QuoteThings haven't been quite so easy with Electronic Arts since it acquired the exclusive Star Wars game license from the folks at Disney.
Sure, the original Battlefront went very well when it came to sales, but its sequel, which released last November, was met with a great deal of controversy over its loot box system. In fact, it got to the point that Disney reportedly stepped in to force the company to cancel its Microtransactions right before the game's launch.
And then there's the cancellation of another one of the company's Star Wars projects and the abrupt closure of Visceral Games, which many fans questioned considering that it looked like a strong single-player game was in the works. EA reportedly preferred something multiplayer-oriented, and that didn't help matters much either, making the company one of the worst hated in the industry.
So now, in the midst of several petitions calling for EA to lose the Star Wars license, a new story suggests that Disney may be shopping the license around to other developers. Cinelinx reports that Lucasfilm is looking at other options, after taking EA to the "principal's office" to discuss what was going wrong, while at the same time reaching out to both Activision and Ubisoft to see what they could offer in terms of Star Wars developments.
The reporter notes, "I know what you're thinking, because I had the same thoughts. EA has a contract for the games, exclusively. How could Disney get around that without breaching and causing more problems? I don't know all the technical aspects of it, but supposedly there's an addendum of some kind within the contract that would allow Disney to pull the license, or shop it around, if certain standards/conditions weren't being met."
Considering that Battlefront II has been performing below par in terms of sales – especially compared to the original Battlefront – there may be cause for concern.
EA has noted in the past that it's still getting along with Disney, and that the media calls the whole relationship between them overblown. But when it comes down to the bottom line, it would be easy to see why Lucasfilm would give other companies consideration. And, yes, we would totally kill to see an Assassin's Creed style game with someone like Darth Maul. Just imagine it.
Neither Lucasfilm nor EA have said a word about this, so take it with a grain of salt. But considering everything that's happened with Battlefront II – and the fact that EA wants to bring those bothersome Microtransactions back into the picture – don't be surprised if there's a shake-up down the road.
SOURCE (http://comicbook.com/gaming/2018/02/13/lucasfilm-star-wars-shopping-around-ubisoft-activision/)
Thoughts?
Yup, I signed one of these petitions. :D
Ha Its about time EA was smacked in the face for shutting down all those past game companies!
Love only take you so far...the money has to be realized, and if EA has failed to do that, then this would be what they get.
I haven't played EA SWBF2 (at least I tried the first one) but I can get an idea of the game's problem and its "way" of unlocking new elements in the game as characters or objects.
As usual in these times, it is nothing more than a business and an opportunity to obtain more money at the expense of micropayments.
If EA stops producing SWBF games, I hope the next license will do it better and fairer!
Quote from: Red04 (CC-4398) on February 14, 2018, 02:48:30 PM
I haven't played EA SWBF2 (at least I tried the first one) but I can get an idea of the game's problem and its "way" of unlocking new elements in the game as characters or objects.
As usual in these times, it is nothing more than a business and an opportunity to obtain more money at the expense of micropayments.
If EA stops producing SWBF games, I hope the next license will do it better and fairer!
I don't think LucasFilm are looking to make it so that EA loses the license completely, but rather there is likely a term that negates the exclusivity under certain conditions, such as the terms not being met (and 2 games since they took the license in 2012 is surely not doing that).
Quote from: Gistech on February 14, 2018, 03:45:08 PM
I don't think LucasFilm are looking to make it so that EA loses the license completely, but rather there is likely a term that negates the exclusivity under certain conditions, such as the terms not being met (and 2 games since they took the license in 2012 is surely not doing that).
Yeah.
I've always thought that giving the exclusive Star Wars license to one company (like EA) was a poor idea. Star Wars is seemingly well suited for a variety of games, and EA on the other hand is only interested in multiplayer focused games. In the past game variety was often accomplished by LucasArts contracting out different games to different companies. (i.e. Petroglyph, Bioware, Pandemic, etc.)
Lucasfilm likely won't want to spend a lot of time 'legislating' projects with a ton of companies, but it would be nice to see some variety.
LucasArts gave us like 30 different PS2 Star Wars games. EA gave us about 1 Star Wars game on PS3/PS4. EA needs to die a horrible death.
Haha, agreed...
While I'm at it by the way, which company would do the best Star Wars videogames today in your opinion dudes ?
I'm tempted to say Raven Software and Bethesda.
I know Bethesda has had its problems too but with games like Wolfenstein and Doom, it shows just how well they can work within the 'old school' way of making games (as games instead of live services). I think they'd be perfect.
Ah, EA would lose the license before it could possibly conjure a Battlefront 3, just as the prophecies of old have told. :P
Always two Battlefronts there are; no more, no less. Let the curse take EA, it's no less than they deserve.
On a more serious note, giving EA and exclusivity deal was a bonehead play imo, and I never understood why they did it. EA destroys everything they touch, and I hope a better developer would be able to create games for an incredible franchise.
One can only hope their exclusivity deal DOES tank.
The problem is Disney want to only deal with one company and there's only really EA, Activision and ubisoft that are big enough to buy the licence and make multiple games.
In terms of quality they would be better letting multiple developers use the star wars name and make the type of games they're good at or risk it and bring back lucasarts/their own team but Disney just stopped making games so I can't see that happening.
Quote from: {PLA}gdh92 on February 15, 2018, 10:06:06 AM
The problem is Disney want to only deal with one company and there's only really EA, Activision and ubisoft that are big enough to buy the licence and make multiple games.
In terms of quality they would be better letting multiple developers use the star wars name and make the type of games they're good at or risk it and bring back lucasarts/their own team but Disney just stopped making games so I can't see that happening.
Exactly, there is a reason Disney shutdown LucasArts in the first place, it is just too much hassle/effort. The real money for Disney is in the movies. It's nice to dream about the possibility of something great happening, but it is highly unlikely... and until we hear more confirming this story, it will still just be a rumor.
i would love to sign one because EA jasnt given u S###T about charater coustomization and no new dlcs and nothing about Skirmish yet, Lucasfilm gave us some and gabe us more maps amd instant action, and a good campign also, Galactic conquets, etc.
So i would definitly sign the petition if its true because i liked Lucasfilm concept on Battlefront series.
Quote from: Delta327 on February 16, 2018, 09:19:05 PMi would love to learn more about these pellet smokers (https://www.sfgate.com/market/article/best-pellet-smokers-17523054.php) and sign one because EA jasnt given u S###T about charater coustomization and no new dlcs and nothing about Skirmish yet, Lucasfilm gave us some and gabe us more maps amd instant action, and a good campign also, Galactic conquets, etc.
So i would definitly sign the petition if its true because i liked Lucasfilm concept on Battlefront series.
I don't think there's any fear of Disney stopping the Star Wars games. The gaming industry is huge. No one in their right mind would give up that kind of dough. They're probably just looking for a better model than the EA exclusivity.
I wish Disney would me more lax with the Star Wars game developers. I would love to see Bethesda or some Indie devs making Star Wars games. Even if it were so I would still worry because of their history of cancelling and pulling games off the shelf. We really have no idea where star wars gaming is headed.