PS4 TRADE GUIDE: PATRICK SÖDERLUND, EA
best company in America
charge of the EA Games label. Since then, former EA Sports boss Andrew Wilson has been promoted to CEO, with Söderlund charged with leading both Sports and Games under the new label – EA Studios. “We are already seeing proof of cross-pollination between the two sides,” claims Söderlund. “The Sports guys have done many things really well, and the Games guys have done other things really well. So for me it is interesting to see how the two entities affect each other. “We have an Ignite team on the Sports side and a Frostbite team on the Games side. What happens in the future is still not decided. But one could argue that it could make sense to merge the two somehow.” Ignite and Frostbite are the two new engines that power EA’s next- gen games. They both represent a major investment in new
hopes will improve its reputation with fans
THE launch of Xbox One and PS4 is awash with free games. Or rather, freemium games. Glorified demos that if players want full access to, they’ll have to pay.
Free-to-play has become the dominant force in mobile, almost entirely replacing the premium model. But EA Studios boss Patrick Söderlund is not convinced freemium will become so prevalent on next-gen.
THE BUSINESS OF NEXT-GEN Mirror’s Edge 2 is one of the games EA
technology to ensure EA gets off to a strong start on next-gen. But the excitement surrounding next-gen is taking its toll on EA’s current games. Titles such as FIFA 14and Battlefield 4have sold significantly fewer units than their predecessors. Is it a case of gamers waiting for new things, or are they holding off for the next-gen?
“Only 18 months ago, most mobile games were full game downloads. Now I’d say 90 per cent are freemium,” he tells MCV. “That change happened very quickly. Whether that will happen on the consoles I don’t know. I still think the console market is different to the mobile market. Mobile games are much cheaper. It’s like film. YouTube is free, but to see Gravityat the
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“It is always going to be difficult to sell games on an older platform when something new is coming,” says Soderlund. “It feels like people are really waiting for something new. I think with our and others games you will see a big and strong attach ratio for the next-gen.”
you would not have expected a few years ago. But a five, six year gap is what I expect going forward.”
BUILDING A LEGACY
I want people to recognise us for the games we make and how much they love our games.
Patrick Söderlund, EA
It has been eight years since the current generation started. As a result the pent-up demand for Xbox One and PS4 is huge, says EA, which predicts 10m unit sales by Match next year.
“This console cycle may have gone on a little bit longer than I would have wanted,” he says. “At the same time, you have seen games like The Last of Usand GTA V at the end of a cycle which perhaps
cinema, it will cost you money. One does not remove the other one. “Will console games be free-to- play going forward? There will be some games that will be free-to-play but I also think that they will be different in nature to full games. I think a lot of people prefer to pay for the full game and get access to everything. And I wouldn’t use the word free-to-play - they are not free.
EA has yet to announce much new IP for the next-generation. But the one new brand it is releasing is Titanfall. A game that picked up numerous E3 awards and has been tipped by Xbox to be a system seller. “That response is telling us that gamers don’t want to play the same game every year,” says Söderlund. “And even the games we build on an iterative basis, we have to make sure we keep on innovating or people won’t give us their money.” Whether it’s with fan favourite Mirror’s Edge or Star Warsor UFC or Dragon AgeorTitanfall, EA wants to be viewed as the creator of the new generation’s leading games. And if it can manage that, then it can cast off its negative image. It hopes. Söderlund concludes: “My goal is to be seen as the best in the business. I want people to recognise us for the games we make rather than anything else. Whether that is the Worst Company in America or whatever people don’t like. We need to be remembered and respected for the games we make.”
“I think all these business models will co-exist. Some prefer to pay $60 and get the full experience. Sometimes when I play freemium games on mobile I feel ‘these guys just want more money.’ When I pay $60 for Battlefield, I know what I am getting. And I think there are players that prefer that. And it’s not a case of one or another, they can both exist and there may be hybrids too.”
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