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You are Electronic Arts' new CEO. What do you do?
- Thread starter Stef
- Start date
MS and Sony are huge multinational corporations that are more than just a video game business. They are also not developers, but console manufacturers. MS cares way more that you buy Xboxes than if you buy Sea of Thieves.
EA is a video game publisher and that's it. They make their money from games and nothing really else. So, monetization is a must. Name me a single AAA publisher (and I mean only a publisher, not also a manufacturer) that doesn't monetize their games.
kick out the board of directors. if we make a billion in profit in a year, that doesnt mean I need to hit 1.7 billion the next.
give realistic cycles to games, no more annual releases. Battlefield should have 4-5 year cycles.
Do the same for sports games. release a new "fifa" every 3 years, and just update roosters and stuff until the next.
make an annual "pass" for these games that offers actual incentives for getting them, nothing pay to win, just fun cool shit.
BAN statues from any and all collectors editions.
Put Story telling and Gameplay mechanics as equals before others.
give realistic cycles to games, no more annual releases. Battlefield should have 4-5 year cycles.
Do the same for sports games. release a new "fifa" every 3 years, and just update roosters and stuff until the next.
make an annual "pass" for these games that offers actual incentives for getting them, nothing pay to win, just fun cool shit.
BAN statues from any and all collectors editions.
Put Story telling and Gameplay mechanics as equals before others.
One thing they desperately need is to reinvigorate their non-sports side of the business. They've tried acquisitions and giant AAA budgets to make this work and it hasn't, so I think the next best thing would be to fund multiple smaller projects from other studios to see what sticks. Other publishers do this a lot and it's pretty similar to how a lot of movie studios work, but EA seems hesitant to do so for some reason.
Sure no individual project has the same expected return as a AAAA Star Wars game, but if you can fund 5 Sekiros and Nier: Automatas for the price of one Battlefront 2, that's likely to be a much less risky investment which is what they need right now. Plus it would rapidly restock their currently depleted store of IPs that still have consumer goodwill attached to them.
They've made the tiniest move in this direction with Fe this year already, but they really should double down on it.
Sure no individual project has the same expected return as a AAAA Star Wars game, but if you can fund 5 Sekiros and Nier: Automatas for the price of one Battlefront 2, that's likely to be a much less risky investment which is what they need right now. Plus it would rapidly restock their currently depleted store of IPs that still have consumer goodwill attached to them.
They've made the tiniest move in this direction with Fe this year already, but they really should double down on it.
fuk if i care wats kosher
i got a soccer ball filled with gouda floating in my heated pool
Spend my bonus for taking the role. Spend 1 year doing shitty decisions. Get fired and reap the million dollar settlement.
Assuming I've got my golden parachute waiting for me, I'd make a bunch of risky decisions on attempting to push VR development to new levels, and get back to that Star Wars game Jade Raymond was heading, and some other more single player focused Star Wars games.
I'd also like to shelve the next installments of the sports games for a year at least, get by with monetizing the next rosters and some smaller additions as season pass DLC, while dedicating more resources to a "next gen" experience. Try and get the NCAA games back into the fold (or a generic modable "college" game).
Revive some of those studios and IPs that were bought and wrecked (like Origin and Maxis).
I'd also like to shelve the next installments of the sports games for a year at least, get by with monetizing the next rosters and some smaller additions as season pass DLC, while dedicating more resources to a "next gen" experience. Try and get the NCAA games back into the fold (or a generic modable "college" game).
Revive some of those studios and IPs that were bought and wrecked (like Origin and Maxis).
I really like this idea, I really, really like this idea. I too would leave nothing behind but ashes while somehow trying to make everyone land on their feet. I would write letters to the Familys of everyone "involved" just saying: "You knew this would happen, didn't you?"
I don't care about anything but the contiuation of good things coming from people who enjoy what they are doing.
Oh, and I'd work with developers to organize labor and try to find efficient ways to eleminate awful crunch hours.
I'd also like to recommend getting "Fuck EA" tattooed on your chest, schedule a big E3 presentation, go on stage, deliver the news, and rip your shirt off Hulk Hogan style while a tribute montage to all the freed studios plays in the background.
Easy. Diversify the gaming output.
Keep your bread and butter sports but tone down the RNG MTX. Make them as ethical as you can. Be ahead of this issue.
Keep DICE doing what they do best and let them become trend setters. Barring poor and confusing marketing like with BFV, they will produce hits. They are a talented studio.
Then go into heavy PR moves.
Single player game - just do it and assume it's the cost for good will in the industry. Shoot for awards. Be a premier studio that puts Sony games to shame. After Anthem, let Bioware be Bioware.
Create an indie studio that experiments and does interesting things.
Create a charity that looks into gaming/gambling addiction.
Rehabilitate your image. Diversify.
Keep your bread and butter sports but tone down the RNG MTX. Make them as ethical as you can. Be ahead of this issue.
Keep DICE doing what they do best and let them become trend setters. Barring poor and confusing marketing like with BFV, they will produce hits. They are a talented studio.
Then go into heavy PR moves.
Single player game - just do it and assume it's the cost for good will in the industry. Shoot for awards. Be a premier studio that puts Sony games to shame. After Anthem, let Bioware be Bioware.
Create an indie studio that experiments and does interesting things.
Create a charity that looks into gaming/gambling addiction.
Rehabilitate your image. Diversify.
Introduce even more Content into Fifa Ultimate Team that keeps people spending money if they aren't good enough at the game or at trading to make ingame money without spending Real Currency.
EA already throws tons of Ingame Currency at you so its basically your fault for spending real money at all these days.
Fifa 18 was a high in sales and MTX revenue because the Worldcup made sure at least the end of the 2nd half of a Fifa Game got interesting besides the Team of the Season Promotions which at this point then are kinda meaningless.
Fifa has a huge problem with the 2nd half of the year usually that starts after the Team of the Year promotions in January.
Content if it isn't a Worldcup year is simply not there to keep people investing.
Would obviously use the Champions League License for adding a Gamemode into Ultimate Team similar to the Worldcup and made sure people spend more money.
Introduce Objectives,Rewards etc tied into it.
Maybe they will do that because rumors are there and so far the Champions League License got barely used this year.
Give people a way to engage and stay motivated at least until the Summer Months.
EA could easily bring content to make sure the 2nd half is nearly as profitable as the first half and the Content Creators(Youtubers,Twitch Guys etc) even design these things and post it to them on Twitter all the time because people want more stuff to do.
They just have to implement them and squeeze another half a billion or so out of the people with probably really low effort.
So yeah as a CEO i would make sure the 2nd half of the Fifa Year gets more profitable.
EA already throws tons of Ingame Currency at you so its basically your fault for spending real money at all these days.
Fifa 18 was a high in sales and MTX revenue because the Worldcup made sure at least the end of the 2nd half of a Fifa Game got interesting besides the Team of the Season Promotions which at this point then are kinda meaningless.
Fifa has a huge problem with the 2nd half of the year usually that starts after the Team of the Year promotions in January.
Content if it isn't a Worldcup year is simply not there to keep people investing.
Would obviously use the Champions League License for adding a Gamemode into Ultimate Team similar to the Worldcup and made sure people spend more money.
Introduce Objectives,Rewards etc tied into it.
Maybe they will do that because rumors are there and so far the Champions League License got barely used this year.
Give people a way to engage and stay motivated at least until the Summer Months.
EA could easily bring content to make sure the 2nd half is nearly as profitable as the first half and the Content Creators(Youtubers,Twitch Guys etc) even design these things and post it to them on Twitter all the time because people want more stuff to do.
They just have to implement them and squeeze another half a billion or so out of the people with probably really low effort.
So yeah as a CEO i would make sure the 2nd half of the Fifa Year gets more profitable.
That sounds good. I wonder what the engagement and FUT spending patterns are like in the 2nd half vs 1st half. It's probably well down as you said. I know they put out new cards to chase but that seems designed for the hardcore who are there all the time.
1) Battlefront Royale game. Follow the formula of the Fortnite.
2) Introduce a mobile card wallet/binder/auction app for MUT, HUT, FUT.
3) Sell the Battlefield brand
2) Introduce a mobile card wallet/binder/auction app for MUT, HUT, FUT.
3) Sell the Battlefield brand
All-in on Anthem marketing; develop a clear five year plan for the future of the game to ensure community and stockholders see the game as a clear GaaS foundation for EA. Tout preorder numbers internally to ensure "strength" of the service.
Ensure a better job of marketing Madden compatibility on PC for Madden 20 -- Madden 19 reception on PC was positive, but not nearly marketed enough. Passionate community of sports gamers on PC -- develop inroads to see if NBA Live 20 would fit in PC space behind "new look" of sports franchise for the next decade.
Partnership with Netflix -- AIO yearly promotion; year of Netflix + Origin Premier access at a reduced price around the holidays. Emphasize strength of recurring revenues to appease stockholders and develop branding of EA as a "service" as opposed to one-stop shop
Great move here. Titles that echo the success of Unravel and No Way Out would have a permanent home and spotlight every year.
Ensure a better job of marketing Madden compatibility on PC for Madden 20 -- Madden 19 reception on PC was positive, but not nearly marketed enough. Passionate community of sports gamers on PC -- develop inroads to see if NBA Live 20 would fit in PC space behind "new look" of sports franchise for the next decade.
Partnership with Netflix -- AIO yearly promotion; year of Netflix + Origin Premier access at a reduced price around the holidays. Emphasize strength of recurring revenues to appease stockholders and develop branding of EA as a "service" as opposed to one-stop shop
Great move here. Titles that echo the success of Unravel and No Way Out would have a permanent home and spotlight every year.
I would stop annualizing my sports titles. I'd put out a single new version of each title on a platform, and then use regular DLC to update it each season.
Cut the fat. Emphasis on more AA games to diversify portfolio. Look at the major major AAA offerings, and how they can be revamped/improved. Less and less gamers are interested in very minor improvements, roster changes. Actually UTILIZE the Star Wars license
Can we lay out a simple truth?
Disney won't allow any studio to make a KOTOR 3 or 1313. Full stop. They dictate what games get made.
So if your genius plan to turn the company around is centered around that then you've already failed.
Disney won't allow any studio to make a KOTOR 3 or 1313. Full stop. They dictate what games get made.
So if your genius plan to turn the company around is centered around that then you've already failed.
I would probably be pretty unpopular with all of the shareholders, but, here goes my take on things. I imagine the shareholders would revolt and would try to throw my arse out as I care about people way too damned much.
But, anyways, here we go.
First things first.
Immediately gather up the entire executive team and do an interview with them. Then immediately do an interview with all of their employees below them in their departments.
Anyone who is found to view video games to be viewed as nothing more than cereal boxes to be sold to satisfy shareholders, is immediately fired.
Anyone who is found to treat their employees like absolute shit or working them to death, or treating them with harassment, or sexual harassment, or sexist or denigrating comments, is also immediately fired.
Anyone who has been fired will be replaced by candidates that I have interviewed and selected as potential high priority replacements before hand.
Second step:
Gather up every single development team and it's leaders. Company wide meeting if necessary. Advise them that the culture of driving these people into the ground and destroying their lives is now over. True priority is on creativity and the health of the company's employees and their families. No one is allowed to work over 40 unless they clear it directly with their supervisory team, which will consist of going to at least 3 people in order to prevent one person from destroying the health and livelihood of their team. Constantly and consistently review who is working how many hours in order to ensure no one is destroying their health and home life.
Go to HR and immediately work on creating a much better and more powerful benefits package. Create a culture where people want to come to EA as it will be a place that cherishes and treasures it's people as it's true resource vs games being viewed as a frigging cereal box.
Third Step:
Immediately open the vault. Command and Conquer? It's getting a full new release by a team of individuals who truly love that game. Dungeon Keeper III? It's a thing now. It's getting done.
All of the beloved gems. All of the wonderful games that people remember. Those are getting worked on. In the meantime, speak with the development teams and listen to their creative ideas and pitches. Separate those ideas into AAA, AA, and A games. Let each one get released based on sussing out resources and how viable those ideas are by allowing a small team to create a demo to pitch the game.
Create separate teams accordingly to work on, and churn out those games. Also, plants vs zombies 2? Getting demonetized, immediately. Same goes for the other mobile games.
Fourth Step:
Set up a university that cycles devs in and out who want to teach, to give them a break if they so desire it. This way, tech and culture stays current for the students who are learning. Students who wish to and have the grades to prove it can immediately start at entry level positions at EA. Any ideas cultured through the university can be used as games with the full consent of the students and their agreements, with a copyright lawyer explaining to them in full their rights in the matter so that the students, wide eyed and wondrous as they are, don't get screwed over by a mega corporation.
And those are just some things to start. I could go on forever, but, yeah...like I said. I wouldn't be very popular with Shareholders.
But, anyways, here we go.
First things first.
Immediately gather up the entire executive team and do an interview with them. Then immediately do an interview with all of their employees below them in their departments.
Anyone who is found to view video games to be viewed as nothing more than cereal boxes to be sold to satisfy shareholders, is immediately fired.
Anyone who is found to treat their employees like absolute shit or working them to death, or treating them with harassment, or sexual harassment, or sexist or denigrating comments, is also immediately fired.
Anyone who has been fired will be replaced by candidates that I have interviewed and selected as potential high priority replacements before hand.
Second step:
Gather up every single development team and it's leaders. Company wide meeting if necessary. Advise them that the culture of driving these people into the ground and destroying their lives is now over. True priority is on creativity and the health of the company's employees and their families. No one is allowed to work over 40 unless they clear it directly with their supervisory team, which will consist of going to at least 3 people in order to prevent one person from destroying the health and livelihood of their team. Constantly and consistently review who is working how many hours in order to ensure no one is destroying their health and home life.
Go to HR and immediately work on creating a much better and more powerful benefits package. Create a culture where people want to come to EA as it will be a place that cherishes and treasures it's people as it's true resource vs games being viewed as a frigging cereal box.
Third Step:
Immediately open the vault. Command and Conquer? It's getting a full new release by a team of individuals who truly love that game. Dungeon Keeper III? It's a thing now. It's getting done.
All of the beloved gems. All of the wonderful games that people remember. Those are getting worked on. In the meantime, speak with the development teams and listen to their creative ideas and pitches. Separate those ideas into AAA, AA, and A games. Let each one get released based on sussing out resources and how viable those ideas are by allowing a small team to create a demo to pitch the game.
Create separate teams accordingly to work on, and churn out those games. Also, plants vs zombies 2? Getting demonetized, immediately. Same goes for the other mobile games.
Fourth Step:
Set up a university that cycles devs in and out who want to teach, to give them a break if they so desire it. This way, tech and culture stays current for the students who are learning. Students who wish to and have the grades to prove it can immediately start at entry level positions at EA. Any ideas cultured through the university can be used as games with the full consent of the students and their agreements, with a copyright lawyer explaining to them in full their rights in the matter so that the students, wide eyed and wondrous as they are, don't get screwed over by a mega corporation.
And those are just some things to start. I could go on forever, but, yeah...like I said. I wouldn't be very popular with Shareholders.
Bring back the "fun" and the soul on their games, earn the trust of consumers by simply resurrecting some of their old franchises (and boy EA has a huge pool of wasted opportunities), and release more games on ALL platforms cause i feel EA is leaving money to the table there.
What i'd personally bring back:
- Need for Speed: forget about the microtransactions BS (you can add some DLC sure), forget about the open-world, "the realism!111", make a smaller scale NFS super over the top because that's the appeal on these kind of games, work more on the style, make it local multiplayer friendly and put it on PC-PS4-SWITCH-XB1.
- Bioware should work more on Dragon Age (i'd hire some new crazy artist to work more on the visuals, previous games look very generic) and less on these other uninspired projects like Anthem.
- New Mirror's Edge for next gen consoles: this one has to look beautiful, gameplay similar to the previous iterations, but this time also include an editor where you can create levels and share it.
- Plants vs Zombies: Battle Royale or Hero shooter or some kind of multiplayer focused game. EA needs to jump on board with these new trends, and i think it would be more effective if they do it with a fun accessible IP like PvZ. Make it free to play with microtransactions and put it everywhere. (including phones)
- Simcity: go back to what made Simcity 4 probably the best city builder ever made, and bring it into a 3D one (which means larger maps, more focus on the simulation and less about useless gimmicks): Cities Skylines proved you can still make a lot of money from this genre if you make a good city builder that can please the hardcore audience, and through DLCs of course. Again bring it to everything, Switch included, you don't need to win the graphics war necessarily.
- Bring The Urbz back and make it an own separate franchise designed for all consoles: i think The Sims would be a much more successful franchise on consoles if they make an own separate thing, instead of just porting a dumbed down version of the PC game with no mods.
- Alice, here i'd send American McGee to Japan to work together with Platinum Games, they could do wonders with this IP.
You can keep the annual sports game the way they are now (that's just a cash cow with no reasons to change it since there's no competition there)
What i'd personally bring back:
- Need for Speed: forget about the microtransactions BS (you can add some DLC sure), forget about the open-world, "the realism!111", make a smaller scale NFS super over the top because that's the appeal on these kind of games, work more on the style, make it local multiplayer friendly and put it on PC-PS4-SWITCH-XB1.
- Bioware should work more on Dragon Age (i'd hire some new crazy artist to work more on the visuals, previous games look very generic) and less on these other uninspired projects like Anthem.
- New Mirror's Edge for next gen consoles: this one has to look beautiful, gameplay similar to the previous iterations, but this time also include an editor where you can create levels and share it.
- Plants vs Zombies: Battle Royale or Hero shooter or some kind of multiplayer focused game. EA needs to jump on board with these new trends, and i think it would be more effective if they do it with a fun accessible IP like PvZ. Make it free to play with microtransactions and put it everywhere. (including phones)
- Simcity: go back to what made Simcity 4 probably the best city builder ever made, and bring it into a 3D one (which means larger maps, more focus on the simulation and less about useless gimmicks): Cities Skylines proved you can still make a lot of money from this genre if you make a good city builder that can please the hardcore audience, and through DLCs of course. Again bring it to everything, Switch included, you don't need to win the graphics war necessarily.
- Bring The Urbz back and make it an own separate franchise designed for all consoles: i think The Sims would be a much more successful franchise on consoles if they make an own separate thing, instead of just porting a dumbed down version of the PC game with no mods.
- Alice, here i'd send American McGee to Japan to work together with Platinum Games, they could do wonders with this IP.
You can keep the annual sports game the way they are now (that's just a cash cow with no reasons to change it since there's no competition there)
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BF3 and BF4 maps 🤢🤮
Look back at the original BF games for how the mainline series should be. Keep the CoD stuff in Bad Company. Everyone's happy, no plummeting sales because of trying to compromise two different game styles.
Sure except you don't have to monetize like crazy with shady loot boxes with every single one of your games, at a certain point you should have some sort of integrity and stop ruining games especially when they force these implementations in games that weren't even designed for multiplayer originally.
On that aspect they are all doing a much better job than EA.
Co-develop a sequel to Sim City SNES with Nintendo. Instant million seller.
Reinvent The Sims for PC & consoles
Make new Peggle & Plants vs Zombies games.
Make a truly great console Command & Conquer
That's all I care about concerning EA properties. Last EA game I bought was Peggle or Plants vs Zombies 2 I think.
Reinvent The Sims for PC & consoles
Make new Peggle & Plants vs Zombies games.
Make a truly great console Command & Conquer
That's all I care about concerning EA properties. Last EA game I bought was Peggle or Plants vs Zombies 2 I think.
They are?
Activision, Ubisoft, and Square all follow the same formula. They have a duty to their investors/shareholders to generate larger profits.
Then you chance how your business works. That's it. We have numerous companies who do just fine without EA style stupid mtx.
They can still use MTX if they are properly planted in game...
They should also stop rushing games. This usually leads that those games are bad and won't sell well or they cancel them.