Perhaps one of the biggest stories of the past three months has been EA’s, ahem, unprecedented partnership with Microsoft. The vast majority of the publisher’s lineup is either being marketed in conjunction with the Xbox One, has timed exclusive content on the Redmond-based manufacturer’s machine, or is outright exclusive to the upcoming console. It’s an odd strategy for a third-party firm – especially one that has historically aligned with Sony.
Despite all of this, though, the company maintains that it has a great relationship with the Japanese giant. "We're changing nothing in our policy about being platform-agnostic," said EA labels president Frank Gibeau. "One of the things that struck me this week is how a tactical deal with one of our platform partners has been blown out and perceived as strategic tilt – that’s a messaging error on our part. There is no strategic tilt.”
Gibeau continued that, aside from Titanfall – which is an EA Partners game – the publisher sees both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One as instrumental to its future efforts. “If you look at the previous generation, we did tactical deals with both Sony and Microsoft throughout the cycle,” he added, suggesting perhaps that the Californian company will extend some love to the former’s new format in due time.
"Sony has been executing exceptionally well on the next-gen transition,” he said. “Their hardware's hot, they're clear and disciplined and consistent with their policies, [and] they are showing some amazing things with indie [developers]. Overall, I couldn't be more pleased with how they're executing."
Are you irritated by EA’s allegiance with Microsoft, or have you come to expect exclusivity partnerships at this stage? Let us know in the comments section below.
[source computerandvideogames.com]
Comments 18
I think EA have made a big mistake siding with Microsoft. Hardcore gamers are choosing the PS4 over the Xbox One and many will feel like EA is taking sides.
EA should be begging to work closely with Sony because next gen it will all be about the PS4!
Yeah sure EA. Keep telling yourself your not aligned with Microsoft. Ill just take the fact MS were able to strike a deal with you to get free FIFA14 for XboxOne pre-orders as a sign that you most defintely are. How do they expect people not to assume so?
Oh please, take the money and make up BS excuses for it.
Lies, lies from Gibeau's sly little eyes.
But seriously, it's clearly a business relationship it has with MS right now. Who knows how much the company is paying for EA's exclusive content.
What concerns me is EA have the Star Wars licence, how much will MS throw at EA for exclusive content etc I bet after seeing the screw up MS has made with XBO EA has wished they didn't align so closely with MS.
@Adwil24 I've got a bad feeling about this
I have a feeling that the reason why EA sided with Microsoft is because they thought that the Xbox one will be committed to the DRM and no used game policy. Knowing EA they are in the business of nickle and diming their consumers. EA and Microsoft make a great couple in my opinion, SMH
I just hope that the PS4 blow their competition out of the water and I would love to see these 3rd party developers who took money from microsoft and Nintendo for exclusivity crawling back to Sony. I think EA and Capcom are the biggest D bags of all the developers. They have forgotten that it was Sony PSone, PSP and PS2 that made them successful.
@Kayoss well said, very well said.
With all the money Microsoft has been throwing at them, you'd think they could have payed someone to come up with a better excuse than that.
@Kayoss
I completely agree about Capcom and EA.
@charlesnarles I just hope those codes are worth the price we paid.
I am irritated with all of the exclusive/timed exclusivemMicrosoft crap. Instead of making an outstanding product, they pay third parties to make an inferior product. So over them, but that is how they do business -not only with the Xbox brand but all M$ products.
Just bring TitanFall to PS4 and ill be happy!
@charlesnarles the force is strong with this one.
@Adwil24 Oh damn...now you got me worried, mate.
Oh, god @Adwil24 I just realized that Battlefront is made by EA/Dice. No.
No reason to not believe what he's saying. I can't stand EA but its games sell and its Playstation business isn't much smaller than it's Xbox business so of course it's relationship with Sony is still strong. I don't know why Gibeau felt the need to tell us this, it's not like EA is the first company to take money from one of the console makers for exclusive content. Activision has taken MS' money for years now and looks like it will continue to, but it still does nice business on PlayStation, and Ubisoft definitely seems to be siding with Sony a lot lately. Rockstar has some deals for GTA V. Hey, if one of the big 3 is offering a good deal, I don't blame third parties for taking it.
EA wishes they had a strong relationship with Sony.
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