Spielberg to design 3 new games for EA

by Vladimir Cole { Oct 14th 2005 at 3:45AM }

Spielberg envisions making a game THIS BIG Electronic Arts will be paying Steven Spielberg to "shape the concept, story and visual appearance" of three brand-spanking-new games, according to this morning's Wall Street Journal. There's no mention of what game ideas might already be twirling around in Spielberg's noggin, but the games are probably still a couple years away at this point.

We're hopeful that this combination of the world's biggest director and the world's biggest game publisher will mean three amazing new titles with epic scope and the emotional appeal of some of Spielberg's better efforts. Could this sort of relationship herald the beginnings of a new bifurcation in the games industry? Spielberg's name on a game will help EA market the title and will perhaps decrease mainstream player appetites for titles without the name of a top-tier director on the box.

To put it another way, are today's top games designers about to be shoved to the bargain bin in favor of games designed by carpetbaggers from Hollywood?

[Thanks, Brandon.]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Paul Gale @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

This is certainly an interesting new announcement, and I applaud you for being so quick to publish it. If Steven Spielberg needs assistance from a fellow Eagle Scout, then let him know, "Paul Gale is ready for the job"! It'd be truly great to lend my martial arts background for a videogame through motion capturing. I'm looking forward to more on this story.

weaszel @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

[insert generic obnoxious, self-important comment here]

Osiris @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Spielburg yes, EA no.
It isnt that EA are incapable, with the amount of money they have they can do anything, but they dont go all the way and put as much effort into their games as companies such as Nintendo, Blizzard, Bungie, Konami etc

Qubit @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Will EA fire him before he's finished so that they can get a cheaper director to finish the games up? ^^

Oh, I loved EA's Betafield 2, let me know when they get it out of beta stage and working on most computers.

I'm biased against EA ._. but I'm interested in seeing if that sort of combination actually produces a game better than anything ever created... ... ...

SetupWeasel @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

This first thing I think of is "E.T. the Extra Terrestrial"

No good can come of this. Expect a linear game with plenty of sappy melodrama capped off with a forced happy ending to please the focus groups. He is the second most over-rated director.

The first?

http://www.ministry-of-fun.com/comic/comic035.htm

Jago @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Oh cool...3 more games for EA to screw up. Someone should show Spielberg the reviews of EA's recent titles...I bet it'd change his mind real quick.

Berklee @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Anyone remember The Dig?

zazzawazza @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

So SS is back for more?

Uncle Steve gave up on Dreamworks ages ago, guess he didn't think it was worth it, now he's back for more eh?

EA owns what used to be Dreamworks Interactive.

There must be some connection somewhere, The Dig? great game, but it bombed, The Neverhood? also not bad, also bombed.

Will the first game be "Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair 2"?

soco @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

too bad there haven't been any good spielberg movies in a very long time.

i think this could provide some interesting experiements if EA actually listens and doesn't work him 80 hours a week ;) seriously though, some ideas from people who don't generally make games could be a good thing. especially from a director with some knowledge because, let's face it, nearly all video games cinematic sequences are dry and robotic.

OTAM @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Spielberg's latest movies have been the same as Madden,overdone,boring,and nothing new.

Really though,I know this is kinda off topic,but I was talking to my girlfriend earlier about this. What is in Madden that people keep buying it for? What BIG changes are made to the game EVERY year to deem it necissary to make a new one? Isnt it just a roster update and features ripped off of games that were better?

Chris @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Berklee: You beat me to it :( That is one of my favorite games of all time (like most of the LucasArts adventure titles really, but that George/Steven collaboration was top class)

Azerael @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

The Sims 2: At the Movies

They are preying on the poor man, he's probably never played a game in his life, so would have no notion of EA's craptastic reputation.

DG @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

I think a game based on War of the Worlds with a totally different ending would be a lot of fun. I think Speilberg could help design the right atmosphere and there is a lot to work with in that film. You could drive your minivan through large crowds, beat Tim Robbins to death, get sucked up into alien spaceships, and slap your son around a bit. Sounds like fun to me.

WizarDru @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Hmmm. Let's see, now:

War of the Worlds: (rottentomatoes score: 72%)
Catch me if you can (rottentomatoes score:96%)
The Terminal (rt score: 62%)
Minority Report (rt score:92%)
A.I. (rt score: 74%)
Saving Private Ryan (RT Score: 97%)
Amistad (rt score: 83%)

Apparently most reviewers wouldn't agree with Spielberg being overrated. Even a film like the terminal made $211 million. You may not like him, but plenty of folks do. I remember the Dig with a lot of fondness; maybe Spielberg can get some good adventure games made.

This hardly will lead to some mass exodus of movie people into the video game industry. They've tried that before, and discovered that they're not really very good at it, by themselves.

arraksman @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

The only Spielberg movies I can think that was made into games are ET and Jaws. Both are considered the worst games of their time.

Tim @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

arraksman said..The only Spielberg movies I can think that was made into games are ET and Jaws. Both are considered the worst games of their time

Hmmm... guess you never played 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' then on the Atari 2600.. an awful game that's right up there with 'E.T.'

toadie

Walker @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

I can't wait for Michael Bay, Jerry Bruckheimer, and James Cameron to start making video games.

delerious @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

I'd play a game based on The Terminal. It was pretty funny. I mean, just play your way out of the airport, BRILLIANT!

GlitchCog @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

He can make a first person shooter where you replace your guns with flightlights just like the cops in the ET remake! Oh, wait. Crap, that's Doom 3.

JJ @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Don't forget Steven Spielberg Presents Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose! (That was actually a fun game, because all those Capcom/Konami licensed properties were actually well-made back then (Ducktales))

There's a difference between Spielberg movies being made into games (like the idiot above who talked about Jaws and E.T. games) and Mr. Spielberg actually designing games. If you pair him with a game designer with innovative, good ideas, I don't see how what might come out wouldn't be able to compete with the best of what Japan has to offer. Unless, of course, he phones it in for the paycheck, but that's what I'd expect out of Lucas, not Spielberg.

Andy S. @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

Ugh. That's just what the industry needs, a huge injection of cloying, drivelly schlock. The man ruined the end of _A.I.: Artificial Intelligence_ by shoehorning in a steaming pile of dolphins, mother-child cooing, and benevolent aliens. I can't wait to see how he'll bone the games he works on.

Then again, maybe it all makes sense. Gamers would revolt or find other hobbies if games became as lame as most of the crap that comes out of Hollywood. Perhaps, then, Jack Thompson is behind this? :)

Cem @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

I think this is a troublesome development. Making games the Hollywood way is not going to deliver us innovative games.

Jonathan Underwood @ Dec 18th 2005 9:07PM

at least tom hanks wasn't mentioned with in the release or we might just see three more wwii games.

I'm actually looking forward to this. I would like to see more games be it FPS or action/adventure to be more cinematic like halo or kotor.... hmm maybe spielberg can live out his star wars fantasy now.