EA Offers Notch to put Minecraft on Origin, for free.

[Qitz]

Chief Creative Officer Rich Hilleman mentioned to Gamasutra [http://gamasutra.com/view/feature/167196/getting_ea_ready_for_the_future.php] about wanting to put Minecraft on Origin and even doing it for free in an attempt to help improve Origin.

What I've told the guys who run Origin for us is that we should do it for free, because as you can see my vision of that business, that's not where the money comes from anyway.

As somebody who has had to reinstall Windows on my son's computer after he attempted to install Mod Manager on that machine, there's a lot of value to be provided for the customer in making Minecraft and its mods and installations something that's a more commercial and predictable product. Those are the kinds of things that Notch needs help with, and that without the help of a publisher or other support, he's probably not going to get there completely by himself.

Now maybe his community will, and I'd love to see that happen. It's a great experiment; I'm really anxious to see what happens. The reason I wish we were involved is because I think we'd learn from him. And the other thing that's true is Notch is a true talent of this business; I just like us being associated with great talent.

Increasingly, free-to-play games, social games, mobile games, even the DLC and online play that drives consoles today, are good examplesis of the things we need to start considering to design around

Notch responded back via his Twitter Page [https://twitter.com/#!/notch/status/184216335444746240] that :

I'm sure EA is very successful at monetizing games, but the more we don't do what they would do, the happier I am. #nooffense

Hilleman has a ok idea in stretching out a Mod Manager to Origin and covering more than just a few games, even thought Notch doesn't seem too thrilled with the idea of working with EA (and who could blame him?)

Do you think this would be at all viable, maybe with a different developer? It does show that, at least some what, EA is willing to play ball with SOMETHING at least right?

 

[SajuukKhar]

An interesting idea, but I don't think it's the right approach. Not sure I can fully articulate why at this moment, I'm just skeptical.

Someone EA seems to understand that the market says, "Evolve or die," but I can't help but feel they haven't quite figured out a real plan of action toward real evolution.

All Ea can do is eat up other companies, burn them out, close them, then repeat.

It is all they have ever known.

 

[Kahunaburger]

I'm sure EA is very successful at monetizing games, but the more we don't do what they would do, the happier I am. #nooffense

Sometimes it's annoying when Notch is unprofessional on Twitter, sometimes it's epic.

 

[Saladfork]

Nice to see that Notch has forsight, unike some other devs I could name.

I mean, come on, given EA's history you'd think other devs would've realized that working with them/selling to them doesn't seem to ever turn out well.

 

[Smooth Operator]

I mean, come on, given EA's history you'd think other devs would've realized that working with them/selling to them doesn't seem to ever turn out well.

Well that's the problem EA has the money to make your dream game/job come true, but once you start dancing with the devil...

It is refreshing to see indie devs that can put their foot down with bad business partners.

 

[algalon]

That'd be like letting EA publish your game without the payoff. The second Notch attached himself to a project that EA didn't approve of they'd point to some silly stipulation in his contract. Why would anyone accept a "free offer" from them? Notch is already successful enough without em. Isn't freedom great?

 

[subtlefuge]

I do agree that shutting off mods to only those with technical skills or those who are willing to troubleshoot their way through the process is a great travesty. However, this isn't the solution.

 

[lacktheknack]

"Dear EA: I hate everything you do. #nooffense"

I wonder how EA will respond to THAT.

 

[Thoric485]

A surprising display of backbone, good on him.

 

[Gennadios]

Wasn't Notch the developer that said Origin is a good idea because the Digital Distribution scene needs competition?

I wouldn't take him up on the monetizing offer, but putting Minecraft on Origin would send a message.

 

[Esotera]

Vanilla minecraft is easy as hell to run, you just download and double click it. If anything needs changing then maybe someone in the modding community needs to make a nice simple GUI for installing mods, because it's needlessly complicated atm.

As for going over to Origin...why? He doesn't particularly care about the money, but it will probably lead to him getting less somehow via some clause in the contract. Also Mojang are cool because they're independent and listen to their fans, which will inevitably change as soon as EA get involved.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Epic Notch is epic. He understands what EA is. Any collaboration with them would be equal to selling your soul to the devil.

 

[Dandark]

NO! Do not go over to EA notch, it well not end well. Stay independent, you don't need EA.
Let EA burn is what I say, they brought it upon themselves through their anti-consumer buisness practices. Im not the biggest fan of Notch but I think he is a pretty cool guy and Mojang seems to make good games(minecraft), but i'd consider them a dead and failed company if they worked with EA.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Phew, at least Notch has some brains. Stay Indie Notch, people love you for it.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Vanilla minecraft is easy as hell to run, you just download and double click it. If anything needs changing then maybe someone in the modding community needs to make a nice simple GUI for installing mods, because it's needlessly complicated atm.

There are some easy to install ones out there, like The Technic pack, The YogBox collaboration, and some other small ones.

 

[DoPo]

I'm sure EA is very successful at monetizing games, but the more we don't do what they would do, the happier I am. #nooffense

Sometimes it's annoying when Notch is unprofessional on Twitter, sometimes it's epic.

Yes, I agree with you.

I read the topic title and came here expecting just that response. Well done, Notch!

 

[Qitz]

Sometimes it's annoying when Notch is unprofessional on Twitter, sometimes it's epic.

Heh, I would have liked him to go a bit harsher though. At least I would have. Not like people would have hated him for dissing on EA after all right.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Notch can be a real idiot sometimes, but when idiots are attacking tyrants, inevitably our sympathies and support will lie with the idiots.