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EA boss on Brütal Legend and Grim Fandango 18 Oct, 2008, 16:05 / 24 comments

By Kroms


I was going to let this one slip by, and leave it on Behind Mojo.

Gamasutra recently had the chance to ask John Riccitello - who some of you might know as EA's silver-haired chief executive - about whether or not EA would take a risk with Brütal Legend - and you all know what that is. His reply?

"I have seen it. I am well aware of what the game is. It’s a very significant creative risk. Sometimes significant creative risks end up being some of the world’s best products. Spore was also a significant creative risk. So was The Sims. Portal, BioShock. But so was Grim Fandango.”

This leaves things as ambiguous as ever. But does anyone get the feeling that he just insulted Tim Schafer?

Source: Brutal!

24

24 Comments

  • PirateKingChris on 21 Oct, 2008, 02:31…
    Why oh why do these guys that have no idea what they're talking about get put in such positions of power in gaming companies?
  • Udvarnoky on 18 Oct, 2008, 22:22…
    Why would this have been more appropriate on Behind Mojo?
  • Ascovel on 18 Oct, 2008, 22:31…
    Because no one would become aware of the shame of it then?
  • Giygas on 18 Oct, 2008, 18:51…
    How was Grim Fandango "a creative risk"? LucasArts just made another adventure game, I mean it did use a different engine, but that was it.
  • Kroms on 18 Oct, 2008, 18:56…
    What [i]is[/i] a "creative risk" to begin with?
  • Giygas on 18 Oct, 2008, 23:10…
    Yes, that too.
  • The Tingler on 18 Oct, 2008, 18:10…
    That whole interview had me absolutely burning with rage. "No, I don't want an innovative first-person freerunning game with not really any shooting, I want either an FPS or a third-person platformer game with a sexy female protagonist."

    Thank Christ he's actually listening to people now...
  • Kroms on 18 Oct, 2008, 16:41…
    And what the hell's a "creative risk" anyways?
  • mish87 on 18 Oct, 2008, 16:30…
    Behead him!
  • Dirk on 18 Oct, 2008, 16:47…
    Grab your axes and swords!
  • Ascovel on 18 Oct, 2008, 17:02…
    Darn, I just sold mine to buy a new graphic card.
  • Dirk on 18 Oct, 2008, 17:04…
    You can use a spoon too, for extra pleasure.
  • Ascovel on 18 Oct, 2008, 16:24…
    That was exactly the feeling I did get. And most importantly he insulted Grim Fandango! May the face of Riccitello become covered with spores of the most creative kind.
  • neon_git on 18 Oct, 2008, 16:34…
    I think he just meant that Grim Fandango has a reputation for being a flop financially (whether actually it was or not is still disputed.)
  • Ascovel on 18 Oct, 2008, 16:59…
    He suggested that Grim is "not great" and basically reduced the value of games to how they're doing financially. He's welcome to this kind of opinion, but it just makes him look like some corporate zombie without any personal taste.
  • neon_git on 18 Oct, 2008, 17:04…
    No, what he suggested was that Grim was not among "the world’s best products".

    The quality of the game is never brought into question, just it's value as a product.
  • Kroms on 18 Oct, 2008, 18:14…
    I wonder...does he think that better quality means it'd sell more? It's EA, so I doubt it...but...it's possible. I think he means Grim Fandango didn't sell much, and thus it's not very good.
  • Ascovel on 18 Oct, 2008, 18:05…
    My bad. I somehow didn't treat the term "product" as a business term.

    Guess, the guy can sleep safely (for now). Too bad, I really wanted to behead someone today.
  • Kroms on 18 Oct, 2008, 16:39…
    That's what I'm thinking. It did kind of annoy me though, the way he dismissed it. I'd be surprised if he's ever played a game in his life. In fact I'd be surprised if he didn't look down on gamers.
  • neon_git on 18 Oct, 2008, 16:59…
    Well I was curious so I looked him up on Wikipedia. Judging by his previous jobs, his area of expertise is consumer products.

    Anyway, that's by the by. According to wikipedia he used to work for Sara Lee Corporation where his job title was "Chief Executive Officer, Bakery Division".

    For some reason I just find that funny.
  • jp-30 on 18 Oct, 2008, 19:21…
    He has a degree in BS. Figures.
  • Kroms on 18 Oct, 2008, 17:47…
    It also lists him as an "EA Ashole". :P
  • freakoftheuniverse on 20 Oct, 2008, 02:55…
    Burn the EA Witch and throw him down the well, says I.
  • freakoftheuniverse on 20 Oct, 2008, 02:54…
    Burn the EA Witch and throw him down the well, says I.