THQ vs. Electronic Arts
Jake Rossen Feb 26, 2010
I avoid video games because video games make clocks run fast: it’s
too effective a way to lose time. Being predisposed to being lazy
and shiftless is not an indication you need to be manipulating
Mario through a carnivorous-plant course. (I do own a Nintendo DS,
which is attempting to teach me Japanese: this arrangement is not
working.)
Aversion does not prevent me from being interested in the sniping exchanged by game producers THQ and Electronic Arts: the former created last year’s crucial “UFC: Undisputed 2009” title, possibly saving that company from the financial dunk tank, while the latter is responsible for “Madden” and a series of other top-line sports titles. As far as suit-and-tie rivalries go, it’s a pretty good one.
With “Undisputed 2010” coming in the spring, THQ Vice President Don
Gold took time to pump product at Gamespot.com while
simultaneously taking shots at what he’s describing as EA’s
“me-too” offering, “EA Sports MMA.”
“EA, which is a very well-known company and who makes big sports games, they couldn’t get our [UFC] license,” Gold said. “They were not fans of the UFC, they were not fans of mixed martial arts--and they decided to change their business plan and became a ‘me too’ company…They couldn't get what they really wanted, so they tried to create a game that would compete with us. We have a lot of respect for them, but there’s nothing in that game that would entice me or anyone I know that’s an MMA fan to buy it.”
Gold goes off-rails a bit at the end: saying there’s “nothing in that game” of value to a fan is an empty assault when he hasn’t actually played it. I’m certain a sizable number of fans are loyal enough to the EA brand for it not to be a disaster. But Gold’s basic premise is pretty sound: the UFC is MMA in the States, and anything not bearing that label has a gauntlet to get through before being embraced in the same fashion.
Still: Any game that might possibly allow Melvin Manhoef to fight Fedor Emelianenko will never be a total waste of time.
Aversion does not prevent me from being interested in the sniping exchanged by game producers THQ and Electronic Arts: the former created last year’s crucial “UFC: Undisputed 2009” title, possibly saving that company from the financial dunk tank, while the latter is responsible for “Madden” and a series of other top-line sports titles. As far as suit-and-tie rivalries go, it’s a pretty good one.
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“EA, which is a very well-known company and who makes big sports games, they couldn’t get our [UFC] license,” Gold said. “They were not fans of the UFC, they were not fans of mixed martial arts--and they decided to change their business plan and became a ‘me too’ company…They couldn't get what they really wanted, so they tried to create a game that would compete with us. We have a lot of respect for them, but there’s nothing in that game that would entice me or anyone I know that’s an MMA fan to buy it.”
Gold goes off-rails a bit at the end: saying there’s “nothing in that game” of value to a fan is an empty assault when he hasn’t actually played it. I’m certain a sizable number of fans are loyal enough to the EA brand for it not to be a disaster. But Gold’s basic premise is pretty sound: the UFC is MMA in the States, and anything not bearing that label has a gauntlet to get through before being embraced in the same fashion.
Still: Any game that might possibly allow Melvin Manhoef to fight Fedor Emelianenko will never be a total waste of time.
