EA studio boss would love to revisit Bullfrog IP; EA renews Bullfrog trademarks

by Alexander Sliwinski on Aug 11th 2009 2:30PM

In an interview with Kikizo, EA's Bright Light Studio head, Harvey Elliot, mentioned that he would "love" to work on old Bullfrog Productions properties like Populous and Theme Park. Elliot cautiously noted that Bullfrog's classics were "right for their time, and the trick with those games is coming up with what's right for the time now." In other words, he's not entirely keen on "just a 'remake' or something."

With a new edition of Bullfrog's Syndicate rumored to be in production at Starbreeze Studios, one might conclude that Harvey isn't the only one at EA looking for "what's right for the time now." And one might conclude even harder when database digger Superannuation finds that Electronic Arts has filed new trademarks for Populous, Theme Park, Wing Commander and Road Rash. Pure speculation? Yes. Highly desirable? Also yes.

Source -- Why there's hope for Bullfrog IP returning [Kikizo]
Source -- Superannuation

Tags: bright-light, bullfrog, ea, electronic-arts, harvey-elliot, kikizo, populous, road-rash, superannuation, syndicate, theme-park, wing-commander

Reader Comments (43)

please let it be Dungeon Keeper 3! Please let it be dungeon keeper 3!

Yes. Please Yes. DK3 with Multiplayer and bundled DK1 and 2 without that QSound Crap that made 2 wonky and unplayable on so many machines at the time.

(writhes in the torture chamber)

Overlord is a poor substitute.

Overlord doesn't even come close to the magic of Dungeon Keeper, still a fun game though. I'd recommend Holy Invasion of Privacy Badman if you have $20 to blow on pure addictive frustration.

And hell yes to DK3!

Agreed! Dungeon Keeper was a great game. I would definitely buy and updated version. They could even just remake the old ones with updated graphics and controls plus online and I'd probably buy it.

Also, while I would still buy a PC-platform version of DK, it would be nice if EA could take advantage of the point-and-click opportunities of the Wiimote and make a version of DK for the Wii. We need a third-party title that doesn't suck on that platform. :)

Your dungeon floor is lumpy, keeper. Order your minions to jump up and down!

Yes! I have been dying for a new Dungeon Keeper. The second one is STILL fun as hell despite all the bugs and AI flaws and such it has. It's a formula that no one really utilizes anymore, which is a shame.

Dungeon Keeper 3 please.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to the hatchery to slap about some chickens...

I am all for another Populous. I need to find a copy of that game, STAT!

And I still have my copy Road Rash 1. Classic gaming right there with those horribly ugly character styles. Good times.

*Hums Outshined*

me too! i much prefer road rash 2 though. would love to find a copy of that for cheap.

i'd also love to have good new versions of road rash and of course syndicate!

I agree, populous ftw!

Oh how I have wasted much of my youth playing Populous...

If only multiplayer had worked properly :( The matches I would have had, it would have been EVEN MORE addictive.

Didn't they just make a Populous DS a while back? New Road Rash needs to happen now!

I think I'm the only person in the world who thinks so, but I loved Hi-Octane!

...not as much as Magic Carpet 1 & 2 though. Those games were amazing! I never played them networked, but flying around the world creating volcanoes, earthquakes and shooting fireballs was a fantastic gaming experience that hasn't really been re-created since.

Theme Hospital!

I'd really love to see what a game like Theme Hospital would do with our current health care system... and hopefully placing enough seats, drink machines, and radiators won't be the biggest concern.

Plus, it had multiplayer even then, so of course it could have multiplayer now.

"No dying in the corridors."

Greated sim ever.

Bloaty Head Syndrome! That game was hilarious.

Ah Populous, how I loved thee!

I'm probably alone in this one, but i would love to play a modern version of MAGIC CARPET, that game was so ahead of it's time.

How about some Flood love?

Damn, Wing Commander was one of the first games I actually *bought* for my pc so many years ago.

I'd definitely line up for a nice revamped disc current gen release of Wing Commander and if I may be so bold... Road Rash!

Shit, while we're dragging up games from the past, I'm surprised EA hasn't revived the * OR DIE series... I used to enjoy SKI or Die and skate or die way back in the day.

Wing Commander was definitely the title in this list I got excited for, too. Memories of playing that game on the 3DO really makes me almost giddy over the thought of another upgrade to the graphics for 360 or PS3 - how awesome would that be???

I find it blasphemous that no one mentions syndicate and syndicate wars.

I spent so much time on Syndicate and Syndicate Wars, and its awesome to hear that Starbreeze of all companies is making a sequel!!

Re-releasing Dungeon Keeper 1 & 2 one GOG.com or Steam would be a great start. Then start up on DK3 for full release.

Nice game

must have a DK3. Also to put up DK1 and DK2 on steam.

I've recently played Populous: the begining and I'd say it'd be awesome to remake. It's not too far beyond reviving.

I'm thinking Age of the Empires, but far more humourous, far less happiness draining and far more exciting overall.

I do thing the building can be improved, killing nearby animals for food etc, building ships amongst other things.

POPULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DAKA!!!!!!

Nothing beat that game, Populous is on my PSP, its on my PC, its on my PS3 its on everything I can possibly get it on, and no matter how many times I play it, I NEVER get bored of it, I've played many games and sold many off, borrowed even more, Populous is by far my most played game of all time :D

There's a PSP and PS3 version???!!!

Re: Neuromancer: I just checked and apparently Populous: The Beginning (whoops, got the title wrong in my earlier post :P) was ported to the PSN. So that's what he meant.

Yup :D PSN ftw!

I was a big fan of Populous: Beginnings. It was probably the first 3d RTS. The best part was getting the spells and just going crazy with your god conjuring up tornados and such on your enemies :D It was actually a bit similar to WarCraft 3's hero system, only of course many years before that game.

Syndicate and Powermonger pls.

Oh come on EA, bring back these 2 old dusty gems!

Magic Carpet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Carpet_(video_game)

Hi Octane: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi-Octane

Sure not the best games Bullfrog ever made, but I loved them to pieces!

Ha, I think I still have those two games lying around somewhere. Pretty fun back in the day.

For some reason I feel old reading this...

Dungeon Keeper NOW please - and a working version for the GOG.com team to put out. My god that would make my year.

oh didnt know that, thanks :)

I have waited 10 years for the sequel to Dungeon Keeper 2. I played the game, watched the trailer for DK3 and was so excited! Only to have my hopes dashed because EA favoured great selling titles like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings for the PS2 console over an experimental game in it's early stages for the PC. But it looks like there is some light at the end of the tunnel! If I was the boss of EA, I would personally:

1. Have a team go over DK2, make it fully compatible with XP and Vista, make the graphics/sound/interface a bit more 21st centuary.

2. Make a server so the multiplayer function comes back, having people playing all over the world again.

3. After DK2 is released and is being played by a lot more people and has greater public intrest, make and release DK3!

Granted that might take a while, but meh... I've waited 10 years, what's another 1-2 years to finally see it come to completion!

EA studio boss would love to revisit Bullfrog IP; EA renews Bullfrog trademarks

Reader Comments (43)

Posted: Aug 11th 2009 2:35PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 11th 2009 2:38PM Mighty Ponygirl said

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