EA to make games for Xbox Live?

[kingnebwsu]

http://xbox.ign.com/articles/508/508793p1.html

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EA Goes Xbox Live

IGN brings you the first details on EA's first Xbox Live games.

April 23, 2004 - After years of discussions, Electronic Arts and Microsoft are putting the final touches on a partnership enabling four of EA's sports titles, and possibly three non-sports games, to go online with Xbox Live this fall, IGN learned today. The Redwood City, Ca.-based publisher will announce its strategy at the annual Electronic Entertainment Exposition this May, but it may reveal plans earlier to investors this April 29, during its upcoming fiscal announcement.

"They're psyched," a former EA employee, who asked not to be identified, told IGN. "EA is going to bring its games to Live this year. It's finally happening."

Madden NFL 2005, NCAA College Football, NASCAR Thunder 2005, and NBA Live comprise the sports package for Xbox Live this fall. The non-sports games are less concrete, but as IGN has learned from several sources close to the company, Battlefield: Modern Combat, EA's new Goldeneye game, and perhaps Burnout 3 are first in line for Xbox online compatibility.

Other investigations point to EA's long-awaited move on two of these titles. Digital Illusions CE (DICE) said in 2002 it planned to make a second Battlefield game for both PC and Xbox. It quickly re-worded its statements to include only PC.

Two Wall Street analysts (UBS Warburg Equity Research and Banc of America Securities) reported in their weekly newsletters that EA will bring its games to Xbox Live, one specifically naming Battlefield as an Xbox Live candidate. "We do expect that to change this year, with Battlefield 1942 for Xbox expected to have Xbox Live capability," said a UBS report. "The popularity of Xbox Live, which is likely to be supported by Electronic Arts for the first time in 2004, also contributes to our confidence in strong Xbox hardware sales this year," reported Banc of America Securities.

Criterion told IGN in 2003 that Burnout 2 would have been Xbox Live compatible, but Microsoft was late delivering critical information, so Burnout 2: Critical Impact only had minimal support. The representative added that the next game in the series (Burnout 3) will fully support Xbox Live; this was prior to EA's announcement to publish Burnout 3.

The games have never been the problem, as EA has publicly stated its issues with Microsoft's successful online strategy: Content control and cash. Xbox owners must pay $69.99 for a starter kit (and $49.99 to renew) to play online Xbox games on centralized servers run by Microsoft. EA wants both control over its content and money for gamers to play its titles. Unlike Sony Computer Entertainment America's laissez-faire setup, which is determined by independent publishers themselves, Microsoft gathers and controls everything. While full fiscal details were not revealed, IGN believes that EA was able to strike a deal with Microsoft to lower the manufacturer's licensing fees for those particular games. Another possibilitiy is that it's working on a new monetary package to pay for online play. As for content, IGN believes Microsoft will share its data with EA.

Recently, Microsoft's move to create Live Server Protocol (LSP), which enables publishers to set up their own specialized tournaments and leagues on sub-servers, has made the move easier for EA to swallow. Sega revealed its plans to bring its sports games online (check the story on IGN Sports, detailing the LSP's flexibility, and EA is likely to follow suit.

A Sega representative told IGN, "We expect EA to go to Xbox Live this year, and we would be shocked if they didn't."

EA and Microsoft firmly deny their change in plans. "EA and Microsoft do not have an agreement for including online capability in EA titles for Xbox," said an EA representative. "We have a solid partnership with Microsoft and many titles in development for the Xbox. Discussions are ongoing."

She added: "Competition from other developers is one of the dynamics that made EA SPORTS produce so many great games. We expect these teams will be reassigned to make more great games for the Xbox."

Microsoft was less imaginative in its response. "We haven't made any announcements and we don't comment on rumors or speculation."

IGN will have more details on EA's Xbox Live plans soon. Check back on April 29 and during E3.
-- Douglass C. Perry

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We'll see what happens. This is potentially big news, even though it is still unconfirmed. Maybe it's time I break my 21-month ban on buying EA games...but probably not

[JeeberD]

Oh please lord let this be true....

[Pumpy Tudors]

What are the specific dates of E3?

[chinaski]

Its 100% true that EA is supporting XBL, and E3 is May 12th-14th. Besides NCAA Football and Madden, im not as excited as i thought id be for this. Call of Duty has big possibilities, and it will be the 1st XBL enabled game to hit stores (from what im told).

[SackAttack]

Pumpy,

May 12th-14th. I hope this is true, and I hope they have some of their games already operational with the online capacity so I can try them out.

[tucker342]

FINALLY!


This is looking like it's going to be a good year for XBox.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by chinaski

Its 100% true that EA is supporting XBL, and E3 is May 12th-14th. Besides NCAA Football and Madden, im not as excited as i thought id be for this. Call of Duty has big possibilities, and it will be the 1st XBL enabled game to hit stores (from what im told).

You say this with a grand degree of certainty. What makes you "100%" sure? NCAA Football and Madden are the ONLY reasons I even care about EA possibly supporting XBox Live. I've already told my wife that if they get NCAA Football 2005 on Live, she can forget about me come July.

[chinaski]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

You say this with a grand degree of certainty. What makes you "100%" sure? NCAA Football and Madden are the ONLY reasons I even care about EA possibly supporting XBox Live. I've already told my wife that if they get NCAA Football 2005 on Live, she can forget about me come July.

I think the article sums up what most people have been talking about for a little while. We'll see more of this stuff leading up until E3 whens its becomes official. I know programmers at Tiburon, theyve been looking at the XBL code for a while. Madden is for sure getting XBL, and so is NCAA. I didnt mean to say Call of Duty, i was thinking of Battlefield 1942, im drunk .

I cant wait for Burnout 3 online, that series is amazing.

[SackAttack]

Yeah, but Call of Duty IS coming to PS2 and Xbox. It's just that, y'know, Activision is the publisher on that one

[WussGawd]

Originally Posted by chinaski

Its 100% true that EA is supporting XBL, and E3 is May 12th-14th. Besides NCAA Football and Madden, im not as excited as i thought id be for this. Call of Duty has big possibilities, and it will be the 1st XBL enabled game to hit stores (from what im told).

Call of Duty is Activision. Doubtful this would affect it, unless I'm missing something.

NCAA 2005 on XBox Live. Drool.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by WussGawd

NCAA 2005 on XBox Live. Drool.

Ditto.

[Easy Mac]

dammit, I'm about to lose free broadband (college), and now this happens... well, I'll need a good job now.