Isn't it strange that there are no EA games available on Virtual Console? Licensing issues prevent their sports games from being released, but think of all the other stuff that could be there: B.O.B., Strike series, Theme Park, Road Rash, Lotus and Lotus 2 and more. They've got a lot of games so why aren't they on VC?
What retro EA games would you like to see become downloadable?
I asked a producer who worked with EA the same question and it basically boils down to the fact that their back catalogue is so old that it would take a long time to get the lawyers to determine if they still had the rights (especially if they got the IP from an aquisition).
We know a new Archon game is supposed to be coming to WiiWare (it's on iPhone, so I'm hoping the delay is in making the necessary improvements to the visuals and interface), so we'll hopefully see some old EA properties reborn at the very least, but I don't know if anything that appeared on the C64 (where most of the stuff of interest to me was released), is going to see the light of day.
I asked a producer who worked with EA the same question and it basically boils down to the fact that their back catalogue is so old that it would take a long time to get the lawyers to determine if they still had the rights (especially if they got the IP from an aquisition).
I'm not saying this is a lie ... more that it doesn't make sense. Games like Mutant League Football/Hockey, Might & Magic, King's Bounty, James Pond ... EA or one of their subsidiaries (Maxis, New World Computing) developed them. Why would there be a question of rights?
"You keep saying "snake", but all I hear is 'Easter bunny, Easter bunny, Easter bunny'." -Meatwad
I'm also really surprise EA Sports hasn't supported the Virtual Console either. There are games that they can release that they still own. But knowing there bad relation with Nintendo, I'm not holding my breath. Which is a shame because there are actually quite a few games I want to play.
Aren't a lot of those games just EA published? Some of the developers probably retained the rights and have possibly dissolved.
There was a PSP collection of many EA's games so that can't be it. But for sports games, the player stats would be old and they would have to make the license again for the old game, even if the old game like NHL or Madden from 1995 would still be good.
tbh, i think it`s down to how long would it take EA to organise what can and can`t be put on the virtual console. and whether they can get back the costs of doing it. so, it could be a money thing, or they`re just plain lazy. take your pick.
I asked a producer who worked with EA the same question and it basically boils down to the fact that their back catalogue is so old that it would take a long time to get the lawyers to determine if they still had the rights (especially if they got the IP from an aquisition).
There goes my hope of ever seeing Mail Order Monsters and M.U.L.E. then, huh? Poop, as they're the only two games I personally want to see on the VC. I can take or leave anything else to be honest (unless they start releasing ColecoVision games on the VC -- I'd be up for playing Venture or Smurfs again).
New Archon with pointer controls and online, with wii speak... hmm. awesome.
So ends a saga older than time itself. The World's oldest and fiercest army has been led to victory, and a lost generation is delivered from its fear of extinction. As the sun sets over the field of conflict the dinosaurs disperse, hoping never to set foot in this place a...
I asked a producer who worked with EA the same question and it basically boils down to the fact that their back catalogue is so old that it would take a long time to get the lawyers to determine if they still had the rights (especially if they got the IP from an aquisition).
I'm not saying this is a lie ... more that it doesn't make sense. Games like Mutant League Football/Hockey, Might & Magic, King's Bounty, James Pond ... EA or one of their subsidiaries (Maxis, New World Computing) developed them. Why would there be a question of rights?
I don't know about the other ones, but Might & Magic is the property of 3DO, a defunct company. So that'll probably never see the light of day unless someone acquires the rights to it. Edit: I guess the earliest ones were developed and published by New World Computing, also a defunct company.
Rights are definitely a factor and for a big company like EA, devoting staff to rummaging through old IP because they might make a little bit of money on the VC is probably not really worth it to them - especially if they have to involve lawyers to confirm there's no developer/creator issues attached. Also they may own the IP, but their trademarks may have expired, so they'd need to confirm that as well and possibly even change the name (see William's Stargate which got renamed to Defender II on compilations as a result).
This is a company that has shareholders which are unhappy with management and isn't necessarily in the best financial shape, so I'd expect them to focus more on new IP than dusting off old stuff for the VC. Just a fact of life, I'm afraid.
I asked a producer who worked with EA the same question and it basically boils down to the fact that their back catalogue is so old that it would take a long time to get the lawyers to determine if they still had the rights (especially if they got the IP from an aquisition).
I'm not saying this is a lie ... more that it doesn't make sense. Games like Mutant League Football/Hockey, Might & Magic, King's Bounty, James Pond ... EA or one of their subsidiaries (Maxis, New World Computing) developed them. Why would there be a question of rights?
I don't know about the other ones, but Might & Magic is the property of 3DO, a defunct company. So that'll probably never see the light of day unless someone acquires the rights to it. Edit: I guess the earliest ones were developed and published by New World Computing, also a defunct company.
Per Wiki, New World got sold to 3DO. When they went belly-up, the intellectual properties were sold individually to a variety of companies (Microsoft, Namco, Crave and Ubisoft are listed). So ... yeah, there goes that.
Still ... MUTANT LEAGUE FOOTBALL!!!
"You keep saying "snake", but all I hear is 'Easter bunny, Easter bunny, Easter bunny'." -Meatwad
The Lotus series was developed by Gremlin, who released it as freeware a while back (not the Mega Drive versions, if you're thinking of them). Good games. You can download them here.
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Topic: Why are there no Electronic Arts games on Virtual Console?
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