Peter Jackson displeased with EA's LOTR games

by Conrad Quilty-Harper { Oct 27th 2005 at 6:00PM }

Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson Peter Jackson, director of the Lord of the Rings series of films, has gone on the record as saying he "didn't like working with EA" on the Lord of the Rings games. Apparently this was the reason behind his decision to switch developers from EA to Ubisoft for the game version of his upcoming King Kong film.

This brings a new angle to Jackson's original public reasoning for switching to Ubisoft; that he liked their commercially unsuccessful, but critically acclaimed game Beyond Good and Evil. That's in contrast with the commercial success of the LOTR games, despite the general consensus in the gaming press that the games were nothing too special. It looks as if Jackson was more concerned with the games being fun and true to the LOTR universe than he was for the games to rake in as much money as possible.

Could it be true? Has the games industry finally met a director concerned with creating quality games based on films, rather than treating them merely as a way of grabbing some extra cash on the back of a new movie release? If so, then this man was surely the right choice for producing the Halo movie.

[Via digg]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

FiLDo @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

AMEN

FiLDo @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

AMEN

evilhedgehog @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

I think he is going to do an awesome job on Halo. Everything else he does is brilliant, and each film is even better than the last. Of course, once he does Halo, there will never be a better game movie done because it is Halo, but still ...

Trixie @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

Har Har - poopoo on you EA.

1up_clock @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

HA. I have always wanted to hear that EA is terrible from a celebrity. And it's a statement like that which makes me actually want to watch the Halo movie. Because that's what we need: a movie director who cares about the gamer.

elementus @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

In my personal opinion, the Halo games are by far over-rated. Don't get me wrong here. I enjoyed playing Halo for sure. It's a solid FPS game, but it brings nothing new to the scene and borrows heavilly from everything else. It was in no way revolutionary. It was just the best that the XBox had to offer and the hype took it from there.

My opinion, if you disagree with it, then that's good for you. Have your own opinion. However, remember that I'm allowed to have mine too.

As for Peter Jackson, I'm all in favor of the man. He seems to be the quality over quantity type of person.

stukadivebomber @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

EA sucks so much.

1up_clock @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

elementus

Exactly. However, I play the PC version, which is fun with online multiplayer (and some ridiculously overpowered weapons :[), but I only play it every now and then to relieve stress. Or to just have a good, simple fragfest. But yes, I think there's better out there.

is @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

surely no further evidence is needed to show that E.A. are awful, awful people? They sell you the same crappy franchise every year cos they bought the rights to have the 'official' names, sponsors etc in the sports games. WHY DO YOU KEEP FALLING FOR IT? STOP BUYING EA!

elgorino @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

Don't mean to nitpick but the gamerankings URL you link to is for a non-EA LoTR game, based on the books, not the films, and has nothing to do with either EA or Peter Jackson.

Willb3rg @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

elementus, you are the classiest Halo-unlover there is. I, personally, loved every second of the game. I've never before felt like I was IN a movie.

You thought it was nothing special, fair 'nuff; and weren't rude about it!

Isn't this how the real world was supposed to work?

Also, I agree that the LoTR games were average. For more average fun, try the Star Wars Ep 1 cruddy game!

JRM @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

he must mean the LOTR spinoffs right? or the EA games that were based on his rendition? because both the Twin Towers and ROTK were rated pretty highly. I don't see a reason to be upset with those two games.

The other ones though, needed some improvement.

theo @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

I have been boycotting EA for over a year and will never buy another EA game. Ubisoft on the other hand put a lot of thought into what they make - Splinter Cell 4 eva!!!!!!!!!!

elementus @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

BlackYoshi @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

Elementus: so what FPSes had vehicles as a main part before Halo? Or had a 2 gun only system, instead of "hold as many guns as you want in a magical bag". I guess CounterStrike? But that had buying weapons and was a lot different.

elementus @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

Starsiege: Tribes and Operation Flashpoint are the first ones that come to my mind as FPS games that had vehicles. While Starsiege: Tribes may not be a very well known game, it was very influential in what it introduced. I'd like to point out that it was released a full three years before Halo.

As I said before though, I'm not a Halo hater. I've spent quite a few nights playing that game with friends. I just think that the game is very over-rated. It's not a godsend, merely the best thing that the Xbox had to offer and we all know how a game can instantly become good because popularity dictates it to be so.

Let me use the Beatles as an example. I love them. I own every CD by them. But they are not Gods. I credit them with borrowing and bringing ideas to the mainstream, but I acknowledge that other bands do similiar things to them and they do them better than them.

This arguement is pointless though. You won't be able to change my opinion of Halo and I certainly won't be able to change the opinion of such a fan as you. Go ahead, enjoy the game. More power to you! You're allowed to enjoy the game. Just because I think it's over-rated doesn't mean that you shouldn't play the game.

SlapYoSelf @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

Halo may not have been revolutionary but it is the best console fps ever made. That alone is enough for me and obviously peter jackson.

I'm looking forward to this movie more then the spiderman 3.

elementus @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

Personally my favorite console FPS is Red Faction. Not enough people know about that game. I loved the ability to destroy pretty much anything, including walls/building structure. If you haven't played it, then I highly recommend it. :)

Pretty Obvious @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

Red Faction?? I do remember that game, had a few good elements to it like destructable buildings but I would never put that as one of the top console FPS's. Goldeneye was def better then that, and Halo blew Goldeneye out of the top spot. Well your def entitled to your own opinion.

funkonaut @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

LOTR:ROTK is a non-stop, balls-to-the-wall action game that is pretty awesome. I am NOT a fan of EA but I loved this game.

Dop @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

Let's see games of Jackson's earlier movies. A Braindead game would be cool!
Chopping down legions of zombies with a lawnmower, or kicking arse for the lord!

Sharoon @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

How does it matter whether Peter Jackson sticks with EA or switches to Ubisoft? EA has 20% ownership of Ubisoft, so they profit anyway. Looks like Peter Jackson is OWN3D too.

Josh @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

EA lost a bit of luster when they lost the nerf ball.

Yogarine @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

Ahhh... If only the Wachowski brothers where like him...

Yellow Texan @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

21.) I think the reason is not for financial reasons. It is for creative reasons. He wants to work with Michel Ancel (Rayman and Beyond Good and Evil) if you RTFA. :-)

"He said he wanted to work with Ubisoft producer Michel Ancel after having played the acclaimed but unpopular Beyond Good and Evil." - Gamespot

Levi @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

Here here #20. I hope the King Kong game turns out to be excellent. Then we may have hope in seeing Jackson's other movies turned into games. I want to see a Bad Taste game! "I'm coming to get you bastards!"

I also need to but in my two cents for the EA Return of the King game. I thought that it was one of the best EA games recently made, which was possibly due to the fact that Jackson worked closely with the development team for both of the EA LOTR games.

Carbon43 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:42PM

Elementus, wow! I like that you were so corteous in your dislike of Halo ;) I think I'll check out Red Faction, since I dig the whole destructable environments bit. I for one havent even finished Halo 2 cuz it gave me a headache. (Did they change the perspex???) On the other hand, I think Halo was a bar raiser. You are right, it wasnt revolutionary, but what it did do was pull all the previously executed ideas, technics, etc. and blend them (imho) perfectly. Apple isn't exaclty revolutionary all the time, but they are great at getting previously unsuccessful (but Potential laden) ideas to work brilliantly. I played the game on Apple b4 Bungie switched teams.