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CCP's Sean Decker and Hilmar Petursson on the future of EVE, DUST 514, EVE-VR, and mobile gaming
Earlier today, CCP Games announced that industry veteran Sean Decker is coming on board as Senior Vice President of Product Development. Sean's laundry-list of industry experience includes a recent 12-year stint at EA, where he headed up the Play4Free division. This has naturally led to some trepidation within the EVE Online community, which has been extremely wary of free-to-play and microtransaction-based business practices since the Monoclegate scandal in 2011. I caught up with Sean Decker and CCP CEO Hilmar Petursson last night to get the low-down on Sean's role, how he will influence EVE and CCP's other products, and what the future has in store for DUST 514 and EVE-VR. Sean is to be the head of product development across all of CCP's games, not just the free-to-play titles, but I wouldn't worry about EVE going free to play any time soon. "I don't think [free-to-play] is the be all and end all business model," Sean told me, adding that he understands that the subscription model better fits some games. Read on for more information on the future of EVE Online, DUST 514, EVE-VR, and CCP's first foray into mobile gaming.
CCP taps EA's Sean Decker as new VP of product development
Big changes from Iceland today, as CCP announced that it has brought on Sean Decker as senior vice president of product development. Decker is a 12-year EA veteran and recently headed the publisher's free-to-play focused games group, along with previously overseeing DICE and EA Los Angeles. EVE Online, as crazy as it sounds, is entering its second decade of being a game about internet spaceships, and CCP is looking toward the future. The company referenced Decker's extensive industry experience as a valuable asset in helping guide EVE Online through its next 10 years and in ensuring growth through the eventually-maybe launch of World of Darkness and the expansion of DUST 514. Decker will be based out of CCP's Atlanta studio. Massively's Brendan Drain spoke with Decker and EVE's Hilmar Petursson at a press event yesterday. We'll have more information on how the new hire will impact EVE this afternoon! [Source: CCP press release]
EA's Play4Free becomes Origin Free to Play
EA has announced that it's consolidating its free-to-play Play4Free brand into Origin. Henceforth, all Play4Free titles, which include the likes of Battlefield Heroes, Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliances and others, will exist under the umbrella of Origin Free to Play. According to EA, the only thing that will be different for existing players is that the Play4Free.com URL will officially change to Origin.com/free. Later this week, Play4Free.com will automatically redirect users to the new URL.The reason for the move? "Convenience for players," says Play4Free vice president Sean Decker, as "Origin now becomes your single destination for paid downloadable PC games and free-to-play games alike." Thus far, the available games seem unchanged, though we wouldn't be surprised to see future EA free-to-play games requiring the Origin client to play. Either way, the move isn't too surprising, given EA's continued push to expand its Origin service.
Need For Speed World caters to your need to spend money
You know how they say money can't buy you happiness? Well, if happiness to you is having the best thing possible in a game, then that saying doesn't apply to Need for Speed World. The Play4Free title added the Koenigsegg CCX "Elite" Edition car pictured above, available to all players for $100. You can grab the flashy whip through the in-game Car Dealer. Your regret will immediately follow, after realizing you've spent a hundred bucks on an imaginary car.
