EA confirms DICE Canada closure

[Err]

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=20195


Electronic Arts has confirmed it has closed down Digital Illusions Canada, the Ontario-based division of DICE - the studio officially acquired by EA only days ago.
Speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz EA's communications boss Tiffany Steckler confirmed the closure, and that staff from the studio were currently being considered for other positions within Electronic Arts.
"In Canada we have three locations - Burnaby, Vancouver and Montreal - so we didn't need a development studio in Ontario," she revealed.
"Many of the staff from that office are now being interviewed for positions at either EA Canada or elsewhere and the work that was being undertaken at Ontario will now be transferred to Stockholm, back to the Digital Illusions team in Sweden," she added.
EA Canada employs over 1000 staff at its Vancouver studio, where it develops some of its leading franchises including Fight Night, FIFA, SSX and Need for Speed.
Electronic Arts announced on Monday that it had completed its acquisition of the Battlefield developer, after a courtship that began in 2004.

 

[Tak]

Translation from EA speak:

"Well, people with good ideas clearly are a danger to us. So instead of just being a publisher and letting them do what they want, we decided to give them the choice of either getting wiped out or playing by our rules. You know, to quell the whole 'evil EA empire' bit *insert canned chuckle here*"
​

 

[sappo]

I especially like how they all have to interview again to try and keep their jobs.

 

[SnotRocket]

Well no doubt they'll break off and make their own new developer company like Westwood did when it was taken.

When does EA lose the NFL license again? I really need a halfway interesting football game again. SegaSports FTW.

 

[[TW]Wilsonam]

This should hardly be a surprise to anyone - and do you really think EA will keep the development facilities open in Sweden, where the costs are a LOT higher than they are in US/Canada?? It doesn't have anything to do with "fear of talent" - it is accountants' "fear of cost"

Edit: actually, I am annoyed - I lost a bet here. I said they'd close Sweden first. Damn. I owe someone in Gotland a beer...

 

[Rameusb5]

The ability for corporations to buy out other corporations makes me afraid.


I wonder when Weyland-Yutani will buy them all...

 

[malice]

This should hardly be a surprise to anyone - and do you really think EA will keep the development facilities open in Sweden, where the costs are a LOT higher than they are in US/Canada?? It doesn't have anything to do with "fear of talent" - it is accountants' "fear of cost"

Edit: actually, I am annoyed - I lost a bet here. I said they'd close Sweden first. Damn. I owe someone in Gotland a beer...

you dont think they will keep sweden open, isnt that where BF1942 and BF2 came out of.


As for the Canadian team they can always try to move in with UBI, they have a nice Montreal operation.

 

[Comrade Wasabi]

Bastards.

 

[King Ragnar]

Omg , soon EA will own everthing they will buy out supermarkets and clothes shops and we will be buying EA products from everyone.

 

[Arto1990]

lol!

 

[d3v]

I hate EA. I could see their monoplisation coming long before most. They are a bunch of pigs and should be hung dead before they take over the entire industry.

 

[Arto1990]

i agree to that, e.g the new bf 2142 demo, its nice, but it feels awfully rushed

 

[d3v]

i agree to that, e.g the new bf 2142 demo, its nice, but it feels awfully rushed

It feels like Battlefield 2 with futuristic equipment. This is absolutely typical of EA. They make a game we all love (BF1942) and then they make a franchise out of it and milk it to the point where everyone is sick of it. This is what we can expect all the time when EA take over the industry.

 

[Fu. Svedberg]

My only wish is that Digital Illusions (DICE) could make good games again like Pinball Dreams and Motorhead (Motorhead is on of the most fun racing games I have played (and also at its time the graphics whare awesome))

 

[{YBBS}Sage]

Omg , soon EA will own everthing they will buy out supermarkets and clothes shops and we will be buying EA products from everyone.

The clothes will fit wrong (one sleeve or pantleg longer than the other, etc.) and seams will split at odd moments. Their clothing will need to be patched monthly for at least a year and a half before they begin to fit even close to right, and the seam splitting will still happen occaisionally...

 

[Comrade Wasabi]

Their guys and girls jeans will sometimes get mixed up when you buy them to represent the red tag bug.

 

[{YBBS}Sage]

Their guys and girls jeans will sometimes get mixed up when you buy them to represent the red tag bug.

Hahah, I couldn't come up with one for that, but how's this:

You'll buy a blue tshirt, go home, put it on and it'll be a pink halter top...

 

[Err]

If EA made clothing it would be full of holes and you'd have to wait 2 to 3 months for them to send you a patch.

 

[Comrade Wasabi]

And the shirt will rip while you put the patch on...

 

[{YBBS}Sage]

And if you manage to put the patch on without ripping the shirt, the patch will probably have a hole in it, too.