didn’t we just do this?
oh look. EA has done the understaffed game studios of the world another favor by making more dev talent available for the second time in as many weeks. at least it’s comforting to know “that the Pandemic brand and franchises will live on”, even if the jobs of the Pandemic employees don’t.
i suppose it’s possible that in taking the short view, one might be tempted to think EA is justified in these kinds of actions, perhaps even making Good Business Decisions. but in taking the long view – in looking over the history of EA in toto and counting up how many good companies they’re chewed up and spat out – one starts to see a pattern indicative of anything but business savvy. a co-worker summed up said pattern thusly:
- Buy somewhat successful game company.
- Assure the public that nothing will change with the studio internally and they will continue to make great games.
- Slowly grind-away what makes that studio unique until all the talented people get fed up and leave.
- Close the new pile of suck studio and claim the cost-savings on your next quarterly report.
- Rinse, repeat.
is it just me, or does EA seem unable to look forward *or* backward more than about 18 months?
(or, snarky ending #2) i can see the onion headline now: “Electronic Arts foiled in attempt to shut down studio it does not even own”.
