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Close on the heels of significant layoffs at its Montreal game studio, Electronic Arts once again wielded the axe on Thursday. Although EA was quick to confirm reports of the layoffs, their number remains a point of contention, with wildly different figures being thrown around in absence of an official announcement in this regard.
“In recent weeks, EA has aligned all elements of its organizational structure behind priorities in new technologies and mobile. This has led to some difficult decisions to reduce the workforce in some locations,” the publisher said in a terse statement, which as it later turned out was actually an excerpt from an internal memo announcing the layoffs.
There are varying reports about the size of this latest downsizing exercise at EA. If you ask our friends over at Kotaku, they will tell you the company has handed out pink slips to as much as 10 percent of its workforce. Meanwhile, other reports place the the number of those released in the hundreds.
“The workforce reductions which we communicated in the last two weeks represent the majority of our planned personnel actions,” interim CEO Larry Probst wrote in an internal memo. “We are extremely grateful for the contributions made by each of these individuals – they will be missed by their colleagues and friends at EA.”
He also announced some changes to the company’s organizational structure. These include: the consolidation of core marketing functions under COO Peter Moore and the transfer of Origin to Frank Gibeau’s Labels organization, where it will be headed by executive vice president Andrew Wilson.
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Dane Henson RF
April 26, 2013 at 5:25pm
Yeah, i'm pretty much done with EA, but its a shame to see people in the industry losing jobs.
And also where the heck is all this hate for Steam coming from haha, can't we all just get along?
wumpus
April 27, 2013 at 8:01am
Gee, hate for DRM that you have to ask nicely if it will let you use software you alread "own"? I've had plenty of times when steam won't run without an update, and can't manage to update itself. Just because there exists a DRM scheme that some can tolerate, doesn't mean there won't be plenty of stream hate.
vrmlbasic
April 27, 2013 at 6:05pm
+1. I've had my share of issues with steam. The steam client looks "unprofessional" (especially the file system browser windows) and is pretty clunky. The steam website looks alright and fairly often, much to my dismay, the modified web browser that is the steam client fails to display it.
I despise games that have LAN play but have to connect to Steam first to enable it. Having to have access to the largest of all WANs to allow 3 computers to play on my tiny LAN is bogus.
Gutter96
April 26, 2013 at 4:30pm
While I hate to see people lose THEIR jobs because of the management's decisions, I can see why this is happening. Perhaps EA has gotten a little too big for its britches and needs to be knocked down a peg or two. Then maybe they will pull their heads out and get down to business.
I personally won't buy any EA games because of Origin. But not for the reason you might think. The reason is that it DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY! Origin basically "ate" my copy of Mass Effect 3. I had it installed on my machine, then I got a new one. Popped in the disc, entered the serial number and was greeted by "this serial number has already been used"! YOU DON'T SAY?! No big deal, I'll just re-download it right? WRONG! I can't re-download it because it doesn't show up in My Games! EA has NO SOLUTION for it except to first unzip SEVERAL gigabytes of files, then copy them here and there and cross your fingers! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE, EA! I'm NOT spending 60 bucks on a game that just "disappears" when I upgrade hardware and reinstall! I would LOVE to play Dead Space 3 and Crysis 3 but I'm not taking a $120 gamble on Origin! Hell, even Ubisoft's Uplay works right for me and it's not even CLOSE to being Steam. BUT AT LEAST IT WORKS!
Funny thing is, my first Steam game was Half-Life 2. If I want to install it and play it guess what? I just click "Install" and soon I'm blasting Combine and head crabs! BECAUSE STEAM WORKS!! If EA thinks they're going to REALLY compete with Steam, they've got a long road ahead of them!
And Warrior, I don't know what you're smoking, but those "Old @ss" games like Tomb Raider and Bioshock Infinite were downloaded, activated and ready to play on STEAM the day they were launched! Seriously bro, say no to drugs! Crack is wack!
Gezzer
April 26, 2013 at 9:48pm
Not enough to really effect what ails EA I'm afraid. It's always the poor slobs busting their humps trying to do a good job that get axed. The clueless managers get a promotion for all their forward thinking cost cutting.
IMHO EA's problems come down to this, too many non-gaming suits, not enough gamers in touch with what gamers want. And I don't expect that to change any time soon, so expect another round of "realignment" some time next year.
Blues22475
April 26, 2013 at 2:46pm
It's no big surprise this was going to happen; EA is one of the worst companies in the US you know.
Regardless, I feel sorry for the folks who got laid off: they have to pay for a company's faults.
Hey.That_Dude
April 26, 2013 at 9:52am
Well I can't say that I'm surprised. I bet this is some money saving scheme to make it look like the company is doing well and to get even more Sheep to buy their stock.
Don't buy stock from EA. Do the smart thing: invest elsewhere. Only then can we break the back of ungodly awful DRM that Origin and EA forces on gamers.
Obsidian
April 26, 2013 at 9:37am
I don't take pleasure watching people loose their jobs, but as a company EA kind of had it coming. EA is essentially the evil empire of the gaming industry. They stand as an example of corporate culture gone horribly wrong. I hope that they have enough understanding of why they are so despised and lay off those responsible for so many botched opportunities.
Hate on Steam all you'd like but they continue to do mostly the right things, and for a lot of great reasons. I'm not going to fan-boy this so far to say they are Tron-like in fighting for the users, but at least Steam appears to have the users in mind when rolling out functionality, features and digital rights.
EA appears to us users to have profit and DRM in mind at every turn. This publicly-facing appearance will be incredibly detrimental to the company for years to come.
I expect them to roll off a few development studios under subsidiary names to attempt to alleviate this perception. It takes a few great gestures to overcome such stigma, but it is possible.
Biceps
April 26, 2013 at 8:28am
Like many readers here, I have a lot of issues with EA. One of the biggest ones is the way Origin is managed and designed without much thought - if any - for the user experience and without much attention to adding features that might bring the user back for something else other than booting up BF3.
Steam, while not perfect, is constantly searching for new and innovative features to draw in users and to provide reasons other than DRM to access the platform. Origin is more like "Games for Windows".
Origin really did have the potential to be a great competing platform to Steam, but the entire Origin team whiffed it. I hope the change in management of that team will see a more user-focused, innovation-centered platform designed to bring value to the PLAYER, instead of bringing value to EA, with the player an afterthought.
I don't really believe this will happen, but it would be cool if it did.
methuselah
April 26, 2013 at 10:54am
Nail meet Head.
@ Warrior - Biceps follows up w/ reasons behind his opinion. your's is just a rant... Can you please elaborate? Also... You're plain wrong about old games. Steam always seems to be selling the latest hotness... Bioshock Infinite is a recent example.
Warrior247
April 26, 2013 at 9:13am
Same ole' I'm a Steam tard and everything else sucks rant. Well, Steam sucks. Well needed competition has entered this space and Steam has lost it's importance in a BIG way. It's just not needed, not even for the limited amount of PC games you can get on it. If you like dated old @$$ games, then Steam is your place of choice. F*k Steam.
Gezzer
April 26, 2013 at 10:17pm
Okay, I'll admit you have a bit of a point, once a person filters out your bombastic rhetoric.
I too remember when you bought a game, put it in your drive, it installed, and you played it. Well in the early days of the internet that is. Later on you had to also check for any issues and download patches before you even installed. Remember the installer that would wipe your HD if you uninstalled the game. Some D&D RPG that wasn't really all that bad if I remember correctly. Oh and make sure you had all your drivers up to date as well. Oh then if things didn't work you had to figure out what the best route was to get help. And in a side note EA was the worst about this. Patches could be any of 6-7 different places. You received canned AI responses that half the time had nothing to do with the problem. And often after spending hours searching you'd find with some obscure mod post that it was a know issue and what the work around was, maybe it would actually work too.So yeah when I got the orange box and found I had to install Steam I wasn't too thrilled. I still kind of roll my eyes when I buy a boxed version of a game and all it is is a download code, like the C&C bundle I recently bought.
But there's one thing about Steam, it's pretty much a class act over all, that does it right unlike EA's stab at the service. No more looking for patches. A ready on-line community to find out if there's issues before you buy or install. H@ll even a way to deal with total fraud games like WarZ. The reason Steam dominates is because they deserve to dominate. Valve's example is of a service truly run by gamers for gamers. What's not to like about that?
Warrior247
April 27, 2013 at 5:23pm
I don't like being "forced" to download a service that I don't want or need "as a condition" to play a game that I legally purchased...period! I don't care who's doing it! I'm not one of these ignorant imbecils that hate on a certain company because of their *ahem* business practices, because I'm a fantard of another company with bad business practices. There is no reason for this except to line Valve's pockets. Not only that, you can't get away from these people once you're forced to join. The reason why their numbers are so high is because they basically entrap you into using the service! You have no choice. This is one example of why digital download is dangerous. With Xbox Live you have a choice. People "pay" for that service, get caught cheating, stealing or hacking, get banned, purchase another Xbox 360 and do it again! M$'s numbers are right up there with Valve's as far as user base is concerned and they're making billions on Xbox Live alone! So you can't convince me that it's a good thing or that there is a need to forcibly entrap somebody into using something that is suppose to be free and impacting their use of something that they paid for, vice letting them have a choice to pay or stay and not impacting their ability to play the game. Live is every bit as good as Steam if not better. I'm not the only who feels this way either. Is Minecraft on Steam? I'll let you do the research as to why it's not.
Gezzer
April 27, 2013 at 5:58pm
No, like I said I get it. I don't agree but I see your point.
I think the disagreement stems from your dislike of dictators of any kind, and most of the rest of us willing to put up with a dictator that is benevolent and is supplying a service we all enjoy and value.Now my next question is this. I can tell you kind of get off on trolling, sad but true. But do you think if you instead of coming on in such a antagonistic and insulting manner you had simply stated you point and moved on you might of actually swayed a few to your point?
Just a thought.
Warrior247
April 27, 2013 at 9:54pm
You are right, I'm DEFINITELY not one of the sheeple. I don't like to be controlled or manipulated. I understand what is happening to me and why it's happening. Steam is far from being benevolent, if it was, then they wouldn't feel the need to entrap you, "make" you use their product as a condition to play a game you just paid for, then hold you there. Disagree, with any of that, then lose all of your games!! Actually, I can't think of a more malevolent service. Why, because they don't want you running off with "their" games, because you don't own a damn thing...period! But if you're compliant and complacent then it doesn't matter. But it matters to me and I don't want nothing to do with it.
"My points" are why I'm attacked...first. Because I like consoles, like Apple, don't like Steam, think that the PC is VERY over priced, over hyped and overrated, that paying $1000 for a video card to play a $50 console game that you don't own is stupid, that Valve's stinkbox is vaporware and a fail if it becomes a solid, complain that PC games are launched broken, can't buy PC games retail, ect, ect, ect and I'm the troll? But you fail to address those that come on in such a antagonistic and insulting manner themselves? C'mon. So far I've run into nothing but fantards, hypocrites and liars. Of which I just exposed another.
Renegade Knight
April 26, 2013 at 6:29pm
Steam sucks the way Netflix sucks. Big media companies trying to either get more money or wanting "Their" customers for their own won't let Steam and Netflix limit what Steam and Netflix can offer.
In spite of it both are better than anything else out there.
Renegade Knight
April 26, 2013 at 6:29pm
Steam sucks the way Netflix sucks. Big media companies trying to either get more money or wanting "Their" customers for their own won't let Steam and Netflix limit what Steam and Netflix can offer.
In spite of it both are better than anything else out there.
sundropdrinker3
April 26, 2013 at 2:42pm
What I want to know is, how can a store be a monopoly? That is all Steam really is. A virtual store. A place to buy games. You don't even need to be online to play them. With your analogy, Best Buy is a monopoly. So is Wal-Mart, Sears, Kohl's, etc. OMG! The world is full of monopolies!
someuid
April 26, 2013 at 10:56am
Steam has a limited supply of games? Their games are old? Steam has real competition?
Haha. You're deluding yourself.
Warrior247
April 26, 2013 at 11:32am
Hmmmm... Let's seeeeee. The console itself, new next gen consoles, pads/phones, Xbox Live, PSN, Origins, Windows Live, Direct to Drive, ect. Lack of decent sports games, lack of decent FPS games, hell, lack of some of THE biggest games that the anemic PC has to offer, no sign or smell of the stinkbox, AND NOTHING THAT IS WORTH A DAMN THAT YOU CAN'T GET SOMEWHERE ELSE!!! Haha. You're deluding yourself.
Cythrawl
April 26, 2013 at 10:39am
old @ss games?? Funny I can seem to get every game EXCEPT EA's game on launch day on steam. Bioshock Inifinte unlocked at midnight. I had it before people got home from the stores as it was preloaded.
Doesnt matter as I have been activly boycotting EA's games now for nearly 2 years.
I think you need to get your facts straight if you are going to bash Steam with any kind of intelligence..
Warrior247
April 26, 2013 at 10:55am
Wow a Steam tard, who'da thunk it? Complaining about "my" dislike for Steam while he has been boycotting Origins for 2 yrs. Don't you just love a hypocrite? STFU Dude.
Cythrawl
April 26, 2013 at 11:23am
Did I say boycotting Origin? Nope.. I didnt.. So why dont you take your OWN advice ok??
Cythrawl
April 26, 2013 at 11:50am
No I am not, but its NOT BECAUSE of Origin.. You seem to have an issue comprehending that. Anyway I am done feeding you, go back under your bridge..
Warrior247
April 26, 2013 at 11:56am
You either are or you're not!! So you ARE boycotting Origin then? Not buying from EA, thus not buying from Origins either. Yet another tard caught lying and sweating like a whore in church. Like I said, STFU...hypocrite!!!
Cythrawl
April 26, 2013 at 12:25pm
(Sigh) NO I AM NOT buying EA Games..
but it is NOT BECAUSE OF ORIGIN..
I am not buying EA Games because the business practices they do.
I know some people that have worked for studios that were doing just fine UNTIL EA bought them and assimilated them. Those Studios are now defunct.So, like I said before take your OWN advice and STFU yourself. You knew NOTHING why I was boycotting EA.. NOTHING.. But you "ASSumed" that it was because I use Steam.. I just called you out on your misinformation that Steam only carries old games...
Never ASSume as it certainly has made it apparent that you are the first three letters of that word.. In fact looking at the other posts you do on here, a HUGE one at that (And I capitilzed it for you so your small brain can understand) ..
Warrior247
April 26, 2013 at 12:49pm
I got another one.
Listen. I'm a tard hunter, and it's open season on tards. I pick the stupidest tard in the group and give chase, so all of that zig zagging that you're trying to do right now is futile. "You", are a "LIAR" AND A "HYPOCRITE"!!!! You said that you've been boycotting EA for 2 yrs!! So that means that you're not doing business with the company at all!! You're not buying any of it's games or using any of it's products, which Origins is one. The reason why is irrelovent, nobody cares. You either "ARE" or you "AREN'T" buying from EA!! WHATEVER YOU PICK, YOU ARE EITHER A LIAR OR A HYPOCRITE. I'm right, you're wrong. What do you think happens when one company buys another? Are you that stupid? Well... of course you are, but still. The tard tactic of misdirection and trying to change the subject won't work. You've been exposed liar! Now STFU...HYPOCRITE!!
captainjack
April 26, 2013 at 4:02pm
Is English your primary language Warrior? You seem to have a hard time grasping the true meaning of other's arguments. Also, you're really rude. Why do you feel the need to rage so much?
Warrior247
April 26, 2013 at 4:35pm
I don't argue with a dumb@$$, I just prove them wrong like I did you. Btw, weren't you suppose to find those quotes where I said that I hated PC gaming?
captainjack
April 26, 2013 at 6:06pm
Here I'll trade you. You answer one of my original questions (either here or from the razer edge thread)and i'll respond to whatever question you want to ask. Conversation is a two way street.
Warrior247
April 27, 2013 at 3:24pm
Trade? No, you'll run like the rest of these ignorant tards. Getting openly caught in lies is embarrassing. You've had more than enough time, now go find those quotes.
captainjack
April 28, 2013 at 2:15am
I disagree. You don't really catch people lying. For some reason you really enjoy finding obscure syntactical loopholes in people's comments and then changing the focus from the true argument into some sort of win-lose rhetoric.
Warrior247
April 28, 2013 at 7:17am
You disagree, really? You said that I hated PC gaming, I don't, you lied. You were given weeks to prove this and you cannot...and you never will. Then you have this latest hypocritical tard who attacked me for not liking Steam, while he stated that he has been "actively" boycotting EA for 2 yrs...but not Origin. If you can't see the absolute ignorance in that statement, then your dumber than he is. He realized how stupid he is because he fled the post like all lying tards do. Stupidity is contagious and you seem to be infected.
Cythrawl
April 26, 2013 at 3:07pm
Yup, I'm a tard.... But I have a great nose and I can smell your crap a million miles away...
You must be right at home in the You Tube Comments section.
Oh Look I found a video of you.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMEe7JqBgvg
Yup thats you to a tee
Warrior247
April 26, 2013 at 4:31pm
Yup, you ARE a tard and a stupid one at that. You smell the crapola because you're full of it. Now, do yourself a favor and choose liar, hypocrite or both and put "yourself" outta your own misery. I'm boycotting EA but not ORIGINS indeed!! What a moron!!
Warrior247
April 26, 2013 at 10:52am
I believe Steam to be a monopoly in it's own right and it tries to act that way. EA agreed and a fallout with them led to Origins being born. I don't like anything "forced" upon me. Competition was sorely needed here and it has arrived. I'm old school to the core. I don't want any entity trying to control or influence my gaming.
Hey.That_Dude
April 27, 2013 at 8:06am
Perhaps a dictionary would do well. Monopoly: exclusive ownership through legal privilege, command of supply, or concerted action.
If Origin exists, then steam isn't a monopoly. You could even make the arguement that Origin has monopoly on EA titles... but I bet you mean Psuedo-monopoly or Monopoly-in-action.
If that's the case, M$, Intel, and ARM must make you blood boil. I'll expect your rage to show up on those articles as well. :-)
Warrior247
April 27, 2013 at 10:51am
Hunting is good. Sssshh! Here comes a tard now!
Why would Intel, M$, and ARM make my blood boil?
methuselah
April 26, 2013 at 11:01am
You're definitely old school alright...
The "Steam hate" went away about 10 years ago (maybe less) once gamers realized how convenient it was and how it benefited them and the community.
Specifically Indie games. Bastion and Torchlight got great exposure and huge success through Steam.
The only negative I've heard about Steam is that they want to take a big piece of the pie from developer profits that use Steam but, as a gamer that only purchases and plays, not develops, I cannot speak to that point.
Speaking of purchases... Steam's also really been good to me w/ game deals. Their sales build up my game library significantly w/ $10 dollar deals.
Warrior247
April 26, 2013 at 4:41pm
My gaming library is huge as well and I didn't have to be forced into anything to get it that way either. Valve has seen the writing on the wall with the PC and thus is doing their absolute best to go console. They're not the only game in town, pun intended.
Cythrawl
April 26, 2013 at 11:26am
But... but... They have OLD @SS games... They dont have anything new...
>:)
Jaeger_CDN
April 26, 2013 at 12:54pm
umm... your trollship
I think you have GOG and steam confused. Granted GOG has started to sell newer titles but they grew their brand from "good old games"
KenLV
April 26, 2013 at 1:21pm
So basically, he hates everyone who likes or even uses Steam because Steam is [supposedly] a monopoly. That line of thought is in and of itself is foolish, but he then goes on to name 8 or 10 "competitors".
Wait, what?
It seams to me what he is really angry about is that no one has been able to successfully compete against them. But whose fault is that? Steam's? Its users?
As several have already mentioned, Steam is by no means perfect, but it's a crap-load better than ANY of his so called "competitors".
My real guess on this is that he got VAC banned a shitload of times.
