EA Games aiming to bundle peripherals with games

Oh, brother. Let the onslaught begin. Now that games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero have proven to be huge money makers, not to mention how profitable those ridiculous shells for the Wiimote are, we're betting that EA Games is just the next of many that will soon bundle peripherals with games. According to EA's David McCarthy, his firm will be "using a peripheral strategy to some extent, even over the course of the next 12 months." Thankfully, he did note that extras would only be bundled "if it really does enrich the experience of gameplay and doesn't create a barrier to entry for consumers." We can see it now: $80 sports titles that create all sorts of relationship problems with the partner who actually values a kempt living room.

[Via Joystiq, image courtesy of HouseOfNintendo]

Read - McCarthy speaks
Read - McCarthy elaborates

[Will @ Jun 24th 2008 5:16PM]

Now people can by the same game every year for $90 instead of $50.

[Josh L @ Jun 24th 2008 5:40PM]

You mean $60.

And yeah, I really can't see this doing any good to the consumer. Especially since EA isn't exactly known as being an industry innovator. Bandwagon ahoy!

[centinall @ Jun 24th 2008 6:11PM]

And pay $1000+ for a new HDTV after they've thrown their Football-Control through their current HDTV.

[Verx @ Jun 24th 2008 5:24PM]

EA used to be good, until it blew up and dominated market. now it releases same crap 5 years in a row.

B.O.B. on Genesis was one of my favorite games from EA.

[LegendZ28 @ Jun 24th 2008 5:32PM]

Of course they are, those con artists.

[Funke, Tobias Dr. @ Jun 24th 2008 5:41PM]

There are still some game companies out there that treat gaming like an art form first and a business second. EA hasn't been one of them for a long while now.

[mcatrage @ Jun 24th 2008 8:04PM]

So video games are exactly like all other forms of entertainment media now.

[yode @ Jun 24th 2008 8:21PM]

the man inside me

[Funke, Tobias Dr. @ Jun 24th 2008 10:21PM]

@mcatrage: Yes. Sadly, most are.

@yode: Haha, you got it. You know Bateman confirmed that the movie is going to shoot in 2009?
http://defamer.com/5019005

[bobmundo123 @ Jun 24th 2008 5:51PM]

lmfao... a living room gone wrong... eugh.. i can already see... 2 guitar contoller, i microphone, a drum set, a golf club, a tennis racket.. etc... chaos i say.. chaos

[Andrew @ Jun 24th 2008 6:09PM]

2 guitars? Man, you're missing out. I've got 4 now, drums, mic, steering wheel and pedals... jeez, if I just put the money that I've spent on games into a savings account I'd be rich! :D

And now GH4 looks so good and I want it too. :(

[Maynard @ Jun 24th 2008 7:10PM]

Maybe you should try playing the real thing. I have two drum kits, 4 guitars, 2 bass guitars, 2 keyboards, 4 sound modules, 14 mic's, and 256 digital tracks to record onto.

Much better than pretending to play air guitar.

[S7ORM @ Jun 24th 2008 6:00PM]

EA is only best when its only a publisher, but not great when its buying out the companies thats publishing with them. Battlefield was great but the franchise is running out of juice seriously. But I still love all the work Maxis do, im glad they are finally giving some new IP, so im REALLY hoping there isnt 60 Spore expansion packs like the sims. (Although i can see alot of ea downloadable content working for that game)

[Funke, Tobias Dr. @ Jun 24th 2008 10:30PM]

Well said.

[lancewhite @ Jun 24th 2008 6:10PM]

This is what Atari used to do as a kid. Two different paddles for Indy 500 and others for tennis.

[Dano @ Jun 24th 2008 6:19PM]

Reason #3,761,845 why EA is the antithesis of innovative and relevant. Unless I can get a version of the game for free *without* the garbage they'll pack in, then I'd rather continue my ban of all things EA Sports (and just about all EA in general except for a few titles they *bought*).

[atrain @ Jun 24th 2008 6:22PM]

This is how it should be. No stupid DRM, no copy protection.

Free game, (or cheap game) $$ for the hardware. As long as there is sufficient protection against copying the hardware itself, they should have to worry about pirates etc.

Software used to ship with the commodore 64 like this: Copy the disk for backup, but only 1 little "License Dongle" included.

[Nemisys @ Jun 24th 2008 6:44PM]

And exactly how long would you think it would take for "people" to circumvent that? , it's a vicious circle of cat and mouse between game manufacturers and "crackers" ......

in the meantime,

i will enjoy my wiikey while it lasts and buy the accessories when the BIG N makes me! :)

wiifit and guitar hero kick ass anyways!

[sinai @ Jun 24th 2008 7:01PM]

EA: If you can't buy em, copy em!

[Kawaiipikachu @ Jun 24th 2008 7:54PM]

I don't mind peripherals included in games especially i can't wait for Guitar Hero 4's with its Drum kit .

At least one thing from the images i seen of gh:4's Drum Kit doesn't look cheap unlike what i heard of Rockbands drumkit which breaks down easily as a mince car.

And to the auther of this article You miss spelled Wii Reomte as Wiimote .

[DrNelson15 @ Jun 24th 2008 8:10PM]

To the author of this comment: You misspelled Wii Remote as Wii Reomte.

[ReductiMat @ Jun 24th 2008 8:09PM]

It can't be stressed enough, EA is crap.

Regurgitating the same graphics engine year after year and only updating the numbers on the jersey's.

I won't buy another game from them.

[Eh @ Jun 24th 2008 8:58PM]

This will never work. Peripherals with games? Its been done. If they were smart they would bundle games with peripherals.

[Nazz @ Jun 24th 2008 9:38PM]

No just no, the reason that we are happy to buy guitar hero and rock band for increased prices is because the peripherals are needed for the experience, but at the moment im perfectly happy playing sports games with my control pad.

[Chaj @ Jun 25th 2008 12:28AM]

Looking fwd to the life-size tackling dummy and inflatable cheerleader w/ force feedback....

[KG @ Jun 25th 2008 7:38AM]

I thought I'd never say this again...but Madden 2009 looks very promising. Ive been a 2k football fan since 2k first came out. I played NFL 2k5 until the end of last year. The gameplay/graphics on Madden this year looks exciting again. Although NBA live still sucks and will never compare to the NBA 2k (don't quote me).

[Tyson @ Jun 25th 2008 1:17PM]

I've bought Madden faithful every single year like a sheep letting a friend convince me this year was going to be different. Every year since they hijacked the rights to the NFL it has gotten progressively worse to the point now where it sucks so bad it just disgusts me. Personally I rather spend my $65 this year on a gallon or 2 of gas because that going to be the going rate by that time.

[Funke, Tobias Dr. @ Jun 25th 2008 2:31PM]

NBA Live 98 was the pinnacle as far as I'm concerned. It's been downhill since then.

The worst thing about Madden and NCAA is that they have exclusive licensing agreements with the NFL and NCAA so they have no competition. I think those two idiotic organizations need to realize that the more people play the games, the more exposure their teams get, and they will profit from other sources of revenue (ticket sales, tv ratings, merchandise). However, with EA having a monopoly on their sorry games, I play less football games than I would otherwise. They're missing the big picture.

[alexhrose71 @ Jun 25th 2008 9:21AM]

Mainstream gaming blows. Its like a friggn toy faire with all these attachments and plastic crapola.

This is why I spend almost all my gaming time and dollars playing indie titles from xbla, wiiware and PSN.

[--Ed @ Jun 25th 2008 9:24AM]

I've been over sports games since I sold my old NES with Tecmo bowl and ice hockey where you actually saw blood after you beat the crap out of someone.

[Tyson @ Jun 25th 2008 1:14PM]

Well they had to do something their Madden series has gone to $h!+ and they don't dare make it right or they will have nothing to sell the next year.

[Dreego @ Jun 26th 2008 12:04PM]

The only way I could think a peripheral would enhance gaming experience would be something like Johnny Chung Lee's idea of Wii Headtracking VR style, combined into more in-depth games. Let's say Medal of Honor to start, and then further that into, something like 1st-person quarterback shootout on Madden.

The downside to this is like bobmundo123 says, you'd have a whole room filled with all this stuff that only works with ONE specific game, and let's face it, after a long while you're sure to leave some of those behind, like for example that DDR pad taking up space in your closet.

They should consider making devices that give you various gaming options, instead of encasing you with just one game.