Hold onto your hats, this one’s a big one. EA look to dominate the games industry even more and this time they have a behemoth of a partner. EA have an agreement with Disney to develop and publish most future Star Wars games for the foreseeable future. Just when you think they could get any bigger they pull off a massive new deal, even without a CEO in place.
After LucasArts was closed down last month (which we reported on here), many wondered what the future of Star Wars games was going to be. With this deal EA will likely develop and publish all core Star Wars (think movie spin offs and new franchises) while Disney retain certain rights for smaller projects such as social, portable or online games. Expect all console releases to have the EA stamp all over them.
Co-President of Disney Interactive John Pleasants said “This agreement demonstrates our commitment to creating quality game experiences that drive the popularity of the Star Wars franchise for years to come. Collaborating with one of the world’s premier game developers will allow us to bring an amazing portfolio of new Star Wars titles to our fans around the world.”
EA Labels President Frank Gibeau added “DICE and Visceral will produce new games, joining the BioWare team which continues to develop for the Star Wars franchise. The new experiences we create may borrow from films, but the games will be entirely original with all new stories and gameplay.”
If you are a Star Wars fan you certainly have a lot to look forward to after Disney recently purchased the brand. New films, new games, and more. Looks like Star Wars is as popular as ever.
