190°

Codemasters to Remain as 'Independent Group' After EA Acquisition

EA has formally completed its $1.2 billion acquisition of Codemasters, and has confirmed to IGN that it will be treating the company's studios as an 'independent group', making their own games.

Jin_Sakai1179d ago

We’ll see how long it last before they’re adding microtransactions or making battlefield maps.

darthv721179d ago

If EA really is letting them sit in the drivers seat... please bring back motorstorm and driveclub.

lodossrage1179d ago

Impossible since those are Sony IP,

And it's not like Codemasters hired every member of evoution studios. Who knows which former evo employees were even left at the time of this Codemasters purchase

darthv721179d ago

Fair enough. Then hopefully EA lets them take some liberties in making some racing games that take inspiration from those others.

ScootaKuH1179d ago

Some of them went with former Liverpool Studios (Psygnosis) staff and formed Lucid Games who made Destruction Allstars.

I'd prefer if Sony would licence the MotorStorm, WipEout and Driveclub IPs to Lucid as they have the experience with them

ScootaKuH1179d ago

Both are Sony IPs and I doubt very much they'd licence them to EA.

If anything, they'd be more likely to hand them to Lucid

lodossrage1179d ago

They'll be "independent" until EA says otherwise.

I hate when companies say things like "they will stay independent" when we know that's a lie. There is no such thing as independent if someone owns your or has control over your finances. Period.

I just wish companies would stop with this PR farce of independence that clearly doesn't exist.

Knightofelemia1179d ago

Independent that won't last long especially when you are owned by two letters EA they are the grim reaper of studios.

ScootaKuH1179d ago

Closely followed by Microsoft, who aren't known for nurturing acquired studios either, they're more interested in the IP than the studio itself

DOMination-1178d ago

Most (not all) of the studios were shut because they made terrible games. For example, people on here love to pine over Visceral but other than Dead Space 1, they churned out out a bunch of average crap over the years.

Fun fact, Sony have shut more studios than Microsoft. Most of them justified. If you make bad games and you're not an indie studio, you aren't going to survive, regardless who your parent company is.

ScootaKuH1179d ago

For a period of time.

I am so disappointed in Codemasters. There's less and less independent UK developers now, always selling out to bigger companies. Soon the UK games industry will be non-existent

annoyedgamer1178d ago

Same as US really. All are owned by mega corps. No small devs anymore.

DOMination-1178d ago

It is amazing Codemasters survived so long as an indie. They were smart to concentrate on racing games since the start of ps3/360 gen as it really allowed them to focus on a niche that they were clearly very good at.

Not many left though (as independent) from the days when I grew up in the early 90s though. Team17 spring to mind.. can't think of any others..

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150°

Helldivers II sales top 12 million

Gematsu writes: "Cooperative third-person shooter Helldivers II has sold 12 million units as of May 5, publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment and developer Arrowhead Game Studios announced."

shadowT4h ago

Congratulations Arrowhead Game Studios!

Hofstaderman4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

And well-deserved. I'm having a ball of a time so far. Just need to change out my heavy armour, it's a murder on my stamina and sprinting.

derek3h ago(Edited 3h ago)

SIE managed to find success with gaas quicker than I suspected. Arrowhead did a great job getting past that initial launch difficulty, I've been playing again recently doing mostly solo missions. Can't even get off the damn planet after completing everything, lol.

Lexreborn23h ago

12 million is crazy, but it also paints an opposite picture to what the forums would have you believe about gaas. And it being more successful then the single player games of late also kind of proves to an executive gaas IS. what the consumer wants.

RGB2h ago

Disagree, most GAAS games are free, cheaper than or around the same price as Helldivers.

Helldivers II sold very well because of the viral campaign and word of mouth, I can't think of another game that has done numbers like this that wasn't completely free or attached to a service like GamePass/Plus Extra~Premium.

Helldivers II is an exception to the rule, not the norm.

Lexreborn231m ago

That’s a hard coup, considering the online campaign that happens with death to ALL gaas the forums campaign. To only turn around and try to explain the hypocrisy of it?

Either people hate GaaS, they don’t hate GAaS or they hate a practice in the GaaS but they DO love GaaS. But, the online campaigns as if you paying 40 bucks for a game then willingly paid an extra 20 for cosmetics THEN you buy more cosmetics in the 40-60 dollar game that is ONLINE only that alledgely people hate.

Or you don’t hate any of those things and you just act like you do when something isn’t being made how you want it to be on initial impressions. Regardless how many disagrees happen it doesn’t change the fact there is a clear hypocritical practice happening here when we discuss what is an “acceptable” game (swearing single player is the way with robust content) then buying the game that you swear is the death of gaming (gaas that have always online requirement, you don’t “own” the game, tied to online restrictions and isn’t truly a complete game as they continue to add content that could arguably be done day 1)

But go ahead try to make it seem like 12 million people didn’t just convince executives they want this over say the 3-4 million that support FF7R/FF16 or even the million or 2 that bought stellarblade or RoR.

You can’t convince people that live service games aren’t the future after they are supported more then the single player experience.

Show all comments (16)
120°

Microsoft's Absurd Antics Have Me Scared For Dishonored And Arkane Lyon's Future

With Arkane Austin no more and Lyon living for who knows how long, the superb Dishonored is in serious danger; Microsoft cannot be trusted.

Relientk7714h ago

I love the Dishonored series so much and really want Dishonored 3. Microsoft better not screw this up.

JEECE11h ago

I mean, I think the fans will probably kill Arkane Lyon by cooking up reasons to hate whatever they do next without playing it. I've never seen a game so artificially disliked as Deathloop.

thesoftware73011h ago

Lol, why don't we just say, we are worried about all studios owned by MS now. They will keep closing studios until they have none left ...🙄

Skuletor8h ago

Just merge them all into a single studio, have it churn out a single Call of Duty every year and call it a day, lol.

Barlos8h ago

Don't be scared, you'll be fine.

Skuletor7h ago

It's exputer, fine is one word I would not associate with them.

Profchaos7h ago

I think it's becoming clear based on matt bootys comments there's no future for any IP that can't sell above 10 million within the launch window. But is also a small game that gives them prestige

/S it's beyond a joke right now

Show all comments (9)
260°

Rumored PlayStation May 2024 showcase could happen this week per industry insider

A renowned industry insider has suggested the rumored PlayStation May 2024 showcase featuring Silent Hill 2 could happen this week.

Read Full Story >>
videogamer.com
Petebloodyonion13h ago

Bogus!
Why would Sony do that and how would this benefit them?
1) It would piss off their media partners (IGN, Gamespot, Edge, etc.) since they would have to allocate resources fast to cover the event.
2) Risk of not having great coverage or proper coverage from the various source
3) It could give the impression that they are not confident in their own stuff.
4) They would miss the chance to hype the event losing viewers and losing free marketing time.

Again I'm calling it bogus unless it's a small showcase before the big one or because they want to announce that Hellbalde 2 is also coming on PS5.

SlothLordPootus12h ago

As far as I can remember, they typically give a week heads up for these sorts of things.

Lightning7712h ago

I was about to say Sony always gives a week in advance for their show.

VersusDMC11h ago(Edited 11h ago)

Last year it was a weeks notice.

https://blog.playstation.co...

May 17th announcement for may 24th show.

VersusDMC11h ago

Nintendo always tweets that a direct is happening tomorrow but no one cares.

Sony gives a week or days of notice and we get anti sony type fake outrage like this.

But good luck trying trying to get some Sony hate going...

Petebloodyonion11h ago

You just mention it!
Sony gives a week in advance NOT just a couple of days.
So I fail to see what Sony's hate movement I'm trying to start when it's a basic business strategy to not piss off your partners (ask Sega).
And I doubt it's hate to ask how it would benefit Sony in doing so.

thesoftware73011h ago(Edited 11h ago)

@Versus
Huh? What?

Bro you really should relax, if what you read was some kinda negative against Sony.... seriously, is that what you got from the comments?

Bro, he was debunking the rumor, and gave perfectly good reasons why it would be unlikely, and your Nintendo Direct comparison is different, as this is supposed to be a BIG Sony showcase, not a surprise 20 min direct, and Sony 's pattern has been one week.

Slow down warmonger.

VersusDMC10h ago(Edited 10h ago)

@thesoftware730

"1) It would piss off their media partners (IGN, Gamespot, Edge, etc.) since they would have to allocate resources fast to cover the event."

That is implying Sony is preventing them from doing their job properly therefore negatively affecting their business...but i guess that's a reach in your mind?

And it's not like they need that many resources to cover the stream. They just need 3 people to react to the stream live and make some easy articles made up mostly of summaries of Sony provided press releases. They would have enough time to "prepare" if it was announced with one days notice.

Petebloodyonion8h ago

@Versus
" That is implying Sony is preventing them from doing their job properly therefore negatively affecting their business...but i guess that's a reach in your mind"

No, it simply implies that some media all over the world might (keyword MIGHT) not properly cover the event like having proper articles for each game announced, or having a proper preshow. maybe some popular YouTubers won't have time to prepare or simply your local newspaper doing an article on tech and game.

So why would Sony take a chance?
What benefit would that give them?

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 8h ago
Petebloodyonion11h ago

Before I get tons of replies for Sony given a week in advance, my initial comments are related to the notion that the Show could happen this week as the title mentions.
Now to be fair the complete article mentions that Jeff said the Show could happen later in May giving time for Sony to give the normal 7-day notice.

Again not trying to start a negative thing here just thinking that it's bogus that Sony will have a show this week

notachance10h ago

Yeah as much as I’d like to hear what sony’s 1st parties have cooked, it’s not their style to shadow drop a showcase.

Still waiting for ghost of tsushima 2, I’m ready whenever man..

KwietStorm_BLM6h ago

You're assuming media outlets don't know about it.

gold_drake3h ago

i can tell you that no one cares if ign is pissed or not.

watching a livestream and writing stuff aint the world. many habe done that before your god ign.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 3h ago
11h ago
Hofstaderman10h ago

Going in with no expectations but likely will see something that resonates with me.

DeadlyFire5h ago

Nah they will announce it probably, but it won't happen right away soon though yes.

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