed when I first read it, EA churns out sequel after sequel with a minimal improvment almost every year. If I could download a new roster for Madden every year for a fee I'd be more than happy too.

And games are getting overly complicated, my wife won't play have the stuff I buy because it involves too many damn buttons.


In other words...
By jpeyton on 7/9/2007 1:41:21 PM , Rating: 3
"making games that are harder and harder to play"
"industry must attract the casual gamers"
"find an alternative to selling expensive games"

...Nintendo flipped the entire industry on its head with the Wii.




RE: In other words...
By michal1980 on 7/9/07, Rating: -1
RE: In other words...
By Spivonious on 7/9/2007 4:00:27 PM , Rating: 4
I agree that some Wii games are total crap (Cooking Mama comes to mind, as does Big Brain Academy). But to write of the whole system because of a few bad eggs is ridiculous. I still play Wii Sports. I get a true sense of accomplishment when I can beat the level 2000 computer opponents in Tennis, or get 5 strikes in a row in Bowling. I remain convinced that hitting a ball thrown by a level 1500 computer player is impossible. If you think all Wii games are easy just because the controller only has a few buttons, you obviously haven't played the Wii for a prolonged period of time.

Ignoring your Wii comments, you do have a good point. It seems the industry is divided between 40+ hour games and casual "sit-and-play" games. The reason games like Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, and Contra are so great is that they offered 2-3 hours of pure entertainment. Games like that don't exist anymore. Prey tried but got blasted in reviews for being "only" 6-8 hours. I bought it, beat it in a few weeks and really enjoyed it. I wish more games were like it. Publishers won't invest millions of dollars for a 5 hour product in fear that players won't justify spending $60 on it. Single-player gaming is thrown out the window in order to support soulless multiplayer in an effort to capture the elusive replay value. I've tried the more recent hits - Oblivion (way too long), Gears of War (learning cliff for controls) - and I've put them down out of boredom or frustration. I work 40+ hours every week and when I get some free time I'd rather have clean clothes, a clean house, food in my stomach, time with my wife rather than waste it all on getting 5% into a game.

I think the comments made by EA's CEO are dead-on and I really hope their moves are successful. Hopefully it will cause a ripple effect in the industry and we'll start to see higher quality games.


Missing the point
By scottcolo on 7/9/2007 3:03:18 PM , Rating: 3
Having read the first several posts in this forum, it seems that there is an important point being missed. This guy is the *new* CEO, and has made an observation that the gaming industry is lacking in innovation and not producing exciting new titles. My guess is that this guy was brought in to put those ingredients back into the EA product lineup. Not only is he fully aware of the boring element, he's challenging the game writers to do something about it.




RE: Missing the point
By SirLucius on 7/9/2007 3:08:47 PM , Rating: 2
"The blunt comments by the 47-year-old Mr. Riccitiello -- a former top executive at EA who returned to the company after a stint in private equity"

He's new to being the number 1 guy, but not new to the way EA operates. Who knows, maybe he worked at EA before they got huge and started churning out stale games, but saying that he returned after a "stint" implies he wasn't gone that long.


Is it any wonder
By PaxtonFettel on 7/9/2007 1:49:13 PM , Rating: 2
EA are one the most frequently ranted about publishers with guys like this at the helm.

Games are not getting harder and harder, there is a huge trend towards accessible easy gaming already underway. The problem is 'old school' gamers are still around, people who maybe don't mind such a steep learning curve and want a challenge as well as a laugh from their games. As gaming continues to become ever more mainstream, it's important that it still caters for its original demographic as well as expanding, but people like this are going to push it away from it's routes and alienate a lot of these 'old school' gamers. This is something EA are one of the biggest guilty parties of already.

Just my 2p.




RE: Is it any wonder
By FITCamaro on 7/9/2007 2:20:56 PM , Rating: 2
I agree that games to me are getting easier in most ways. Games on the NES were near impossible to beat. I downloaded an NES emulator to play the original metal gear and I still can't get past the first main area.


Crapaholics anon.
By itlnstln on 7/9/2007 1:57:28 PM , Rating: 2
Acceptance is the first step to recovery...




RE: Crapaholics anon.
By Golgatha on 7/9/2007 2:05:43 PM , Rating: 2
Your comment is funny because it is soooo true.


Right on track
By paulpod on 7/9/2007 5:15:04 PM , Rating: 2
This guy is on track. The problem is we have Wii kids games, repetitive shooters, and insanely complex games like Oblivion and S.t.a.l.k.e.r. (which are like having a second job).

What is completely lacking are challenging games that provide run right from the first minute without requiring Ph.D level gameplay knowledge. These were: Thief Deadly Shadows, Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, Chronicles of Riddick, and Prey. Games that also do not require years (and cases of Red Bull) to perfect FPS skills.

Yes, there have been similar new releases but guess what... They either don't work at all on the PC or no longer have advantages over console versions (like flexible game save).

S.t.a.l.k.e.r. is the latest game that, aside from the poor HDR+AA implementation, is non-linear to the point where you have no idea how many hours it will be before you hit anything remotely entertaining. That is if you can ever get enjoyment from the oppressive dreariness.




RE: Right on track
By SavagePotato on 7/10/2007 10:46:31 AM , Rating: 2
Stalker and Oblivion are not complex at all. In fact Oblivion was very greatly simplified over Its predecessor Morrowind, almost too much.

Stalker is nowhere near as non linear as you think. There are many side quests thrown in, however the main quest is there slapping you in the face to get it done. The first few zones have some openness in what order you choose to traverse them, but come the military warehouses zone it's pretty much a scripted progression right to the end.

If you want examples of games with a learning curve try sim city, or civilization. Those are intelligent and difficult games. Going back to simple stupid shooters like prey is not an evolutionary move for gaming.

Theres room for everyone. There is no reason not to have games like Oblivion, Sim city, Civilization. If those are too involved or too much for you to play there is a simple solution. Don't play them, go buy a DS or a WII and enjoy. The people that like those games (and a heck of alot of people bought Oblivion) can enjoy them and those that don't have plenty of simpler options to choose from.


He is right.
By Misty Dingos on 7/9/2007 9:25:03 PM , Rating: 2
I don't care if his company is the worst of the worst when it comes to this.

Like a bunch of drug addicted losers the first step in recovery is ACKNOWLEGEMENT. He just owned up. Now he needs to find some creative people to build/write some software to bring creativity back into gaming.

If all he is going to do is talk about how screwed up the gaming industry is then someone should interupt him with "Hey you are boring me to tears! Now get back to work."




RE: He is right.
By hr824 on 7/9/2007 10:22:55 PM , Rating: 2
He's full of crap, it sounds nice and all but the first "inovative" game that fails will piss off the stock holders and he will shut up and whip the staff harder to get maden 2009 out by the christmas rush 2008.


WoW
By derdon on 7/10/2007 3:22:36 AM , Rating: 3
He praises WoW, really!?!
How is that NOT an example of a boring game? Because people play it?
WoW is among the most boring of the games. A major part in the game is devoted to running from one place to the next. It's the perfect time killer.




Change the article title
By FITCamaro on 7/9/2007 2:23:39 PM , Rating: 2
EA CEO: Our Games 'Boring People to Death'




rinse-and-repeat
By knowom on 7/9/2007 4:18:33 PM , Rating: 2
Straight from his mouth and that pretty much sums up EA's business model except in the case of a series that really should have had a sequel especially by now UO.

It's funny the guy bashes the whole rinse/repeat cycle of the industry and his company is probably the worst culprit of it. Then says games are getting harder and harder which I've actually seemed to think was just the opposite they easier and easier to me I mean anyone remember how hard old Nintendo games use to be I certainly do.

Then the icing on the cake he goes off praises world of warcraft which essentially is just a polished rinse/repeat EQ clone at heart. This guy seems off his rocker.

Is it me or does this not just seem like nothing more than a way to try and draw attention to EA's WoW 2.0 aka WAR. I really this guy just wants free publicity for EA and it's up coming games WAR and the game it's publishing Rock Band.




By ninjit on 7/9/2007 4:20:02 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Activision's Guitar Hero series, Vivendi's World of Warcraft, and Viacom's Rock Band


Guitar Hero is made by Red Octane (bought license from Harmonix, and now owned by Activision)
World of Warcraft by Blizzard (Owned by Vivendi)
Rock Band by Harmonix (now owned by MTV, a Viacom asset)

Sure he was crediting the parent companies, but I would imagine that the E3 attendees are the game company reps themselves and not people from the parent companies, of who's revenue they are only a small portion of (with the exception of Activision)




By MonkeyPaw on 7/9/2007 5:28:59 PM , Rating: 2
I would be happy if EA would just bug test their games a little more. Some of the games they consider "launch quality" really aren't. Of all the major players in gaming software, EA seems to draw the most complaints regarding quality.




FF7 Reborn
By TimberJon on 7/9/2007 5:39:36 PM , Rating: 2
Developers need to rinse their hands of the crap theyre putting out and recreate the mechanics of FF7, a simple, easy game to understand, with new characters and story, all of that. FF7 was tremendously successful. So have other games from different developers. But its time that some of them go back a little, and try to recreate that success. More gamers now + old success tactics = sales success with greater number of gamers!




I wish
By LiquidIce1337 on 7/9/2007 6:39:06 PM , Rating: 2
I wish they still made great games like the Kings Quest series. I still get nostalgia looking at the boxes trying to figure out all the puzzles and how simple the graphics were but how addicted you could get to any game if the idea and concept of it was challenging and fun. The only game I have shown much interest to as far as consoles go has been fight night and guitar hero series. Other than that I would say PC games I still live off of counter-strike for the 7th year now as well as good old starcraft and command and conquer generals zero-hour. They start releasing titles like those again, I'll start buying games again.




Gaming
By Fubar0606 on 7/9/2007 9:55:14 PM , Rating: 2
Gamimg is moving back into a point where your either a gamer or your not, its the whole internet gaming thing, now people on Xbox 360 and what not, are also gamers because of Xbox Live, so I really think were to the point where when you play video games, u are a huge gamer... there really to me dont seem to be mnay casual gamers, if there are they bought Wii's, besides that Gamers love challenging games, hmm HL1,Hl2, Doom, there are alot of others and it just makes the game fun! i DONT LIKE MINDLESS! unless its Brain Bread :P




Of course ...
By astrodemoniac on 7/10/2007 5:20:25 AM , Rating: 2
... "gamers are finding our games boring what should we do?
... Make better games?
... Stop releasing refresh crap at full price?
... Release properly tested not buggy (bf2) games rather than rush them?
... Allow modding communities to work rather than buying them to stop them from releasing free mod which will affect the sales of our useless expansion shit? (bf2 + Trauma studios)

... nah!!! lets just: *** attract the casual gamers by creating new sales tactics***"

EA will always be EA, all they care about is sales and business profits, margins, growth, growth, growth, ... you get the point.




some agreement some disagreement
By FXi on 7/10/2007 6:58:12 AM , Rating: 2
I agree on some points, games are going head over heels for the "if it's harder to play it's better" motif, which is not bad in itself, but it's been way overdone in some cases. It's bad when some large % of your playing population waits for spoiler sites to give needed info before finishing a game.

The disagreement comes in the length of the game for some titles. I think folks like longer games in some genre's, such as Diablo type games and rpg's. In fact much of the initial (and that was long ago now) success of mmorpg's came from a long series of rather too short rpg's, and players finally had a chance to just keep the wheel turning in mmo's. That, of course, had it's bad side too. But what I'm trying to highlight is that long rpg's and shooter rpg's aren't necessarily bad. Many of the most successful titles are highlighted by their long playability (meaning first time hours playing, not repeats).

$.02




EA killing games from now on
By thartist on 7/10/2007 3:17:26 PM , Rating: 2
"... games that are harder and harder to play"
"... expensive games that are too long for many gamers to finish"
"... rinse-and-repeat. There's been lots of product that looked like last year's product, that looked a lot like the year before" (who speaks now!)

"So games are too hard, and too expensive and long... Let me see, hmmm,: We could sell rotten cibersh*t in dvds with the faces big stars like ronaldinho year after year, and games with even cheaper stories than sitcoms, but without neglecting uberfancy graphics... That's it, I'm a genius! It took me long to figure it out, but it must be for some reason that i'm EA's CEO, hehe..."

Bye bye to any serious-game-wanna-be.




Mugshot
By Howard on 7/9/2007 7:51:17 PM , Rating: 1
His smirk really pisses me off.




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