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EA Confirms 'Early 2019' Release, Claims It's Not a Delay, Also Posts Nearly $200M Loss in Q3 2017 -
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
EA Confirms 'Early 2019' Release, Claims It's Not a Delay, Also Posts Nearly $200M Loss in Q3 2017 - Anthem - MMORPG.com
Anthem News - Earlier today, EA told the Wall Street Journal that BioWare's Anthem will be coming out in early 2019. EA's Blake Jorgensen told the WSJ, "It's not a delay. People are trying to create a story." However, from the start, BioWare and EA said that Anthem would be released in fall 2018. If that's not a delay, we don't know what is.
Comments
I dont think it has anything to do with that I think the game just honestly needs time for them to fully flesh it out. Its clear they are trying to do something pretty big with Anthem so the more time they take the better
In other EA news they just announced they are bringing everyone's beloved Micro transactions back to BF2 in the next couple months! I cant wait to see what they plan to do, all I know is I will have my popcorn ready!
Does anyone need to read more than that to understand that AAA gaming is now first and foremost a corporate concern?
Yup. Or the Wall Street Journal is where Americas Gaming community and EA's diehard fanbase is.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I don't think they are rushing them at all. When you July,2018 comes around the game will have been in development for 6 years. Which really shows how much patience EA has for this project and why the pressure is on for it to be successful.
https://www.gamepur.com/news/27149-anthem-genre-revealed.html
Titan Mode was the shit! I miss that game as well.
AAA game development has always been a corporate concern with the amount of money it can generate. The problem is that business executives don't always understand that the quality of the game and the loyalty of the fanbase (also known as customer retention in the business world) are usually what drives the bottom line in AAA development.
mmorpg junkie since 1999
Rather depends on your definition of a corporation. Back in the day the likes of Turbine and Origin Systems were not corporations. I do not think all gaming publishers were strictly speaking. Over the last 20 years we have seen their growth into corporations or being bought out by corporations.
Here in the States most businesses incorporate as it can shield the owners personal assets from being seized in case of litigation.
I attempted to start my own business twice, and formed Corporations both times.
But I understand what you are saying, Origin incorporated with Richard and 3 family members, not the same thing at all as Electronic Arts is today.
Might surprise you to know EA was started by Trip Hawkins as a small corporation like Origin, but it grew an entirely different way as businessmen took it over.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
More like, now Gamblefront Casino II blew up in their faces, they now have to manically re-develop Anthem and as such push the release of this game to 2019!
It's pretty obvious Anthem was developed in exact same way as Battlefront II and you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out.
Fair one, but Hawkins was no surprise, I mentioned him in a recent post. What I should have said is this is about the nature of what those business/corporations were and what they have become. Becoming a corporation at start up for legal reasons is not the same as what being one would later mean for those companies.
Flat year on year growth, with $186m loss in Q3. Means they must have had a good first two quarters to balance out that massive loss. Is that loss due to SWBF2? Is it a more general, overall downturn in revenue due to loss in reputation? Did they get fined by Disney? Are their costs just going up as they ramp up Anthem development or new Battlefield development?
I really want to feel smug about this news as I despise EA, but not enough information available.
"First, we gave fans the most comprehensive look to date at our FY18 titles, including Star Wars Battlefront II, FIFA 18, Need for Speed Payback, Madden NFL 18, NBA LIVE 18, a new EA Originals title in A Way Out, and our stunning new IP, Anthem"
They hadn't, however, included it in their slate of title launches for FY2018.
And by the time their Q2 results were released - c. 3 months ago - it had moved to FY2019 - quote:
"The core of our fiscal 2019 is a full slate of sports titles and their associated live services, plus
new live services from Star Wars Battlefront II. We will add the next Battlefield game, and move
into the action genre with Anthem."
So very much a non-story.
There is phasing going on which can be seen by looking at what they predicted e.g. in Q2 for Q3. (OK that is only 3 months but you can look back at Q1 and even the previous Q4).
If you do you see that the Q3results are better than predicted e.g.
Net revenue was higher than expected ($1,160M vs. $1,135M)
Operating costs were lower than expected ($690M vs. $680M)
The headline number is not - however - what they predicted but this - based on what they reported - is due to the impact of the "tax reform" stuff.
And it seems to be a one off as it hasn't impacted their underlying predictions for the end of the year. They haven't changed the end of year guidance they gave in Q2 when they actually increased it slightly based on what they were saying in Q1, Q4 etc.
So you are right to not feel smug! Despising them though? Basically EA produce sports games on console in particular (e.g. FIFA 42M players on console) along with BattleField and The Sims.
And in "EA Originals" I think they are doing something that should be applauded: funding independent studios who will get all the profit. (OK you could say this is EA pulling out of making games!)
To quote EA however:
"During the fourth quarter, we will also launch the first two games from our EA Originals program,
Fe and A Way Out. As you’ll remember, we started EA Originals with a commitment to help
independent developers bring unique and memorable games to the world. We can’t wait to see
fans come out and support these deeply-talented creators and the ideas they have brought to
life in these games."
And here are a couple of links about Fe and A Way Out. Funded by EA but not EA games.
https://www.polygon.com/e3/2016/6/12/11915090/ea-originals-fe-zoink-games
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-06-10-ea-originals-program-continues-with-a-way-out
Oh and "A Way Out" was vaguely floated for early 2018 as well. Big news (not) small studio is late to deliver!
Crazkanuk
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