ItWasMeantToBe19
Banned
Respawn is probably the EA-adjacent studio in the most danger.
We'll see what happens with them I suppose.
We'll see what happens with them I suppose.
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EA shuts down Visceral, moves Star Wars game to EA Vancouver/others
- Thread starter DKHF
- Start date
Little Monser
Banned
yeah the general public aren't into single player games anymore :/
Joegrine_TT
Member
FTFY
In addition, The difference with that the season pass doesn't affect the main game.
Tal Shiar Agent
Member
There is a key difference though, the meat of those games, the reason people buy them, the singleplayer, is untouched by the GaaS multiplayer portion.
Okami Haundo
Member
Yeah... I hate the weird panic that people fall into around news like this.
Mass Effect
Member
Nintendo?
I would also say Bethesda, but who knows after this past year with Dishonored 2, Prey, and The Evil Within all bombing.
For how long though? Sounds like gaming as we know it is dead. SP for life.
Someone said that even Nintendo had gone GAAS with Splatoon 2. But Splatoon 2 is pretty much the perfect example of what a modern game can and should be, if it can't be single player focused.
-A single player mode totally untouched by microtransactions or any of the other online features. Totally traditional single player mode.
-A co-op mode that rotates elements in and out to keep it fresh (levels change, weapon load-outs change). No microtransactions.
-A suite of competitive modes free from pay 2 win or microtransactions, with free new weapons and levels to keep players engaged, as well as events every month to get people to pick the game back up in case they've dropped it.
If this was the future of games, I wouldn't mind. This is solid! Everything is covered. SP, Co-op, MP, and each is done well. Even if the singleplayer's prominence is reduced. It's the addition of money-extracting systems which ruin the experience, and that's where the problem lies as everyone is moving in this direction in order to implement those mechanics.
I highly doubt the new Star Wars game will be like Spaltoon 2.
-A single player mode totally untouched by microtransactions or any of the other online features. Totally traditional single player mode.
-A co-op mode that rotates elements in and out to keep it fresh (levels change, weapon load-outs change). No microtransactions.
-A suite of competitive modes free from pay 2 win or microtransactions, with free new weapons and levels to keep players engaged, as well as events every month to get people to pick the game back up in case they've dropped it.
If this was the future of games, I wouldn't mind. This is solid! Everything is covered. SP, Co-op, MP, and each is done well. Even if the singleplayer's prominence is reduced. It's the addition of money-extracting systems which ruin the experience, and that's where the problem lies as everyone is moving in this direction in order to implement those mechanics.
I highly doubt the new Star Wars game will be like Spaltoon 2.
I don't know if you're referring to Zelda (on two consoles) or Horizon or whatever, but first party games can afford to be loss leaders because they sell the platform, not just the game itself. They exist to create value for the system, driving consumers, so that the platform holders can get their sweet 30% or whatever commission from every third party game sold on their system.
RadioactiveLobster
Member
Included the corpse of BioWare because reasons...
MegaSackman
Member
Well, you have Nintendo's old ips doing fantastic, Horizon Zero Dawn as a new IP, some japanese games doing great too like Nier Automata, Hellblade was a top seller.
It's not all doom and gloom but... yeah, it's on the brink I guess...
Theslammer
Member
That seems like a lot of caveats to make the point of single-player "dying." Optional loot boxes that I don't have to collect, for example, isn't much of a concern for me when I'm playing a game, single-player or not. The Shadow of War loot boxes aren't much of a concern to me, for example. That it's open-world doesn't bother me (I've loved open-world since I first played Pirates!), and whether it's first party or not isn't much of a concern as long as it's quality. So by and large, single-player is quite abundant, and the money I've spent this year on it, plus look to spend next year, is staggering.
I wouldn't disagree that many AAA publishers are chasing multiplayer games such as Overwatch or Anthem. But there was a time where many were chasing the platformer, or chasing GTA clones, or chasing Halo clones, or chasing motion controls (how many people thought we'd be stuck with nothing but Kinect-like games around 2010). And many huge games, such as Halo or Gears or Goldeneye or Starcraft, supported multiplayer content that ended up being what gamers played for years on end. This just seems like another change in the multiplayer arena, but hardly a shift so massive that single-player games are done, especially with the amount of developers creating games in all spheres. Whether I'm playing an Uncharted or a Sonic Mania (which is neither indie nor AAA), if it's a good single-player experience, then great.
Respawn is working on a SW game, Motive studio too. BioWare has the MMO to work on, and that's it.
At least 3-5 Sw games are coming from EA until 2024. Oh yes and maybe Battlefront 3 in 2019.
MrS
Banned
Don't lament a game that never existed.
Mario Kart 8 was that on the Wii U, with DLC and cosmetic microtransactions (Amibo).
Not so much on Switch, since all it's content is there from the start.
ginger ninja
Banned
One more reason to not buy battlefront 2.
Spyder_Monkey
Banned
Little Monser;252310595 said:
Yes they are.
Literally every game coming out now qualifies as games as a service. From witcher 3 to overwatch. Games that are constantly updated with new gameplay changes, modes, items and DLC. I personally enjoy GaaS more than one and done single player experiences and they are often played more and sell more by the masses. Some of the highest selling games of the year (Ghost Recon and injustice 2) are GaaS.
Alex_Mexico
Member
Everytime I heard about a new Star Wars game that underwhelmed me I kept thinking "gee I can't wait to see what Amy Henning and Viceral have been working on for the past 4 years!" I guess fuck me for wanting a single player focused narrative driven SW game right? Turn it into fucking MOBA with loot boxes now for all I care.
Such a shame.
Such a shame.
facetheslayer92
Member
Yeah its a shame. Dead Space 2 is textbook how you make a great survival horror game.
Tal Shiar Agent
Member
No.
They are singleplayer games with a distinct, separate service driven multiplayer. GaaS is like Destiny, PUBG, Shadow of Mordor, etc.
I'm mad they are closing down a studio.
But do you not see spending a lot of money to make a short, linear game just isn't very fruitful these days?
I can't blame them for wanting player retention and having people have long term interest in their game and spending money.
Our only hope is lower cost Hellblade style singleplayer games
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
Everything I read about Hennig's Star Wars game honestly sounded awful. Obviously it sucks Visceral is no more but... they must have been doing REAL bad on that game we have seen nothing of for years. Bad Uncharted 3, fail Uncharted 4, now this. That's a real bad run for Amy Hennig.
Its absurd Battlefront 2's no doubt anemic campaign is going to be THE ONLY single player content they've made in years. Years into a 10 year only license. EA management must be an absolute shitshow.
Wish we'd got 1313 way back when.
Its absurd Battlefront 2's no doubt anemic campaign is going to be THE ONLY single player content they've made in years. Years into a 10 year only license. EA management must be an absolute shitshow.
Wish we'd got 1313 way back when.
Elvin Atombender
Member
Damn!
Dead Space 1-2 showed that they could make great games! It feels like they have been forced to make games that didn't use their strengths after that.
Dead Space 1-2 showed that they could make great games! It feels like they have been forced to make games that didn't use their strengths after that.
prag16
Banned
Yeeep. This x1000.
Like what? We have barely any info on it. Unless you have inside info or something.
DLC/Season pass.
D
Deleted member 80556
Unconfirmed Member
FUCK YOU EA. I wanted just one fucking singleplayer SW game. I'm so glad I'm skipping BF2.
Obliterator
Member
I never said single player is dying.
I said linear story based single player focused games are dead. And they are.
Go back 5 years ago and those games were everywhere. They essentially don't exist anymore in the current market
Open world is the only way you can still sell that sort of concept
badcrumble
Member
in that it has in-game purchases whatsoever? i'm confused
nelsonroyale
Member
EA really are the worst publisher.
GaaS are those games. Like Siege, Uncharted 4, AC: Origins.
Horizon has had tons of free updates that made the game better. Added modes in order to keep people going back to it. You may view it as something different
but it's entirely a GaaS model.
Actually, that's incorrect.
What's your opinion on nba 2k18, injustice 2 and ghost recon? Just curious.
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
CEJames
Member
Does the number have to be THAT high in order for it to continue? Why can't it just be 3 to 5 million sold?
Then again, If I remember correctly, EA considers anything below 5 million a failure....wtf.
Darth Smurf X
Member
Ugh. Really?
Sony can sell millions of copies of Uncharted, The Last of Us, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last Guardian (maybe) and other single-player, story-focused games. So why does EA think there is no market for that? I dont get it. Just because Mass Effect Andromeda was rushed out the door and full of glitches, that is not OUR fault. Had the game cooked a little longer and NOT been released alongside Zelda and Horizon and full of glitches, the sales wouldnt have tanked, EA.
Sony can sell millions of copies of Uncharted, The Last of Us, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last Guardian (maybe) and other single-player, story-focused games. So why does EA think there is no market for that? I dont get it. Just because Mass Effect Andromeda was rushed out the door and full of glitches, that is not OUR fault. Had the game cooked a little longer and NOT been released alongside Zelda and Horizon and full of glitches, the sales wouldnt have tanked, EA.
vinnygambini
Why are strippers at the U.N. bad when they're great at strip clubs???
The Disney model is licensing, so we may have another publisher tackle Star Wars, but it'll never be an in-house Disney production. That died when Bob Iger shut down Disney Interactive Studios in 2016.
Elfstar
Member
Didn't Mario Kart 8 on Wii U have at least a couple of dlcs? That alone makes it a game-as-a-service.
SiegfriedFM
Member
It's such a shame the way the industry is heading. Linear, story driven, adventure games are my favourite type of games! There were so many great games like that last gen, but they are getting fewer and fewer
Meanwhile, a brand new industry is growing up from indies with all the linear, story driven adventure games you could ask for. Obviously not with pretty shiny AAA graphics, but that's what killed them to begin with.
GabeTheGrouch76
Member
Damn, Jim Sterling called it months / years ago. He'll probably be working on a new Jimquisition about it asap.
And yeah, Dead Space 4 definitely ain't happening now.
Another EA studio destroyed thanks to EA's incompetence.
And yeah, Dead Space 4 definitely ain't happening now.
Another EA studio destroyed thanks to EA's incompetence.
Gormless Noodle
Member
By the way, is there any reason why EA never SELLS these companies? Like if they're not going to do anything with these guys anymore I don't really see why they're never up for sale or just let go but EA retains all IP rights (not that they even do much with those anyway) or something to that effect. They always just go straight into the trashcan.
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