EA Chief Creative Director leaving -- meaning for Sims franchise?

Stdlr9

I'm posting this here i]EDIT: originally posted in The Sims 3 General Discussion forum[/i instead of the Sims 4 forums because I find this a saner place to hang out. http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2016/05/18/madden-creator-ea-chief-creative-officer-rich-hilleman-departs-publisher.aspx

I hope this is GOOD news for the Sims franchise. Wasn't he one of the ones pushing telemetry and dismissing player concerns over bad or poorly-made games? Also pushed for shorter, mobile games, saying that we gamers apparently have no attention spans. http://www.p4rgaming.com/ea-why-should-companies-make-games-that-last-more-than-90-seconds/

Hope this means better days ahead for EA and The Sims!

Colton147147

EA and Maxis aren't related; they're both separate companies, but EA owns Maxis, but Maxis does their own thing when it comes to content, but EA does have the choice to decide when things are released, how big a budget Maxis needs, etc.

Maxis, Bethesda, and CD Projekt Red (CDPR) are possibly the only companies that really listen to their community, or do they milk their games.

Maxis listens to what the players want.

Bethesda remains silent with pretty much everything, but is well-respected amongst everyone, because they know Bethesda knows what the players want - a well-made game that doesn't need DLC to finish the game.

CDPR makes better games than the previous game, as well as listens to their community. They also do not force DRM on anyone who don't want it.

RockStar can be considered a good company... But it can be seen that they are practically milking Grand Theft Auto Online to death with microtransactions.

HappySimmer3

I think maxis and EA are more related than you think!

It was an EA exec who decided that they should design their games using telemetry and market research. This is how Olympus began as the next Sims game. So someone panicked and decided no we better not make that game but with all that time and effort and money invested into it, they cobble together TS4 out of it instead. All of it's major limitations are due to Olympus IMO. Design decisions are another matter; those were just bad. I have no interest whatsoever in manipulating my sims emotions in order to unlock content. That's not even a sims game!

So no, I don't think they do listen to their customers. At least not when it counts. And sure they try to add things here and there based on feedback but what they can do is very limited. Or at least it is without more money and apparently that is something EA is not giving them.

StephSteb

WELL, isn't THAT interesting. I wonder what this means for the future of The Sims.

Stdlr9

And.... they moved this to Off-Topic Chat. This is not off-topic; it will no doubt affect the future of The Sims franchise.

jcp011c2

I won't say this won't have any effect on the Sims franchise (I don't know enough about the inner workings of EA/Maxis) but I WILL say that it looks like he may have been more involved in the sports side of EA Games....chances are probably better than not that any effect on te Sims will be minimal (though I can't say that for sure of course, just my own thoughts.)

BariSaxy

Colton147147 wrote: »

EA and Maxis aren't related; they're both separate companies, but EA owns Maxis, but Maxis does their own thing when it comes to content, but EA does have the choice to decide when things are released, how big a budget Maxis needs, etc.

Maxis, Bethesda, and CD Projekt Red (CDPR) are possibly the only companies that really listen to their community, or do they milk their games.

Maxis listens to what the players want.

Is Maxis really its own separate company nowadays, or was it just a name slapped on these teams to give the illusion that the knight in white shining armor of a company 'Maxis' is back to save the day?

(It really hasn't done any such thing, to be blunt. Which leads me to believe the former.)

JoxerTM22

There is no gamer, proper gamer not people who play phonegame pay2win crapware, who isn't excited about news in the first post.

If news about that departure are true, this is a great day for gaming industry. A victory of videogames over products that are not games at all.

Miki

Colton147147 wrote: »

EA and Maxis aren't related; they're both separate companies, but EA owns Maxis, but Maxis does their own thing when it comes to content, but EA does have the choice to decide when things are released, how big a budget Maxis needs, etc.

Maxis, Bethesda, and CD Projekt Red (CDPR) are possibly the only companies that really listen to their community, or do they milk their games.

Maxis listens to what the players want.

Bethesda remains silent with pretty much everything, but is well-respected amongst everyone, because they know Bethesda knows what the players want - a well-made game that doesn't need DLC to finish the game.

CDPR makes better games than the previous game, as well as listens to their community. They also do not force DRM on anyone who don't want it.

RockStar can be considered a good company... But it can be seen that they are practically milking Grand Theft Auto Online to death with microtransactions.

All due respect to Friend of Justine, but It's easier said than done to "do their own thing" when there's a bigger boss "upstairs" who writes the checks and controls the purse strings..

Simburian

@Colton147147 Rockstar probably need the cash as they moved Rockstar North to the old "Scotsman" (newspaper) building near the Scottish Parliament when "The Scotsman" couldn't afford it any more. Very expensive place to be!

Simburian

Like this which was also on the same site. (bet it will be cut)
http://www.p4rgaming.com/ea-ceo-tells-all-employees-to-shut-the-hell-up/

of course you have to substitute plum for 🐸🐸🐸🐸 remove hyphens or guess!

Scobre

I can honestly say, I've never heard of him. Still sad when people leave though.

Stdlr9

Why is it sad? He wanted to leave. Maybe it will be better for the Sims.

Ravager619

I don't think this will affect The Sims at all. He left to make electricity powered racing go karts, and he's teaming with Memo Gidley on this? Good for both of them.

Stdlr9

Since he was Chief Creative Director, I don't see how it CANNOT affect future Sims games! There's going to be a new sheriff in town, hopefully a better one.

Bagoas77

update on honeywell's blog. matt brown. sounds iffy.