EA: Dungeon Keeper Failed by "Innovating Too Much"

[BoomingEchoes]

Hmm yeah.. That's about as rich as Microsoft giving people a paper cutout of a xbox branded cake for their birthday present this year (true story, just opened the email with it an hour ago and still can't stop laughing)

 

[tehroc]

This was good for a real genuine laugh

We already know that EA is dishonest and insincere as hell to their customers. But how it it possible that they could be so dishonest and insincere to themselves?

Keep in mind, the customers are shareholders. He's not making these statements for us, but for investors.

 

[Doug]

Wow... I mean wow. That's... Wow. Really? Oh I see. Your mistaking innovation with bullshit. I can see where you got confused.

No, no, you're just not with the programme. Dungeon Keeper mobile contained buckets of innovation, centred around the primary, bold concept - remove the 'game' part and insert a cash vortex in its place. Truly, we where not ready for the boundless innovation it brought to us.

 

[geizr]

Here's a thought: EA executives have all become psychotic. Consequently, they have to make up these lies to tell more to themselves than to customers in order to keep whatever gossamer thread of sanity remains to their minds. They made shit, and they know it's shit. However, they have to keep trying to convince themselves otherwise.

Still won't make me buy an EA game (or Ubisoft's).

 

[Something Amyss]

So do I. I've been watching this stuff too closely for the last decade and, unfortunately, I don't think I am.

Quite possible. It's pretty standard for consumers to be okay with losing stuff as long as it's done slowly.

Or in the name of stopping piracy. Maybe that's what EA should have said.

I'm not defending EA on any level, but gamers do seem to embrace it with open arms for the most part. How else can we explain the popularity of multiplayer on any console that charges extra for it? How else is WoW the most popular MMO, even though you have to buy the game, every expansion, pay for a subscription and yet they still have "micro"-transactions (although I don't think you can consider USD$25 mount skins to be micro in any way.)

The only difference with Dungeon Keeper is that they were called out on it so vocally. If that didn't happen with this game specifically, I have a feeling it would be as successful as the countless other "free"-to-play apps.

Well, a couple of examples are basically "where else you gonna go?" Microsoft set a standard with the Xbox and charging for it and got away with it largely because Halo and such that their sequel console was bound to have it. And once that standard was set...Well, I'm surprise dNintendo doesn't do it. Scratch that, Nintendo hates online anyway. At the same time, they used to charge for GFWL and that went nowhere, so it's certainly not that all gamers will do it.

WOW, similarly, is THE game to play. I've seen people try and shift folks over to other MMOs unsuccessfully, and we've seen rebellion against it costing so much, but in the end, people will go back because it's the game.

What puzzles me is microtransactions in other instances. Horse Armour probably should have been a sign.

I'm not completely against Microtransactions, either. The line is fuzzy and hard to define in the first place, and maybe that's the problem. Dungeon KEeper seems to be an example so egregious that we won't stand it...for now, at least.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to count how much money I spent on DLC for Rock Band over the years.

 

[w00tage]

Heh, really? I've said it before and I'll say it again, the games industry really needs to work on their PR tactics, I swear every week we hear a few of the usual suspects running off their mouth when it would have been more advantageous just to keep quiet and hope people start to forget. You don't see many other industries running into this problem, I guess the video game industry still need time to mature. Anyhow, I couldn't find a decent laughing gif so I'll let Jim doing the talking for me:

Spoiler

NO sir, no. They do not need to work on their PR tactics. I find them to be perfect just the way they are.

 

[Neta]

I'm not usually a violent person. But after reading the OP, I just want to punch EA in the boob.

 

[Montezuma's Lawyer]

This executive should be nominated for the "Biggest Balls in the Universe" Award, because making a statement like that with a straight face requires statistically impossible levels of not giving a fuck.


The award should be handed to him, and be immidiately followed by a swift punch in the dick.

 

[AdagioBoognish]

You guys just don't get it. Man, it's like, you know, zen. I mean, what's the point of playing games anyway? It's all about getting to the end. You hamsters keep running on the wheel, thinking that's, like, the point, but you really want to beat the game. To be done with it. You buy the game so you can beat the game and, like, EA's just cutting out the crap, man. Think about it guys, the future of gaming is there is no game, man. Poor EA's just ahead of the times.

Like, woah..

On a serious note though: This really feels like a statement to calm shareholders and not one they expected to win back consumer confidence in the gaming community.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

okay, this is just plain trolling. EA has realized it can't get attention by good, so they'll say the worst stupid shit they can come up with to stay in the limelight. Just look at all the delicious comments this thread is already gathering. Gah, I'm ashamed to even be writing this. What we all should do is to just refuse to pay attention to EA anymore and not buy their games. Maybe that way they'd learn, because this constant cycle of shit-spewing from both sides doesn't seem to work.

 

[Ima Lemming]

I don't have any laughing .gifs. Will this do?

I think we might have innovated too much or tried some different things that people just weren't ready for.

Yeeeeah, I think to be "ready" for something like Dungeon Keeper Mobile, you'd need to be kicked in the head by a donkey.

 

[mindfaQ]

Those EA guys are always clueless in their press statements.

 

[Roggen Bread]

Uh. So the topic for the next Jimquisition is back to bashing ONLY EA. Neat.

 

[Drizzitdude]

Looks like EA is going for that "Worst Company of the Year" award again

 

[lionsprey]

Okey EA here's a suggestion, you hire me and two monkeys for your PR department.
my job is looking after the monkeys whilst they make better decisions then your current head of PR

 

[TheIceQueen]

Why are they still talking? Anyone with half a brain should have decided to just shut up about Dungeon Keeper weeks ago. If they ask you about it in an interview then just give them the most boring wishy-washy answer possible. Worst comes to worst, be actively nonsensical. 'Due to flaws in the game design, this product didn't do well'

Lets see someone try to make a decent headline out of that. Don't go spouting out the most ridiculous click-baiting headline sound-bytes possible. It's like it's EA in the pocket of the gaming media this time round.

Geeze, can you be competent at your cynical cash-grabbing please?

I actually really like that idea as a conspiracy.

EA: *to game journalist sites* Pay us and we'll keep saying stupid crap.

I prefer to think of them as evil masterminds rather than as incompetent.

 

[Littaly]

Wait, they stuck Mythic on that piece of crap? Is that like some twisted form of punishment?

- EA, Sir, I'm sorry Warhammer Online didn't turn out to be a hit, listen I'm as disappointed about the shut down as any...
- Silent fool! You have failed me for the last time.
- I.. I will take full responsibility for what has happened, I will close down tomorrow and...
- Oh no my dear Mythic. What's this talk about closing down, did you really think I'd let you just die away gracefully after a failure like that. No Mythic, you are not going to die just yet, first I will have you disgrace yourself. I will have you will ruin a beloved franchise with a throwaway mobile game and have you preform actions so morally questionable you won't be able to live with yourself. I will drag you through the dirt, taint your name, ruin your reputation, and then, only then, when you're broken, hated and forgotten will I let you close down...