Electronic Arts Leadership Are Out of Their Goddamned Minds

原始链接: https://aftermath.site/ea-dice-battlefield-battle-royale-free-to-play-f2p

A recent Ars Technica report highlights EA's ambitious (and potentially disastrous) plans for the next Battlefield game, codenamed "Glacier." Following the struggles of Battlefield 2042, EA leadership, observing the success of Call of Duty and Fortnite's Battle Royale modes, set an audacious goal: 100 million players. This target is particularly striking considering the entire Battlefield franchise, from its 2002 inception, has only sold 88 million copies. To achieve this, EA is investing heavily, reportedly exceeding a $400 million budget, and developing a free-to-play Battle Royale mode. However, this focus comes at a cost. The studio originally developing the single-player campaign has been shut down, with the work outsourced to three other studios. This all suggests a potentially unsustainable, high-stakes strategy driven by a singular focus on chasing player numbers at the expense of other elements. Some would call it a "commercial death cult."

The Hacker News discussion revolves around an Ars Technica article criticizing EA's leadership and their ambitious goals for the next Battlefield game, aiming for 100 million players with a $400 million budget. Commenters argue EA and other big studios prioritize profits and trends over creativity and quality gameplay, often leading to "soulless" games. They lament the shift away from community-driven servers, which fostered lasting player relationships, to impersonal matchmaking lobbies. Many highlight the success of indie games developed with smaller budgets and more innovative ideas, contrasting them with EA's focus on blockbuster titles and subscription models. Others point to past successes born from mods like Counter-Strike and DotA, suggesting a more experimental approach. The discussion criticizes the influence of MBAs prioritizing monetization and trend-chasing over the creative vision of game designers, resulting in burnout, layoffs, and a disconnect with the player base. Ultimately, it questions the feasibility of EA's goals and whether a smaller, more focused approach might yield better results.

I was browsing through some early-morning gaming news today when, after seeing mention of the latest entry in the Battlefield series, I nearly spat my cup of tea all over the keyboard.

In a story titled 'What’s wrong with AAA games? The development of the next Battlefield has answers' on Ars Technica, I read the most astounding paragraph:

While [Battlefield] 2042 struggled, competitors Call of Duty and Fortnite were posting astonishing player and revenue numbers, thanks in large part to the popularity of their Battle Royale modes.
EA's executive leadership believed Battlefield had the potential to stand toe-to-toe with them, if the right calls were made and enough was invested.
A lofty player target was set for Glacier: 100 million players over a set period of time that included post-launch.
From the release of the first Battlefield game in 2002 through to the release of Battlefield 2042, the series had sold a total of 88 million copies. Total. That's counting Battlefield 2, Vietnam, 2142, Hardline, 1, V, all of them.
And Electronic Arts executives, living in the same world we're all living in, working in the same video game industry that is falling apart in large part through their own malpractice, look at those numbers, look at the performance of the last Battlefield game and want this one to have 100 million players?
To try to meet that goal, the Ars report says EA will be releasing a free-to-play Battle Royale mode, have brought in a ton of extra developers, set a budget of $400 million and have now...blown way past that, while also shuttering the studio that had been tasked with developing the next Battlefield's singleplayer campaign, work that has now had to be farmed out to three other studios.
This is a commercial death cult.