DICE 2009: EA announces American McGee's Alice 2 [update]
by JC Fletcher 
{ Feb 19th 2009 at 3:40PM } 
According to a tweet from Geoff Keighley from the ongoing DICE summit, EA CEO John Riccitiello has just revealed a sequel to American McGee's Alice, coming soon. Details are slim -- in fact, we just told you all of them right now -- but we can assume that Alice 2 will have American McGee's name on the cover, and will probably be another third-person action game that takes elements from the Alice in Wonderland story and makes them all edgy and gothy. We will pass along actual (i.e. non-conjectured) information as soon as it is available.
Update: While we've never known Keighley to not be a man of his word, official evidence is always welcome. EA adds that the Alice sequel is in development for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 by American McGee's Spicy Horse studio. Says EA Partners GM David DeMartini: "EA Partners is ready to help [American McGee] bring his innovative vision for the franchise to even darker, more exciting places."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
joeybeast @ Feb 19th 2009 3:44PM
No WAY
Duke @ Feb 19th 2009 4:13PM
Way!
Ryoga Vee @ Feb 19th 2009 6:15PM
I don't buy it, when i was working for EA the word on campus was that they would NEVER work with American MeGee again.
Malkmus @ Feb 20th 2009 12:28AM
@Ryoga Vee
There's nothing for you to "buy". This isn't a rumor or speculation. It's confirmed by EA themselves. So it is, in fact, happening.
bigsofty @ Feb 20th 2009 10:00AM
American McGee, shit brand name usually equates to a shit product... AVOID!
Courtney @ Feb 19th 2009 3:44PM
Cool, I rather enjoyed the first one, though I never finished it. Got distracted by something else part way through. Pretty sure that I still have it lying around somewhere.
Should look freaking awesome on current gen hardware.
Guibs @ Feb 19th 2009 4:16PM
Same. I enjoyed it a lot but for some reason never finished it. Still have the disk here somewhere so maybe one day I'll take time to install it and finish it.
redrum.and.coke @ Feb 19th 2009 6:59PM
I bought Alice back when I was in college and only got about halfway through before finals intruded. I forgot to go back and finish it during the summer for some reason (alcohol is a likely culprit).
However, just this past October, I was in the mood to play something creepy and dug the game out, started it over, and finally finished it. It was enjoyable and well worth it. I highly recommend you two finish it so you'll be prepared for the sequel.
Before you start the game, be sure to go into your graphics cards settings and force anti-aliasing to get rid of the jaggies, as those older games didn't have anti-aliasing in the in-game graphic options. Other than that, the game is still visually impressive even after all this time. This is mainly due to the really creative level design.
Neuromancer @ Feb 19th 2009 3:46PM
What, no Bad Day L.A. 2?!
endofwor1d @ Feb 19th 2009 3:49PM
I can't wait. I loved the first one. The art direction really made the game for me. Hopefully it delivers though. I'm a bit hesitant to get overly hyped given American McGee's track record as of late.
SageXaero @ Feb 19th 2009 3:52PM
Color me excited. But an American McGee's Oz would have been better news
Cyro @ Feb 19th 2009 3:56PM
I loved the First one. Loved the atmosphere.
Can't wait!
George McBain @ Feb 19th 2009 3:56PM
Freakin' awesome, can't wait
DBuck_Eye @ Feb 19th 2009 3:59PM
Does anyone outside of the gaming community even know who American Magee is? Why does he deserve to have his named plastered on all the crap he puts out?
Neuromancer @ Feb 19th 2009 4:07PM
Because he's got a huge ego.
Pretty bad when you consider game designers with 100x the talent don't put their names in the titles.
Dingermann @ Feb 19th 2009 4:07PM
The fact that you misspelled his last name is probably proof that he shouldn't.
But that never stopped Sid Meier
J.Goodwin @ Feb 19th 2009 4:15PM
I assume that most people inside the gaming community don't know why American McGee was originally noteworthy (hint, he worked at id). I seem to recall an interview where he noted that it was not his idea to put his name on the box of the first "American McGee's X" game, but that it was basically the thing he had to concede to to get the game published at all.
Courtney @ Feb 19th 2009 4:40PM
I've always assumed this has to do with how his name looks and sounds. If his name was Ryan McFleure, I somehow doubt we would have ended up with Ryan McFleure's Alice. Just doesn't have quite the same ring.
WiredKnight @ Feb 19th 2009 4:46PM
@dingermann
Yea, but Sid Meier's an incredible designer. If anyone deserves to have their names on the covers, he does.
Mischa @ Feb 19th 2009 5:10PM
RE: Neuromancer
No no no, it's not about ego, it's about publishing. Listen to the GFW radio GDC podcast for 02/22/08:
http://www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3148397
He talks about his name being on the boxes for games specifically, and introduces the show hilariously.
You should also just listen to it because those GDC episodes last year were fantastic.
Freeze @ Feb 19th 2009 5:08PM
Hey DBuck_Eye posted: "Does anyone outside of the gaming community even know who American Magee is? Why does he deserve to have his named plastered on all the crap he puts out?"
Hey tell that to Tyler Perry. But a lot of his movies isn't crap though.
josh @ Feb 19th 2009 4:06PM
I assume this is to capitalize on the Tim Burton Alice In Wonderland without actually paying for that license?
sicsided @ Feb 19th 2009 4:21PM
Notice the 2 at the end of the Topic title. Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland doesn't come out till 2010. Why not put it out in a similar time, even if its not tied? Tim Burton and crew didn't write the original (love Through the Looking Glass).
lucky_7s @ Feb 19th 2009 4:27PM
i read this news quite a while ago :S a film adapation of american mcgee's alice is due out next year (also the same time as tim burtons alice in wonderland) - Universal Studios are working on it
EA said that when the rights to make a film of the game were finalised they planned to either remake or 'rework' the game to coincide with the films release and that was quite a while ago
never thought theyd do an Alice 2 though :D good stuff
p.s. i think he put his name at the front of the game title to stop people from thinking it was lewis carrols alice in wonderland as opposed to a twisted sequal of the book :P
Anticrawl @ Feb 19th 2009 4:34PM
I'm glad they keep adding in his arrogant self to the title so I can know what games to avoid.
WiredKnight @ Feb 19th 2009 4:48PM
So presumptuous. Shame.
Levi @ Feb 19th 2009 8:49PM
Some people on this website have some really stupid reasons for things. The original was a good game, who gives a fck if he puts his name in front of it?
wEiiDii @ Feb 20th 2009 1:09AM
You're missing out then. There's a reason why Alice is well liked.
KiraXD @ Feb 20th 2009 2:09PM
Tom Clancy Presents Sid Meier's Colin McRae: American McGee's Alice Racing in Battle Warlands.
Aelphais @ Feb 19th 2009 4:37PM
Oh hoh hoh hoh.. I was just playing the first one less than 2 months ago. This is great news indeed. (unless they completely ruin it)
But if this is a direct sequel.. isn't Alice cured of her insanity? That's just make Wonderland all happy and dandy, unless she is struck by another unfortunate accident, but then we're just getting silly.. if that's what happens, I'd almost prefer just a simple remake of the original with updated controls, graphics and stuff.
nicolo @ Feb 19th 2009 4:37PM
this just made my day! i played this game like crazy back in the day, can not wait! (even though its prob gonna be a while)
Fernando Rocker @ Feb 19th 2009 4:38PM
Oh my... American McGee's Alice was actually the first PC game that I bought... I bought the game on release date, and I love it.
Can't wait.
zaboom123 @ Feb 20th 2009 9:55PM
must be some young, or closet gamer maybe? commander keen was well remembered in my childhood. let alone beta versions of doom
Kattleox @ Feb 19th 2009 4:39PM
I WILL buy this game. Rumors of the old one being DLC on XBLA and PSN makes me excited, too.
Scott @ Feb 19th 2009 4:46PM
Wow.. I think this was the first time I uttered "ooOOoo!" out loud while reading a news post. AmG's Alice (1) was by no means the best game I ever played, or even one of the top ten.. But it was a joy to play, and there was just something spunky about his take on the tale. I'd be eager to play a sequel.
This is kind of like a rich dessert that you only get once in a blue moon. Maybe not your fave on the planet, but a special, rare treat nonetheless.
Lasher702 @ Feb 19th 2009 4:47PM
No effin way. This news actually made my day (wow was a life I live)...regardless hell ya!!!!
rov947 @ Feb 19th 2009 4:51PM
I had always wanted to play the first one-looked awesome, but it never game to consoles and by the time i got a graphics card capable of it it was old news. Since it is EA let's hope it is multiplatform (wii excluded)-sorry I'm a wii owner as well but I hate pimped ports.
Moptimus Slime (Leader of the Taylor Swift Defense Force, Gobot in disguise) @ Feb 19th 2009 4:53PM
Man, I've been trying to remember the name associated with that boxart for years!
Thank you, Joystiq
russtophiles @ Feb 19th 2009 4:56PM
Soooo, we're excited because after failing to make a good game since the original Alice, he's falling back on the only property regarded as somewhat successful? I mean, hey, I agree that the art and, to some extent, the gameplay of the original was good times, but this seems more like a white flag to originality than a return to form.
Freeze @ Feb 19th 2009 5:04PM
NO WAY! are you kidding me?
pseudo.hero @ Feb 19th 2009 5:07PM
EA you wonderful beast, you keep making good games... bravo!
Mischa @ Feb 19th 2009 5:10PM
I'd like to type out a well thought out response however my gigantic boner is making it difficult to reach my keyboard right now.
...okay I lied... I'm actually typing with my boner right now...
malkmus @ Feb 19th 2009 5:08PM
Effin' Sweet! I was hoping that someday they would at least port the original to XBLA but I guess this might be better. I wonder if it's a remake or an actual sequel... While the first was based on "Alice in Wonderland", this could be based off "Alice Through The Looking Glass". But that would be inaccurate if the first Alice game took elements from both books all ready.
malkmus @ Feb 19th 2009 5:10PM
Okay, I guess it's based on the second book, as according to American himself:
"This trip through the looking glass promises to be even more exciting."
Freeze @ Feb 19th 2009 5:12PM
Mischa posted: "I'd like to type out a well thought out response however my gigantic boner is making it difficult to reach my keyboard right now.
...okay I lied... I'm actually typing with my boner right now..."
Is it reaching for Alice or your keyboard?
Mischa @ Feb 19th 2009 5:55PM
On it's way to Alice, it managed to type up an entire response to this article without my knowledge.
XenMaster4 @ Feb 19th 2009 5:20PM
Without spoiling anything for those of you who still haven't finished the first Alice (for shame) - I didn't think the ending left much room for a sequel.
Reuben @ Feb 19th 2009 6:32PM
It certainly didn't. I naively hope that this is more of a re imagining than a true sequel. Sort of a spiritual sequel, if you will.
I'll be playing it regardless, just in case I left that to doubt.
Tashawuff @ Feb 19th 2009 5:59PM
Holy jesus.
Reuben @ Feb 19th 2009 6:31PM
HOLY CRAP