Line #84 Creator/ElectronicArts


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ea_2020_2.png]]
2	%%
3
4	->''"Challenge everything."''
5
6	[[https://ea.com Electronic Arts Inc.]] (EA) is the second-oldest independent video game publisher to remain in existence (since the demise of Creator/{{Acclaim}}). Beginning life in 1982 as the brainchild of electronics entrepreneur and corporate raider Trip Hawkins, the company first made its name publishing titles for the home computer market on machines like the Platform/{{Commodore 64}} and Platform/AppleII rather than attempting to follow Creator/{{Activision}} into the home console market. As a result of this, they largely avoided becoming embroiled in UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983 which killed off many of their rivals. In their early days, they justified their name by attempting to treat computer games as art, and the authors as artists in their own right, [[AuteurLicense sending them to network television interviews and nationwide press junkets.]] They also compared game designers to "rock stars," to the point where they issued early games in [[PackagedAsOtherMedium LP-style sleeves]], complete with gatefolds.
7
8	The modern company is divided into two main domains: EA Sports (the big money-maker and where most of their revenue comes from) and the more-controversial EA Entertainment. The company's first big break in the modern era was the Platform/SegaGenesis release of ''VideoGame/MaddenNFL'', one of the first [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball football]] games to represent the game to a reasonably accurate degree (True to their {{tagline}}, ''If it's in the'' [real] ''game, it's in the'' [video] ''game'') and was also fun to play. Their sports games would eventually expand to become their most profitable line after signing licenses with the [[UsefulNotes/IceHockey N]][[UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague H]][[VideoGame/NHLHockey L]], [[UsefulNotes/{{Basketball}} N]][[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation BA]], PGA, [[UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball FI]][[VideoGame/FIFASoccer FA]] and others, and a new title for each sporting organization comes out every year like clockwork.
9
10	The "Games" half of the company has also grown over the years, acquiring many other smaller companies and their intellectual properties: Maxis (''VideoGame/SimCity'', ''VideoGame/TheSims'', ''VideoGame/{{Spore}}''), Creator/OriginSystems (''VideoGame/StrikeCommander'', ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'', ''VideoGame/WingCommander'', ''VideoGame/WingCommanderPrivateer''), Creator/WestwoodStudios (''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquer Command & Conquer]]''), Creator/BullfrogProductions (''VideoGame/{{Populous}}'', ''VideoGame/DungeonKeeper'', ''VideoGame/{{Syndicate}}''), Pandemic Studios (''[[VideoGame/StarWarsBattlefront Star Wars: Battlefront]]''), Creator/BioWare (''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'', ''Franchise/MassEffect'', ''Franchise/DragonAge'') and Creator/PopCap (''VideoGame/{{Bejeweled}}'', ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies''). Occasionally, EA even publishes its own unique games, such as ''VideoGame/MirrorsEdge''.
11
12	A lesser-known, third division of the company is called EA Partners, which handles publishing duties in the West for many games developed by Japanese publishers who lack a presence outside Japan, as well as offering publishing and distributing channels for smaller Western developers that wouldn't normally have access to those channels by themselves. The most prominent of those was a short-lived partnership with Creator/{{Square\|Enix}}soft in the days before their merging with Enix. Today, EA Partners is the publisher of a number of titles from smaller developers, including the ''VideoGame/RockBand'' series, the ''VideoGame/{{Crysis}}'' series, the ''VideoGame/{{Shank}}'' games, and, surprisingly, being the retail distributor of games developed by Creator/{{Valve\|Software}} before the company seemingly abandoned console gaming altogether.
13
14	EA is also notable for the sheer amount of controversies and boycotts over the years from their questionable business practices, which resulted in them [[MedalOfDishonor "winning" ]]Consumer Media LLC's[[note]]the same guys who publish ''Consumer Report''[[/note]] "worst company of America award" for 2012 ''and'' 2013.
15
16	On May 6, 2013, about a month after Creator/LucasArts' closing, it was announced that EA Games and its subsidiaries, DICE, Visceral Games, and [=BioWare=] (which previously worked on both ''Franchise/StarWars: VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'') will be taking over duties for creating ''Star Wars'' video games.
17
18	At EA Play 2016, Electronic Arts announced the EA Originals program, giving support to independent developers and helping to publish their games.
19
20	EA has been proven to be extremely successful over its lifetime, despite several controversies as noted above, outdoing their profit projections for the eighteenth consecutive quarter in Q4 FY 2019.
21
22	Although the company launched its own service, Origin, in 2011, to compete with Platform/{{Steam}} and gradually began to stop releasing games on Steam (with ''Warp'' in early 2012 being the last game they would release on Steam), on October 29, 2019, they reversed this policy, announcing that they would be bringing several of their titles released over the course of the previous year (as well as ''VideoGame/StarWarsJediFallenOrder'') to Steam (though you still have to have an Origin account). In late 2022, Origin rebranded, being replaced by the functionally similar but technically different "EA App".
23
24	On a funny note, their record label used for their games' music (EA™ Recordings, formerly EA™ TRAX) used to be abbreviated as [[FunWithAcronyms E.A.R.S.]], now named Electronic Arts Music after 2016.
25	----
26	!! EA Subsidiaries
27	* Creator/BioWare
28	** [=BioWare=] Edmonton
29	** [=BioWare=] Austin
30	** [=BioWare=] Montreal (absorbed by Motive Studios)
31	* Creator/{{Codemasters}}
32	* Creator/CriterionGames
33	* [[Creator/{{DICE}} EA Digital Illusions CE]] (formerly Digital Illusions Creative Entertainment, DICE)
34	* Creator/EAGothenburg (formerly Ghost Games from 2012 to 2020)
35	* Glu Mobile
36	* Maxis
37	* Metalhead Software
38	* Motive Studios
39	* Playdemic
40	* Creator/PopCapGames
41	* Creator/RespawnEntertainment
42	* [[Creator/DreamWorksInteractive Ripple Effect Studio]] (formerly [=DreamWorks=] Interactive LLC, later EA Los Angeles, then Danger Close Games, and lastly DICE Los Angeles)
43
44	!!! Defunct Studios
45	* Creator/BullfrogProductions
46	* Mythic Entertainment
47	* Origin Systems
48	* Industrial Toys
49	* Pandemic Studios
50	* Phenomic Game Development
51	* Playfish
52	* [[Creator/BlackBox Quicklime Games (formerly EA Black Box)]]
53	* Visceral Games (formerly EA Redwood Shores)
54	* Creator/WestwoodStudios
55
56	!!Early Electronic Arts games:
57	[[index]]
58	* ''VideoGame/{{Archon}}''
59	* ''VideoGame/TheBardsTaleTrilogy''
60	* ''VideoGame/BeetleAdventureRacing''
61	* ''[[VideoGame/{{BOB\|1993}} B.O.B.]]''
62	* ''VideoGame/BudokanTheMartialSpirit''
63	* ''VideoGame/CrueBall''
64	* ''VideoGame/EscapeFromHell1990''
65	* ''VideoGame/GlobalOperations''
66	* ''VideoGame/HauntingStarringPolterguy''
67	* ''VideoGame/TheImmortal1990''
68	* ''VideoGame/LHXAttackChopper''
69	* ''VideoGame/MichaelJordanChaosInTheWindyCity''
70	* ''VideoGame/{{MULE}}''
71	* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'' ([[VideoGameLongRunners their oldest non-sports series still in production]])
72	** ''VideoGame/TheNeedForSpeed''
73	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedII''
74	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit''
75	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHighStakes''
76	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedPorscheUnleashed''
77	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUnderground''
78	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted''
79	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedCarbon''
80	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedProStreet''
81	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUndercover''
82	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedShift''
83	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedNitro''
84	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedTheRun''
85	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedRivals''
86	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed2015''
87	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedPayback''
88	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHeat''
89	** ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUnbound''
90	* ''VideoGame/PinballConstructionSet''
91	* ''VideoGame/ProjectFirestart''
92	* ''VideoGame/SentinelWorldsIFutureMagic''
93	* ''The Seven Cities of Gold''
94	* ''VideoGame/SidMeiersSimGolf''
95	* ''VideoGame/SkateOrDie''
96	* ''VideoGame/SpaceHulk''
97	* ''VideoGame/{{Starflight}}''
98	* ''VideoGame/StrikeSeries''
99	** ''VideoGame/DesertStrike''
100	* ''[[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny One on One: Dr. J vs. Larry Bird]]''
101	* ''VideoGame/RoadRash''
102	* ''VideoGame/TheReturnOfTheKing''
103	* ''VideoGame/XenaWarriorPrincess''
104	[[/index]]
105
106	!! EA Sports properties:
107
108	* ''VideoGame/EASportsStreet''
109	* ''VideoGame/FIFASoccer''
110	* ''VideoGame/MaddenNFL''
111	* ''VideoGame/NCAAFootball''
112	* ''[[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]] Live''
113	* ''VideoGame/NHLHockey''
114	* ''VideoGame/PGATour''
115	* ''VideoGame/{{Skate}}''
116	* ''VideoGame/{{SSX}}''
117	* The ''Knockout Kings'' and ''Fight Night'' boxing series
118	* ''EA MMA'' and ''EA Sports [[UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship UFC]]''
119	* ''Disney Golf'' (with ''Creator/{{Disney}}'' characters)
120	* ''[[UsefulNotes/FormulaOne F1]]'' (from 2000 to 2003, and from 2021 onwards after their buyout of Codemasters)
121	* ''EA Sports [[UsefulNotes/WorldRallyChampionship WRC]]'' (developed by Codemasters)
122
123	!! EA Games properties/standalone titles:
124	[[index]]
125	* ''VideoGame/ArmyOfTwo''
126	* ''VideoGame/{{Black\|2006}}''
127	* ''VideoGame/BlackAndWhite''
128	* ''VideoGame/BoomBlox''
129	* ''VisualNovel/CauseOfDeath''
130	* ''VideoGame/CliveBarkersUndying''
131	* ''VideoGame/DantesInferno''
132	* ''VideoGame/{{Dawngate}}''
133	* ''Franchise/DeadSpace''
134	* ''Franchise/DragonAge''
135	** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''
136	** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII''
137	** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition''
138	** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeDreadwolf''
139	* ''VideoGame/EarthAndBeyond''
140	* ''VideoGame/HenryHatsworthInThePuzzlingAdventure''
141	* ''Franchise/MassEffect''
142	** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1''
143	** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2''
144	** ''VideoGame/MassEffect3''
145	** ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda''
146	* ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonor''
147	** ''VideoGame/MedalofHonor1999''
148	** ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonorUnderground''
149	** ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonorAlliedAssault''
150	** ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonorFrontline''
151	** ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonorRisingSun''
152	** ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonorPacificAssault''
153	** ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonorVanguard''
154	** ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonorAirborne''
155	** ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonor2010''
156	* ''VideoGame/MirrorsEdge''
157	** ''VideoGame/MirrorsEdgeCatalyst''
158	* ''VideoGame/NBAJam'' (2010-present; from Creator/MidwayGames)
159	* ''Need for Speed'' (see above)
160	* ''VideoGame/NFLBlitz'' (2011-present; from Creator/MidwayGames)
161	* ''VideoGame/{{Nox}}''
162	* ''VideoGame/TheSaboteur''
163	* ''VideoGame/TheSims''
164	** ''VideoGame/MySims''
165	* ''VideoGame/{{Spore}}''
166	** ''VideoGame/SporeCreatures''
167	** ''VideoGame/SporeHero''
168
169	[[/index]]
170
171	!!! Properties acquired through buyouts:
172	[[index]]
173	* ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield}}''
174	* ''VideoGame/{{Bejeweled}}''
175	* ''VideoGame/{{Burnout}}''
176	** ''VideoGame/BurnoutParadise''
177	* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer''
178	* ''VideoGame/{{DIRT}}''
179	* ''VideoGame/DungeonKeeper''
180	* ''VideoGame/{{GRID}}''
181	** ''VideoGame/GRIDLegends''
182	* ''VideoGame/PetSociety''
183	* ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies'' (Google Play)
184	** ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies2ItsAboutTime''
185	** ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombiesGardenWarfare''
186	** ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombiesHeroes''
187	* ''VideoGame/{{Populous}}''
188	* ''VideoGame/SimCity''
189	** ''VideoGame/SimCity4''
190	** ''VideoGame/SimCity2013''
191	* ''VideoGame/StrikeCommander''
192	* ''VideoGame/SuperheroCity''
193	* ''VideoGame/ThemeHospital''
194	* ''VideoGame/ThemePark''
195	* ''VideoGame/{{Titanfall}}''
196	** ''VideoGame/Titanfall2''
197	* ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}''
198	* ''VideoGame/WingCommander''
199	** ''VideoGame/WingCommanderTheKilrathiSaga''
200	** ''VideoGame/WingCommanderIVThePriceOfFreedom''
201	** ''VideoGame/WingCommanderPrivateer''
202	*** ''WesternAnimation/WingCommanderAcademy'' (not a video game, but an animated series based on the ''Wing Commander'' universe; the only TV show EA's been involved in)
203	[[/index]]
204	!! Published-only properties/standalone titles:
205
206	[[index]]
207	* ''VideoGame/AmericanMcGeesAlice''
208	** ''VideoGame/AliceMadnessReturns''
209	* ''VideoGame/AllPointsBulletin'' (original Realtime Worlds version)
210	* ''VideoGame/BrutalLegend'' (original publisher; Creator/DoubleFine self-published the game after 2011)
211	* ''VideoGame/{{Bulletstorm}}'' (original version only: remaster is published by Creator/GearboxSoftware)
212	* ''Charm Girls Club'' (except for ''My Perfect Prom'' which is published by Creator/GriptoniteGames)
213	* ''VideoGame/CelDamage'' (Platform/{{Xbox}} and Platform/GameCube versions only)
214	* ''VideoGame/{{Crysis}}'' (the remaster of ''Crysis 1'' is self-published by Creator/{{Crytek}})
215	* ''VideoGame/DeathSpank''
216	* ''VideoGame/FreedomFighters2003'' (original publisher; the re-release was self-published by Creator/IOInteractive)
217	* ''VideoGame/{{Fuse}}''
218	* ''VideoGame/GatlingGears''
219	* ''VideoGame/{{Hellgate London}}'' (in most parts of the world)
220	* ''VideoGame/JamesPond'' and its sequels on the Sega Genesis.
221	* ''VideoGame/TheLabyrinthOfTime''
222	* ''VideoGame/{{Noctropolis}}''
223	* ''VideoGame/RockBand'' (until ''Rock Band 3''; physical distribution only, as the games themselves were published by [[Creator/{{MTV}} MTV Games]])
224	* ''VideoGame/ShadowsOfTheDamned''
225	* ''VideoGame/{{Shank}}''
226	* ''VideoGame/ShaqFu''
227	* ''VideoGame/{{Syndicate}}''
228	* ''VideoGame/TyTheTasmanianTiger'' (first two games only; non-HD versions only)
229	* ''VideoGame/{{Unravel}}''
230	** ''Unravel Two''
231	* ''VideoGame/{{Warp}}''
232	[[/index]]
233
234	!!! EA Originals
235	[[index]]
236	* ''VideoGame/{{Fe}}''
237	* ''VideoGame/ItTakesTwo2021''
238	* ''VideoGame/LostInRandom''
239	* ''VideoGame/SeaOfSolitude''
240	* ''VideoGame/AWayOut''
241	* ''VideoGame/WildHearts''
242	[[/index]]
243	!!! Licenced Games
244	* ''VideoGame/{{Reboot}}''
245	* ''VideoGame/MarvelNemesisRiseOfTheImperfects''
246	* ''VideoGame/LooneyTunesBackInAction''
247	* Official games based on the ''Franchise/JamesBond'' franchise
248	** ''VideoGame/TomorrowNeverDies''
249	** ''VideoGame/TheWorldIsNotEnough''
250	** ''VideoGame/DoubleOhSevenRacing''
251	** ''VideoGame/AgentUnderFire''
252	** ''VideoGame/{{Nightfire}}''
253	** ''VideoGame/EverythingOrNothing''
254	** ''VideoGame/GoldenEyeRogueAgent''
255	** ''VideoGame/DoubleOhSevenFromRussiaWithLove''
256	* [[VideoGame/HarryPotter Official games]] based on the ''Film/HarryPotter'' movies. (Until 2011, as the rights were reverted to Creator/WarnerBros through their gaming division)
257	** ''VideoGame/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'' (2001)
258	** ''VideoGame/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'' (2002)
259	** ''VideoGame/HarryPotterQuidditchWorldCup'' (2003)
260	** ''VideoGame/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'' (2004)
261	** ''VideoGame/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'' (2005)
262	** ''VideoGame/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'' (2007)
263	** ''VideoGame/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince'' (2009)
264	** ''[[VideoGame/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Parts 1 and 2]]'' (2010, 2011)
265	* Official games based on {{Creator/Hasbro}} properties
266	* Official games based on the Creator/PeterJackson ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Lord of the Rings]]'' movies (Until 2009, as the rights were reverted to Creator/WarnerBros through their gaming division under license from the Tolkien Estate)
267	* Official games based on Creator/DCComics movies. (Until 2006, as the rights were reverted to [=DC's=] parent company Creator/WarnerBros through their gaming division)
268	** ''VideoGame/BatmanBegins''
269	** ''VideoGame/Catwoman2004''
270	** ''VideoGame/SupermanReturns''
271	* ''VideoGame/SesameStreetCountingCafe''
272	* Official games based on ''Franchise/TheSimpsons''. (2001-2002; and since 2007)
273	** ''VideoGame/TheSimpsonsRoadRage'' (Console version only)
274	** ''VideoGame/TheSimpsonsSkateboarding''
275	** ''VideoGame/TheSimpsonsGame''
276	** ''VideoGame/TheSimpsonsTappedOut''
277	* As of May 6, 2013, official games based on the ''Star Wars'' franchise.[[note]]although EA published ''The Old Republic'' prior to the acquisition of the license[[/note]][[index]]
278	** ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic''
279	** ''VideoGame/StarWarsBattlefront2015''
280	** ''VideoGame/StarWarsBattlefrontII2017''
281	** ''VideoGame/StarWarsJediFallenOrder''
282	** ''[[VideoGame/{{Ragtag}} Project: Ragtag]]''[[note]]After Visceral Games was closed in late October 2017, ''Ragtag'' was cancelled and may be retooled.[[/note]]
283	** ''VideoGame/StarWarsSquadrons''
284	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Minions}} Paradise'' (pulled from digital stores after their license with Creator/{{Universal}} expired)

Context Creator / ElectronicArts