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420°

Dead Space needs “around five million” fans to survive, according to EA

EA president Frank Gibeau says that Dead Space needs a number of players roughly equivalent to the entire population of Norway to justify its continued existence. “In general, we’re thinking about how we make this a more broadly appealing franchise, because ultimately you need to get to audience sizes of around five million to really continue to invest in an IP like Dead Space,” he told CVG in a recent interview.

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Community4351d ago
shodan744351d ago

Ah, so THAT'S why we can look forward to cover-based shooting against human opponents, plus action-centric co-op...

Felinox4351d ago

Im getting sick of hearing these stories about how many million each game needs to sell to make money.
We are at end of console cycle where market has more consoles than ever but somehow bleed more money than ever. Seems as number of publishers has shrank thay must be taking a bigger cut from devs. Seems the market will correct itself (crash) before too long. Viva la indies!

MAJ0R4351d ago

Probably! I certainly won't be one of the 5 million.

I'll probably pick it up in the bargain bin based on the footage they've shown.

SeekDev4351d ago

Not only do the execs take a large portion of the profits when compared to the devs, but the devs are being treated horribly. Just look at Team Bondi and 38 Studios. I'm not even sure if the devs that worked with those studios have been payed yet. It's terrible.

Bimkoblerutso4351d ago

I took the comment to mean something closer to: "Dead Space 3 needs to make us enough money to buy those solid gold toilets for our office bathrooms, or we're shutting the franchise down."

STONEY44351d ago (Edited 4351d ago )

They don't need the 5 million to make a profit. It's all about "opportunity cost". EA said an in interview a while back that they base whether or not they keep IPs by opportunity cost, and what that team could be doing instead.

Say a team is making a game in what they consider a "niche genre" that's selling, say, 2 million. Why make that, when thr team could instead be making the next big dude-bro shooter that's more likely to sell 5 million? It's missed opportunity in EA's eyes.

This whole "broadening to wider audiences" and action-izing the game? Sadly, Visceral doing that is probably the only thing keeping EA from ending the Dead Space franchise and forcing Visceral to work on a full-on action game.

STONEY44351d ago

They don't even need 5 million to make a profit. EA said an in interview a while back that they base whether or not they keep IPs by opportunity cost, and what that team could be doing instead.

Say a team is making a game in what they consider a "niche genre" that's selling, say, 2 million. Why make that, when the team could instead be making the next big dude-bro shooter that's more likely to sell 5 million? It's missed opportunity in EA's eyes.

This whole "broadening to wider audiences" and action-izing the game? Sadly, Visceral doing that is probably the only thing keeping EA from ending the Dead Space franchise and forcing Visceral to work on a full-on action game. It has nothing to do with development costs. It has to do with EA wanting more money.

Mounce4351d ago

I won't support DS3 if they feel the need to me, to especially lie about what they need. If they think they need such a massive amount for this game, they're overestimating their franchises' worth and expecting too much. It'd be like them making a Kickstarter and asking fans to give them $50-60 MILLION DOLLARS before they make the game.

Only problem, they're making the game and expecting that or more instead of pre-emptive to gouge consumer interest.

Faulty it be.

ThanatosDMC4351d ago

Screw Dead Space 3... too many chest high walls. If i wanted to play Gears, i'd play Gears.

SilentNegotiator4351d ago (Edited 4351d ago )

Hint to EA:

Get rid of the awful multiplayer.

And if you're STILL operating at a "necessary 5 million customers" for your linear adventure, clearly you are not cost effective. Other studios do fine with 1 million and make much more impressive, expansive games.

nukeitall4351d ago

@MAJ0R

Agreed! I will just wait for the inevitable $5-10 price tag, just like Dead Space 2. I refuse to support EA and their Online Pass scheme and poor treatment of customers.

ThanatosDMC4351d ago

Not to mention they're gonna add same day dlc for either weapons or multiplayer.

papashango4351d ago

Dead Space 3 won't sell anywhere near 5 million. I hate when they start talking about how much it needs to sell.

Like we're sposed to care. If it's a good game it'll sell. this kind of marketing is gonna blow up in their face

thereapersson4351d ago

Well, that's awesome! Thanks a lot EA, for making my decision not to buy this game *this* much easier.

In-essence, EA is growing weary of this series.

MWH4351d ago

that's the corporate bullshit my friend. indeed long live independent devs.

DARK WITNESS4351d ago

You know the funny thing is I hated EA for a long time and I refused to buy any EA game at the time.

I didn't have a single game from EA in my collection till Dead Space 1 came out.

The looked soooo cool and different to all the normal crap that I just could not help but give it a try and it blew me away.

Till this day it's still my favorite new IP this gen. based of the back of that I then bought Mirrors edge, another great new IP.

Now they want to make it as generic as everything else out there.

Have they not cought onto the fact that it does not work like that?

How many games now have gone off in a different direction all in the hopes of doing Cod like numbers in sales and have fallen flat on their face?

How many fans do you think it will have once you have finished butchering it up and how much sales do you think you will get from it.

such a shame RIP Dead Space

4350d ago
pixelsword4350d ago (Edited 4350d ago )

Dear Dead Space/EZ (EA) Developers,

Don't hold your own game ransom, because what you're basically saying is that you've (read: EA) dug yourself into a hole with other bad games/decisions to the degree that you want other people to bail you out. If Dead Space needs 5 million buyers, then it's your responsibility to ensure the game and story should have interested five million people already.

On top of that, you're not going to get the Gears of War audience, so forget about it. Your loser game Army of Two should have taught you a lesson, but it basically taught us a lesson: that EA doesn't learn from lessons. Put it out there, and watch it fail... unless you pay the reviewers, of course; then only the people who depend on reviewers for their games will likely buy it.

Do it, EA; we love watching your IPs fail.

Next up: Activision's 3rd person CoD with cover shooting. Or whatever.

Sincerely,

Well, not sincerely,

me

P.S.

Goodbye, Dead Space...

Downtown boogey4350d ago

I just cannot comprehend the urge to say these things repeatedly! Video games PR truly sucks.

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Kurylo3d4351d ago

I hope they realize that trying to go the action route actually gives them fewer sales. I say let them kill the franchise if they arent going to stay true to what its all about. Let them learn their lesson so they dont ever do it again.

Tachyon_Nova4351d ago

It's EA though, they never learn.

princejb1344351d ago

for those people who've seen the e3 gameplay of dead space 3
this game reminds me of gears of war smh
idk how they turned one of my favorite franchises to a gears clone

user54670074351d ago

I honestly hope they end the series after this

I'd rather see the franchise go out now since it's turned into something completely differen't then what made Dead Space so appealing. I would say maybe they could redeem themselfs with DS4 but I highly doubt it...I said that about Capcom and RE6 but that didn't happen, it just got worse.

joab7774351d ago

We r devolving. Unfortunately, too many people buy just a handful of games and now every game must b like one of those to try and b successful...or should I say maximize profits. If it isn't it won't exist. Its too bad too. Soon it will b CoD, GTA, Gears and Uncharted, AC & Sky rim with WoW, Diablo and star craft. And for a ports fifa, madden and forza. Oh the future is bright.

Its sad because I really enjoyed kingdom and I'm loving dragons dogma and we probably won't see sequels (one for sure) because 1-2 million isn't enough anymore. Oh, I forgot, we still have halo and all mobile games. I'm not sad anymore lol.

MrMister4351d ago

They'll be lucky if the sell even 1 million with this generic looking piece of crap. If people wanted that gameplay, then Resident Evil 6, Gears of War, Lost planet 2 & 3, will all be coming out soon--WHICH MEANS that there's already an oversaturation of these types of shooters...We wanted at least just one, true horror survival game. Now we get this crap. PLUS, it wont even have local (couch) co-op (if their gonna force co-op on us at all, at least be couch). Co-op in general is a dumb idea anyway. And the trailer was a joke. Mark my words, this series is done for if they keep this crap up.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4350d ago
OC_MurphysLaw4351d ago

So EA is basically saying their break even on this game is 300 million dollars.... I don't buy that for one moment. And is that 5 million user base including the inevitable "Dead Space 3 Premium" service for $50 a year too?

SeekDev4351d ago (Edited 4351d ago )

It's because the execs aren't making enough money to feed their greed.

And, what is this Dead Space 3 Premium thing? I can't find anything on it.

@below Well, if it did happen, it would bring in a lot of money for EA, so we should just assume that it will happen :P

OC_MurphysLaw4351d ago

@SeekDev... No official Dead Space 3 Premium, I was joking around...but lets be honest its probably not out of the realm of reality for EA.

Skate-AK4351d ago

They would never do a Dead Space Preminem. It doesnt have enough multiplayer and I think 3 doesn't have it at all. I do see them doing this with Medal of Honor.

SeekDev4351d ago

With the way they've changed the game mechanics to be action oriented, they'll definitely work in a good volume of competetive multiplayer so that they can sell DLC maps or game modes down the road.

Tachyon_Nova4351d ago

No I think they are saying that if they don't sell 5 million copies then it isn't worth their investment as they would rather use that developer and the funds on a product that will sell more.

DwightOwen4351d ago

In other words, good old-fashioned greed.

Megaton4351d ago

"In general, we’re thinking about how we make this a more broadly appealing franchise"

The death rattle of an EA franchise.

Rupee4351d ago

Yep that's the problem right there...

FinaLXiii4348d ago (Edited 4348d ago )

red alert is pretty much dead now because of that.

WeskerChildReborned4351d ago (Edited 4351d ago )

I hope Dead Space doesn't die.

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300°

Report: Sexual Misconduct Investigation Conducted at EA, Suspects Named and What They Did Revealed

EA senior staff has been investigated for sexual misconduct involving female coworkers, and these said people have been named publicly.

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isarai3d ago

Aye just call Phil, i mean he somehow made Bobby Kotick's scandal disappear and gave him a few million dollar high five on the way out.

Cacabunga2d ago

I wonder if it will be censored with some in game ads.

InUrFoxHole1d 14h ago

You think Phil did that? 🤣

MrBaskerville14h ago(Edited 14h ago)

Microsoft did, Phil Spencer played a minor part. He instigated the buyout that led to Kotick escaping all his controversies while getting a golden handshake.

Someone on Twitter calculated that the people hired in Tango and Arkane Austin could get a decent salary for roughly 17 years for the money Kotick was paid.

XiNatsuDragnel3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

EA about to go down like Activision and then Phil saves the day saying.this is good for the industry and consolidation will help create competition. /s.

MrBaskerville14h ago

Then they shutdown Codemasters and studio behind Jedi Survivor.

Atleast they could hardly do much damage that EA hadn't allready done. EA has shut down most of their studios by now.

ravens522d ago

What's up with all these horny creeps. You gon be horny, fine. Just not at work take care of that shit before you go in. Rub one out if you have to. Don't be a creep at all. ESPECIALLY at work. But don't be one AT ALL.

Extermin8or3_2d ago

I mean part of the issue is that things transpired outside of work....

MrBaskerville14h ago

That's the thing he mentioned about not being a creep at all.

KwietStorm_BLM2d ago

You think deviants care where they are? Work sometimes makes it an even better situation for them because they can abuse their power.

mudakoshaka2d ago

Nerds think they are Gods when they are making video games.

NotoriousWhiz2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

"it seems that according to EA, given the events transpired outside of work between two adults, and the fact that once investigation has started that the alleged perpetrators didn’t do it again, the investigation is considered closed. [...] The victim still has to work with the people that harassed her."

Yep, EA is disgusting.

Extermin8or3_2d ago

I mean the fact stuff happened outside of work puts EA in quite a difficult position legally. These women don't seem to have reported the matter to the police which kinda ties EA's hands on what they can do. If they don't file reports of the crimes then yeah from EA's perspective it is stuff that happened outside of work. The only exception is the guy that apparently referenced things in the slack channel for work, spending on what he said proving it may be very hard and he may well be able to get away with plausible deniability. I don't like EA and I think these people need to be dismissed but without any legal action being taken, EA can't really do much without risk of being sued themselves for unfair dismissal etc.

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90°

EA to Spend Billions Boosting Share Prices After Mass Layoffs

EA has announced it will engage in a shareholder-pleasing share buyback program just a couple of months after mass layoffs at the studio.

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Yi-Long6d ago

Well, anything to make those shareholders happy, I guess. They're all that matters in this industry nowadays.

badboyz096d ago (Edited 6d ago )

EA stocks haven't been profitable in over 5yrs. They better hope Take-two don't get the FIFA license lol.

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.

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Abriael69d ago
thorstein69d 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.

Cacabunga68d ago

EA is already dying a painful death..

peppeaccardo68d ago

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

just_looken69d 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.

GamerRN68d ago

Maybe they should just focus on making good games?

Just a thought...

Kiryu199268d 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

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Knightofelemia69d ago (Edited 69d 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.

Stuart575669d ago

EA layoffs followed by 'Generative AI to Drive Monetization'

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

ChasterMies68d 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.

DarXyde68d 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?

Barlos69d ago (Edited 69d 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.

CobraKai69d 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_looken69d 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...

Eonjay68d 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.

Chocoburger68d ago (Edited 68d 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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