Tag Archives: ea redwood

EA has posted a job listing which reveals that the firm is looking for an MMO Web Architect to work out of the firm’s Redwood City studio, which is “making a revolutionary MMO.”

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Xbox 360 World’s the latest magazine to reveal that Dead Space 2 will be featured in its next issue.

This month’s issue features a teaser image of Isaac with a “2″ on the page, along with text stating: “”One of 2010′s biggest sequels. Next issue.”

Official PlayStation Magazine revealed yesterday that it too will feature the sequel in its next issue, all leading up to a reveal on December 22, apparently.

The cat was let out the bag earlier this month when an EA Redwood job posting revealed the game along with multiplayer.

Via CVG.

Thanks, Blerk.

A job listing for EA Redwood suggests that Dead Space 2 could include online multiplayer support.

The listing sites the need for a “Senior Online Level Designer,” who should “be able to work collaboratively with Creative Director and Online Producer to create extremely fun, satisfying and polished multiplayer levels.”

Here’s more:

This M-rated action/shooter sequel will set new standards for an action-packed story-driven console experience. Our team values are as follows: Gameplay comes first, controller feel is everything, culture of creativity, be highly iterative, playtest early and often, learn from failure, work fast and smart, and surround ourselves with the best talent in the world.

The previous installment in the Dead Space franchise received numerous awards for gameplay, visuals, and sound design, and the same core team is in place to create an even better follow up.

The game is in the later stages of pre-production, ready for production in the next few months, with many of the navigational and combat mechanics in place. We have complete autonomy and creative control over our own decisions. The Games Label at EA is 100% committed to this IP, and has already worked on IP extensions such as comic, animated features, and action figures.

Wonder how those magnetic gravity boots would be used with multiplayer. Endless possibilities, there.

Thanks, Joystiq.

According to a report by Kotaku, EA has cut loose a fair bit of it’s staff today from some of it’s studios.

It comes as the publisher today bought social games firm Playfish for $300 million.

The studios affected include Tiburon and BlackBox, as well as Mythic and EA’s Redwood studio from their QA department.

We’ll leave EA an email, and see what they say.

Reports surfacing around the net are claiming that EA’s Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey have left Redwood Shores for positions at Activison’s new Bay Area studio.

According to sources close to Gamespot, Visceral Games employees were informed that general manager Glen Schofield and COO Michael Condrey were leaving to work at the as of yet unnamed studio.

Schofield was the man behind Dead Space, and was recently busy talking up Dante’s Inferno.

EA nor Activision have commented on the situation yet, but we have contacted both so hopefully one or the other will get back with us soon.

UPDATE: Kotaku has word from EA: “EA has been nurturing great developers for 27 years and making room for the next generation is an important part of that process,” said EA’s head of corporate communications, Jeff Brown. “It takes a team to make a great game like Deas Space and and there’s a stunning array of talent in the Visceral studio — creative leaders who now have the opportunity to step into the spotlight and have their talent recognized.”

Still, not much of a comment. We’re still waiting for one on this end.

A new interview dishing about Dead Space: Extraction has gone up over on IGN, and Steve Papoutsis says that fans worried over the “on-rails” aspect should not be skeptical.

Man’s been everywhere lately.

“I would tell the Skeptics [sic] that our team is passionate about innovation. Extraction is going to include all of the mechanics that made Dead Space a memorable experience: Stasis, Telekinesis, Strategic Dismemberment, and Zero-G,” he said.

“Our game is going to also deliver on some all new features like Co-op that really involves both players for example cooperative puzzles, brand new weapons, new characters, new enemies, new bosses, new story, and new locations. Our goal is to create an all new experience on the Nintendo Wii that feels custom built for that platform, and I think we are on track to do that.”

He then went on to chat a bit about the game, these being the high points:

• The heroine of Extraction, Lexine, is in her early 20′s and that you are “introduced to her pretty quickly in the game”.

• Controls will be fairly simple. Stasis: Point the Wii Remote at enemy or object then hit the Stasis button to fire the projectile. Dismemberment: Aim your Wii Remote at limbs, fire and then “pop goes the Necromorph”.

• The Arc Welder is one of the new weapons added for the game and it fires a bolt of energy which will arc between enemies. It damage depends on how many enemies it “comes into contact with”.

• Game will be just as bloody and gore filled as the first release.

Hit the link for the rest.

Other than giving the usual background story, mentioning co-op elements and reassuring fans that they can still dismember monsters, Dead Space Extraction producer Steve Papoutsis has told MTV his game is “guided first person experience”.

It’s absolutely not an on-rails shooter.

“The player will be presented with many choices as they play the game, ranging from which path they wish to explore to maneuvering in Zero-G”, he said.

“The game is being developed from the ground up to leverage the unique controls of the Nintendo Wii. Players will use their Wii Remote to aim and dismember oncoming enemies as well as use other mechanics from Dead Space such as Stasis and Telekinesis to name a few.

“When we started designing Extraction, it was important to us to make sure the controls on the Wii felt natural and made sense. Having the use of motion controls opened up a lot of interesting possibilities for the game that we hope players will enjoy.”

Game’s out this fall. There’s a full interview through the link.

EA Redwood’s Glen Schofield has told GI that he’s told EA employees that those involved with the creation of quality games at the company will survive the current round of job losses.

“People who aren’t making great games are going to lose their jobs,” said Schofield.

“But if you’re making quality and we continue to push on that, and you’re a quality person then you’re going to keep your job.”

He added: “If we continue to make great games, if we continue to push this, we’re not going to lose our jobs. Because we’re making great stuff.”

EA’s position as a major brand means the company’s a good place to be, said the exec.

“I think the fact that it’s happening all over the world, and that it’s happening in every industry, makes it a little easier because you say, look guys, we still have a job, EA’s a big brand and it’s a great company – we’re going to survive this. We’re looking to fix things. And they realize that: it’s a big, big brand.”

Redwood Studios was behind Dead Space, which did not perform at retail as well as EA had hoped.

First real details have surfaced on EA Redwood Studio’s multi-platform third-person action title, Dante’s Inferno.

Dante Alighieri’s adventures through the nine circles of Hell will be a mixture of God of War meets Dead Space, according to a PSM3 article, with the protagonist facing off against crosses spewing lava, demons and other nasty denizens as he searches for his lady love Beatrice.

Quick time events, such as climbing a 20-foot monster to battle its demon rider over control of the beast, should be familiar to any one who has played any of Kratos’s adventures, and even combo controls will be reminiscent of the Spartan’s lauded control scheme.

PSM3 has a 10-page spread on the game in the latest issue, and in case you have not seen the teaser trailer, head on over to CVG, and check it out.

Thanks, Blerk.