EA boss says Hollywood is ‘worried’ about impact of GTA’s release
The CEO of Electronic Arts John Riccitello believes that the US film industry is ‘worried’ by the release of games releases – and that the greatest console titles will soon “be viewed by almost everybody as being as important as Best Picture at the Academy Awards”.
He also forecasts that over two billion people around the world are gamers – and that Hollywood is particularly “worried” about the impact of GTA IV’s release later this month.
According to an interview with the Financial Times, Riccitiello had ‘just come out of a meeting with film executives – that has not gone according to the script.’
He told the newspaper:
"The buzz in Hollywood, which I heard from some Hollywood folks . . . is people are worried whether Iron Man the movie is going to get killed by Grand Theft Auto the game," says the chief executive of Electronic Arts, the world's biggest video game publisher.
Advertisement
"I don't think I've ever heard of that before."
He added:
"There is more interest today from Hollywood to make movies out of our games than there is interest in our industry to make games out of their movies. There's a big reset happening now. The rate of change in this industry is massive.”
Riccitiello went on to point out that a decade ago, most consumers view games as toys, whilst today’s market sees them as a viable entertainment medium.
He also commented: "It feels like what movie moguls might have seen in the 1920s and said: 'Hey, we've got talkies now, where is it going?' I feel like we've stepped through a time window where our games are so compelling and seem so real.
"Our industry is passing through a phase where I believe the greatest games will be viewed by almost everybody as being as important as Best Picture at the Academy Awards."
It's a shame that none of these "great games" are actually from EA themselves. Or...well maybe it's a blessing in disguise. The movie industry has NOTHING to fear as long as EA keeps killing the game industry in the slow painful way they are. "We can't make any original games anymore....let's just buy everyone else's and claim that we are the best". You ain't fooling anyone. The only problem is that no-one can do anything about you. There should be safeguards to protect well-to-do and even innovative businesses from the likes of EA's chequebook. Vastly, if not wholly, Take-Two, Rockstar and the GTA franchise should NEVER fall into the hands of EA.
Please Riccitiello, just leave the games industy and take EA with you.
It seems that every month the EA PR machine is here making the same annoying claims. If they feel the need to change the way an industry is working, move to movies as they appear to be struggling, games are doing just fine.
Sorry for the rant but I really am just fed up with EA now.
HAHAHA and this coming from a company who would rather release a rushed product everyear from their inhouse teams, and buy all the creatives teams up and then slap the EA brand hammer on there faces and ask them to make GTA 2009-2010-2011.
EA must be the most sole destroying company to work for as an up and coming game developer, how can someones vision come to light in a crowd full of mediocrity, and the only way they can get credit from the people that mater is to buy BUY BUY.
I can't speak for the movie industry but I'm definitely scared of John Riccitello... Do you guys not have a different picture of him cos that one is freaky!
Seriously though, I do remember last year's bad box office sales were blamed on the release of Halo3 at the time, 'The Heartbroke Kid' being a particular example. In my opinion, I think the state of sales is more related to the unimaginative tosh that Hollywood are spewing out lately.
People just aren't going to the cinema any more - the big blockbusters are either boring sequels or hashed remakes. Who even heard of 'Iron Man' before reading this article? Hollywood churn these films out in a matter of months and the writer's strike didn't help much either. I doubt they are worried about the gaming industry being a threat, though I'm certain they will use it as a scapegoat for their own failings...
In light of those comments, I think its slightly ironic that EA should be trumpetting Steven Spielberg's new game so loudly. However the chances that a mediocre casual game for Wii is going to give movie execs sleepless nights is someway off.
At this stage, blockbuster launches like GTA 4 and Halo 3 are few and far between, but the seeds are there
@ jammyhammy.... His smug face in that pic doesnt help either aye!!!
There are fantastic opportunities out there, I am now petitioning for 'PDC World Championship Darts 2008' with a script by JJ Abrams, and featuring Tom Cruise as Phil 'The Power' Taylor and Jack Nicholson as Raymond von Barneveld
- 'You want a bit of bully?' - 'YOU CAN'T BEAT A BIT OF BULLY!!!!!'
How arrongantly foolish of Mr Riccitiello, the guy already thinks EA have taken over Take 2 by mentioning GTA rather than their own franchises.
I know they are nearly through the deal, but what's confusing me more after reading about Take 2 expanding in China. This could be a sign that EA might not be able to acquire Take 2 after all. If that happens the satisfaction I will get in seeing that smug wiped off his face will be greater than GTA IV release LOL.
http://confluence.public.thoughtworks.org/display/~buy-xanax-no-rx - xanax http://confluence.public.thoughtworks.org/display/~buy-tramadol-no-rx - tramadol http://confluence.public.thoughtworks.org/display/~buy-valium-online - valium http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=buy-ambien-online-without-prescription-buy-ambien-10mg-5mg - ambien http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=buy-xanax-online-buy-xanax-2mg-1mg - xanax http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=buy-fioricet-online-without-prescription-buy-fioricet-cod - fioricet http://connections.blackboard.com/people/50273d6fc2 - tamiflu http://tapestry.formos.com/wiki/display/~buy-tamiflu-winthout-prescription - tamiflu http://boinc.vanderbilt.edu/CSB/view_profile.php?userid=5324 - ambien http://confluence.public.thoughtworks.org/display/~ativan4r5r - ativan http://confluence.public.thoughtworks.org/display/~buy-ambien-without-prescription - ambien
hkstuk tonder harboring simulates recession violating sandmo
MCV is the leading trade news and community site for all professionals working within the UK and international video games market. It reaches everyone from store manager to CEO, covering the entire industry. MCV is published by Intent Media, which specialises in entertainment, leisure and technology markets
