EA Games president Frank Gibeau has told Develop that the licensing deals involved in the development of movie-based games are going the "wrong way" for publishers. He described the movie-game business as "falling apart," with returns on investment often failing to justify the costs involved in securing popular properties for a video game.
According to Gibeau, EA considers itself better off working on its own IP like Dead Space, rather than spending it on something with the creative limitations like the James Bond series (a license now held by rival Activision). "The days of licensed-based, 75-rated games copies are dead like the dinosaur," the executive said.
Well, that's something we can agree on -- the days of 37-rated movie-based games has dawned, as evidenced recently by EA Bright Light's abysmal Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.
If you can point to one attribute responsible for the worldwide success of the Harry Potter franchise, it's that it works on several levels. Whether you're an adult or child, softy or stoic, you're bound to find something in the books that speaks to you.
In a twisted reflection, EA Bright Light's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 manages to fail on many, many levels. No matter what you may be willing to forgive, rest assured, Hallows has already found several other ways to skirt competence.
EA has what it deems to be an "epic" trailer for its Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 video game. More like: Harry Potter and the Revolving Door of Blastable Bad Guys: Part Pew-pew-pew
#ea
The next Harry Potter game is a darker third-person magic-shooter with a cover system. No chainsaws in this game. But it sounds like even the people making Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 sense an overstep here. More »
Some die-hard Harry Potter fans are taking issue with EA’s game version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. According to Potter aficionados, Harry isn’t one to use the ‘Cruciatus Curse’ spell in the series of books, as this is used by more sinister characters. In the game, Harry uses this [...]
