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EA loses $310 million in Q209, 6% of employees being let go
Electronic Arts has revealed its second quarter fiscal results (ending Sept. 30) ... and things aren't pretty. The company lost $310 million in the quarter, another big hit following Q1's $95 million loss. Highlights from the quarter were the sales of Madden NFL 09 (4.5 million sold), Spore (2 million sold) and Warhammer Online (1.2 million sold). Unfortunately, EA's continuing hard times will impact its employees. The company plans to let go of 6% of its work force, which amounts to about 600 jobs. The next two quarters are when EA normally really starts bringing in the cash -- not that it'll mean much to those who'll be unemployed soon.[Via GameDaily]
EA: Spore's 'particularly aggressive' DRM unnoticed by most
Potential storm in a teacup news now, with EA CEO John Riccitiello recently commenting on Spore's "particularly aggressive" digital rights management at a Media & Money conference. Though expressing a dislike for the anti-piracy system, Riccitiello explained that better protection against those with a propensity for pilferage had yet to manifest. He further added that the widely reported outcry against Spore's DRM originated from a deafening minority."We chose a particularly aggressive form of DRM, which 99.8 percent of consumers would never notice, but that two-tenths of one percent got incredibly focused and formed an online PR cabal," he said. "We can eliminate piracy by essentially blocking the online service from the pirate." Riccitiello called it "the future of DRM," one we hope will be more adept at distinguishing between the consumers and the criminals.[Via Big Download]
EA reveals new Space expansion for Spore, confirms Creepy and Cute pack
EA confirmed that they're working on two different expansions for Will Wright's universe-in-a-hard-drive Spore this morning, both the previously revealed Spore: Creepy and Cute Parts pack and a new expansion for the game's "Space" phase, which is already exponentially larger than its co-levels.Expect Cute and Creepy to add around 100 new parts -- some cute and cartoonish, some monster-like. "Cute" and "creepy" is fine as a title, but at a price of $19.95 those parts had better be nauseatingly adorable and perversely horrifying. It's due on Nov. 18 and will also work for those who only own the Spore Creature Creator.The untitled Space expansion won't arrive until spring of 2009, but it sounds substantially meatier than the parts pack. According to EA, "players' space faring creatures will be able to beam down from their spaceships to explore new planets and earn rewards for completing challenging missions" and "a new Adventure Creator will allow players to build and share online their own custom missions."So, yeah, EA is flogging Will Wright's new creation. If this comes as a surprise, we'd kindly direct you to the Sims aisles of your local game store.
EA store reveal Spore Creepy & Cute Parts Pack
Well, that was fast. With just over a month since Will Wright's Spore was released to the masses, a listing has popped up on Electronic Arts' online store for Spore: Creepy & Cute Parts Pack, something we've known to be coming since our E3 2008 interview. You can currently pre-order the expansion, available as direct download for $19.95 on Tuesday, November 18, though that could change. Are you ready for an onslaught of creepier (and cuter) penis creatures?[Thanks, TechNick]
WAR battles Spore, The Force Unleashed for top of EU sales charts
Warhammer Online pulled off some impressive sales figures in the European market this past week. The Swedish sales chart shows WAR at the #1 and #4 (for the Collector's Edition) spots in that country, beating out the highly anticipated Will Wright project Spore. WAR also topped the charts in Spain. In Germany it came in second behind the heavily marketed console game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.Of course an MMO dominating sales charts is nothing new. World of Warcraft has done so on and off since its launch four years ago, and Age of Conan debuted at #1 in many regions, even defeating the critically acclaimed BioWare tactical RPG Mass Effect which launched in the same month. It's also worth noting that the Warhammer IP is very popular in Europe, perhaps more so than in North America.This news jives well with the report that half a million users have registered for the game. On the other hand, similar numbers were thrown out around AoC shortly after its launch. It's doing okay, but it didn't turn out to be a landscape-altering success that some folks projected, and that some are expecting from WAR as well
Spore DRM spawns class action lawsuit
We should have seen this one coming, especially after witnessing the shockingly efficient way in which our custom-made race of space-faring lawyer sharks enslaved the Spore galaxy. Boy, those guys were quick, turning over verdicts and shutting every brief case with aplomb.The plaintiffs of a new class action lawsuit against Spore's publisher, EA, could have found some use for our toothy objectors, as they've alleged that the game violates consumer law by including and installing SecuROM, the digital rights management software responsible for many an outraged gamer. The complaint, which seeks damages for trespass, interference and unfair competition, as well as disgorgement of unjust profits, claims that SecuROM is "secretly installed to the command and control center of the computer (Ring 0, or the Kernel), and surreptitiously operated, overseeing function and operation on the computer, preventing the computer from operating under certain circumstances and/or disrupting hardware operations."We're not sure how EA will respond to the complaint, but we can offer the company some advice, based on the weaknesses we surmised from our aquatic lawyers. Attack with really big space ships.[Via Gamespot]
Spore sells a million copies, 25 million entries in Sporepedia
What do you know, people actually did pay for Spore. EA recently announced that its DRM-riffic title Spore has sold one million copies worldwide across PC, Mac and DS platforms. The publisher also stated that 25 million creatures, vehicles and buildings have evolved in the Sporepedia.Not that there was any doubt that Spore would ever reach the million sold mark, but whether its "mile wide, inch deep" gameplay brings it The Sims level of success remains to be revealed.
SporeTV podcast now available on iTunes
By now, most of you have already made it to the Civilization Stage in Spore (or maybe you are enjoying the beginning stages on Spore for iPhone). Either way, you might like to know more about the universe simulation game that you're spending so much time with. The SporeTV podcast (now available in iTunes) hopes to satisfy your tastes as the creator, Will Wright, explains the basis of the game and a little history behind it. You can subscribe to the podcast by visiting the iTunes podcast page. We hope there's more videos to come!
Counting Rupees: Day of Crisis
Each week Jeff Engel and Geoff Brooks contribute Counting Rupees, a column on the business behind gaming: One of the issues I've been talking a lot about recently has been the concept of crisis management – how companies respond to problems that may impact their relationship with consumers. Crises don't need to be big to matter; even relatively minor issues can grow big enough to cause headaches. And so it was instructive to see the brouhaha over Spore's DRM, and how EA responded. For those who don't remember the issue, the basic problem was that Spore limited the number of installations allowed per user as well as the number of user accounts per game copy. I'm not particularly interested in debating whether or not this was a good idea (I'm opposed), but am very interested in talking about how EA responded as concerns began to bubble up from the internet. So, how did EA do?
Raptr tracks you and your friends' WoW progress, plus more
If you're the type of person who loves to watch (re: stalk) their friends and Twitter just isn't doing it for you, then check out the Raptr beta. This nifty social networking site focuses on gaming and will track your activity over a plethora of platforms and games such as Steam, Xbox Live, Spore and of course World of Warcraft. Now you can gloat about your blue "Pants of Sundering Sauce" even when you're out of the game! If you decide to install the Raptr client it will check on all your PC games and download new updates for them, which is wonderful as we love anything that makes updating our games easier.With the recent addition of Spore updates to the service, we're hoping that Warhammer Online will get some love from the folks at Raptr as well. How cool would it be if Raptr updated your page as you won Scenarios or captured an enemy stronghold?
Spore gets its first patch
If any sort of parallel can be drawn between Spore and the creatures you foster into civilization within its digital confines, then we've reached a very proud moment. After it emerged from the development seas, wobbling on two spindly legs, Spore has now gone through its first evolution, thanks to a recently released patch that should help the fledgling game walk just a bit straighter.There's a bevy of changes, from a difficulty increase in the game's first half and a decrease of random attacks on your home planet during the Space stage. Read all about Spore's evolutionary step right here. The patch is available via BigDownload.
Zero Punctuation is unimpressed with Spore
Oh come now, don't look so surprised, you had to know this was coming. After Will Wright spent a stone cold decade building his delicate sand castle of simulated life, did you really think Yahtzee would be able to resist letting his editorial foot careen through the spires, coating young Will's glasses in sand and tears? Of course not.Yahtzee reiterates most of the complaints about Spore you've heard from reviewers already, but at least he does it a lot more entertainingly than most of them. Check it out after the break.
The Best of Big Download: September 15-21
It's been another busy week for news, downloads and original features at the PC Big Download site. We've got reviews of two highly anticipated PC exclusive games, a preview of an unusual MMO, our detailed look at the space stage in Spore and lots more.Exclusive Features Reviews: We have our final reviews of two major PC titles: The Witcher Enhanced Edition and Crysis Warhead along with the last review (for a while) of the latest American McGee's Grimm episode as well as Episode 2 of Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People. Spore: Our detailed look at Will Wright's latest game ends this week with a multi-part look at the space portion of the alien evolution game. Check out Being Julius Caesar, Being The East India Company, Being Henry Kissinger, Being John Smith and Being Francis Drake. BigVersus: It's our weirdest entry in our column comparing games as we compare the PC version of Spore to the DS game Spore Creatures and the iPhone title Spore Origins. Previews: We go hands-on with FusionFall, an upcoming free browser based MMO based on the Cartoon Network universe of characters. MODMonday: We begin a multi-part look at the best mods for Max Payne with a look at True Matrix. MacMonday: Our latest look at Macintosh games has a review of the top down shooter (with an odd graphics style) SketchFighter 4000 Alpha. Independent Minds: Our look into the Indie game scene takes a look at how developers can market their creations. Big Ideas: Our column that looks at the big ideas in games takes a look this week at adaptations and how games translate into other entertainment mediumsand vice versa. Alt-Tab: Our feature gallery this week takes a look at why we should take a gander at Warhammer Online. Freeware Friday: Our weekly look at free PC games examines the music title Frets on Fire. BigCast: Our weekly podcast interviews (and says a sad goodbye) to our now former Big Download producer Barb Dybwad as well as other topics.
Law of the Game on Joystiq: Rare footage of the DRM in its natural habitat
Each week Mark Methenitis contributes Law of the Game on Joystiq, a column on legal issues as they relate to video games: Digital Rights Management (or "DRM" for short) is back in the news in a big way with the recent Spore fiasco. DRM, much like a Spore creature, is a quirky animal, with legs of technology, a torso of law, and arms of business, but it doesn't always have a head on its shoulders. But like so many other things that potentially put consumers and producers at odds, the viewpoints on DRM are extremely polarized with almost no middle ground. So this week I wanted to take a look at DRM, why it exists from a legal and economic viewpoint, and most importantly, try to get hold of that slippery middle ground.Thinking back to the days of the floppy disk, piracy wasn't yet an overwhelming concern. Yes, it was easy to bypass the write protection on a floppy, but without an internet, you had to find someone who had an existing copy in real life. For the majority of the population, this wasn't an option. Then we entered the initial CD-ROM phase, and at the time, the CD-ROM was a pretty secure media. The idea of a low cost home CD burner and blank CDs were years off, and the Internet was still in its infancy, so CDs were pretty safe from piracy well into the 1990s. It was the proliferation of CD burners, high speed internet connections, and peer to peer file sharing (Hi Napster!) that made software license security a big issue for all software companies in the late 1990s, and things haven't slowed down since.
Spore will allow more than one user per account
Even after the initial buzz has faded, Spore's DRM issues live on. One problem was the inability to have multiple accounts for the game, despite the the manual saying otherwise. EA Producer Lucy Bradshaw writes on the game's official forum, called the Sporum, that users will still have one account, but they'll be able to add five Spore screen names to that account.These screen names will have separate entries in the Sporepedia, along with their own buddy lists and achievements. It's good to see Maxis and EA loosening its iron grip a little. Moments like this seem appropriate for quoting Princess Leia: "The more you tighten your grip ... the more star systems will slip through your fingers."[Via Big Download]
Spore census results: Editors, Creatures and Space loved, Tribal loathed
Last week we asked you, dear reader, to tell us what precisely you liked did not like about Will Wright's "SimEverything" Spore (now also known as a beacon of DRM debate). The results are in, and overwhelmingly Space and Creature phases were voted as favorites, while conversely, the Tribal phase was voted least favorite. We also took the average score, from 1 to 5, as voted on each individual phase and the editors, and the editors were by and large ranked highest (4.37 out of 5), with Creature phase and Cell phase following behind it (3.72 and 3.51, respectively). The Civilization phase had 3.08, while the Tribal phase earned low marks at 2.26 out of 5.As for the editors themselves, the Creature / Outfitter mode ranked much higher than the others, with 68.6% of respondents reporting it as their favorite. Conversely, the building editor was voted "least favorite" by almost identical margins (67.75%). Read on for the full semi-statistical breakdown.
Spore creatures join anti-DRM protest
Not content with authoring scathing reviews on Amazon, several gamers outraged by EA's approach to DRM in Will Wright's everything sim, Spore, have decided to evolve their line of protest. GameCulture has dug up several amusing, user-created creatures from the game's galaxy, all of them brandishing rather unsubtle traits -- despite lacking traditional faces, it's clear that they frown upon the game's three-install limit.Regardless of your thoughts on the whole matter, we're pleased to see the promise of user-generated content fulfilled in such an interesting, self-referential way.[Via GamePolitics]
DS Fanboy Interview: Griptonite's J.C. Connors on Spore Creatures and more
Spore has been much more than a game over the years - years! -- that we've been talking about it, and it's tough to produce a companion piece in the shadow of such an epic project. From the reception of Spore and the DS crony, it's sadly clear the two were destined to sink or swim together. But Spore Creatures deserves its own time in the sun, despite what you may have heard; for a handheld title, it's certainly ambitious, and the amazing development team at Griptonite Games has done more with less. Griptonite Games has worn several nametags in the past few years. When last we spoke with them, they were Amaze Entertainment, and their own identity as Griptonite was shelved. Now, Amaze is a part of Foundation 9 and the Griptonite name has been dusted off. In all the chaos of nomenclature, one thing has remained a constant: this little corner of the development world has been responsible for some real gems. We recently sat down with studio head J.C. Connors to discuss Spore Creatures, our Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night (GBA) withdrawals, and the unexpected excellence of Disney Friends (yeah, man, Disney Friends).DS Fanboy: Spore Creatures is an interesting companion to the main title. What can you tell us about the best aspects of the DS game?J.C. Connors: Hands down, the creature creator. It's one of the coolest features ever seen on the DS. Gallery: Spore Creatures #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; } NEXT >>
BigDownload has 'Ten Reasons to Avoid Spore'
Ten reasons to read "Ten Reasons to Avoid Spore", a recent feature on BigDownload: Because you want to read an even-handed look at the game's flaws before deciding whether or not it's worth a purchase. Because it's presented in visually pleasing Gallery-o-vision. Because you're Will Wright, and you enjoy criticizing your latest game's criticisms. Because it was written by gaming industry newcomer, Perez Hilton. Because BigDownload is totally wrong and you can't wait to inform them of this in their comments. Because you've already installed and removed the game three times, so you've got nothing better to do. Because we were joking about it being written by Perez Hilton. Because it has pictures. Big, beautiful pictures. Because we asked you very nicely to read it, and it's our birthday. Because you appreciate literature that criticizes a game you believe was crafted by Beelzebub. Gallery: 10 Reasons to Avoid Spore
The Best of Big Download: September 8-14
Spore, Spore, Spore and did we mention Spore? Yep we were all over this past week's release of the long awaited game at Big Download but we did talk about some other things as well. Let's check out the past week's highlights at the PC gaming site:Exclusive Features Spore: We have our official review of Will Wright's alien evolution sim along with more detailed looks at various stages of the game (Cell, Creature, Tribal, Civilization, and the first portions of Space) and our controversial gallery feature 10 Reasons to Avoid Spore. Reviews: We have reviews of the PC version of Mercenaries 2 along with the latest Amercian McGee's Grimm episode and a review of the Wiimote-like PC game controller Stix 200 from GoLive2 Previews: We have another (and somewhat unusual) hands-on preview of Champions Online along with an eyes-on preview of Velvet Assassin. MacMonday: Our weekly look at Mac games takes a gander at the top down arcade shooter Wingnuts 2. MODMonday: Our weekly game mod column returns with a look at the Diablo II total conversion Back to Hellfire. Big Ideas: Our weekly look at gaming themes takes a look at mature content in games. Alt-Tab: This week's feature gallery is all about the undead in PC games...and we aren't talking about just zombies. Indie Showcase: It's the weekly column with a look at the best from the independent PC game scene. Freeware Friday: This week's free PC game getting the spotlight is the odd action-platformer puzzle title Iji. BigCast: It's our weekly podcast as the team reflects on PAX 2008 and more.
