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MCV 17/09/10 23 FRANCHISE FOCUS: MEDAL OF HONOR Honorable intentions
EA’s acclaimed Medal of Honor series was once the juggernaut brand in first-person-shooters, but over time it has been outgunned by the competition. Michael French and James Batchelor look at how the newest entry, due out in a month’s time, can return the franchise to its former glories…
The upcoming Medal of Honor will be the first with a modern day setting, a shift that will breathe new life into the series
IN THE US, the Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration any soldier can earn. Fittingly, EA’s Medal of Honor WW2 series was once upon a time the industry’s big shooter franchise. It was one of those brands rival publishers craved, a real juggernaut which couldn’t be stopped by critical bullets or transitions to new hardware.
But times have changed, records have been broken by rivals – and now, when it comes to military action, the top dog isn’t EA. It’s Activision’s Call of Duty. What happened? Gluttony. EA bashed out 12 different MoH games in eight years (see ‘Medal of Honor: Service Record’ overleaf). The quality waned, and fatigue amongst the media and consumers set in. Meanwhile the more focused Duty slowly built its audience during the five years Honor wobbled.
REBOOTING THE FRANCISE The new Medal of Honor will put an end to that, though. Although you might have a bit of difficulty getting EA to say that on the record. Like the best tactical strategy in the face of powerful opposition, EA only makes vague
references to ‘the competition’, and play-it-safe humbler-than-thou statements that talk of a franchise rebirth, not the effect on the rest of the genre. But underneath it all, you just know that EA is banking on Medal of Honor reversing its fortunes in the blockbuster shooter category.
How can you tell? Everything about Medal of Honor – which hits on October 15th for 360, PS3 and PC – screams
tactical manoeuver. There’s a new setting, modern day Afghanistan instead of WW2’s global theatre. It’s a dual- studio production between EA big hitter DICE and new LA team Danger Close. And the emphasis is on both multiplayer, handled by DICE, as well as gripping single-player element. This is definitely an attempt to recapture former glories. “[EA Games president] Frank Gibeau said it best: overannualisation deteriorated
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Medal of Honor,” says the game’s executive producer Greg Goodrich. “This property is so popular, but it was being almost shepherded onto shelves. You might be able to get away with it once, but if you start to build up scar tissue on a franchise, the fanbase will eventually turn away.” Originally, the key to Medal of Honor was its tact. While the majority of first- person shooters glorify combat, MOH
Medal of Honor means so much to so many people. We want to go back to the series’ roots.
Greg Goodrich, Danger Close
slick through-the-gun experience, to tell a compelling rich story with interesting characters and honour a group of individuals,” Goodrich says. “Essentially, we want to go back to the series’ roots. It has always been about authenticity and respect for the soldier, honouring them in a way that is honest and devoid of any politics. We just tell the soldiers’ stories: what these guys are going through, the comraderie, the brotherhood.
presented conflicts with respect. The attention to detail, historical authenticity and down-to-earth characters brought the gritty realism of war into consumers’ homes in a way that no movie or documentary has ever done. To win back fans, EA is taking the trademark MOH touch to contemporary conflicts, starting with Afghanistan. “The main objective is to create a great core shooter with solid mechanics,
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“It will take a while to get people to come back, but we’re trying to do it right. And we’re not going to do it perfectly, but this a stepping stone and a solid game. I’ve worked on many titles throughout my career and I’m really proud of this one.”
LEARNING FROM THE BEST It helps that the studio has worked closely with the inspiration for the game’s protagonists to ensure real authenticity; Tier 1 Operators, operatives that are entrusted with the most important missions. To truly present the ordeals these men endured, their real-life experiences were used to help inform Medal of
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