Source: Sporting News
Interview with EA Sports President Peter Moore
The show floor opened at E3 on Tuesday. While I wasn't able to make it out there, I did manage to get about 20 minutes on the phone yesterday to chat with the most important man in sports gaming today: EA Sports president Peter Moore. Read on as we discuss all of EA Sports' big announcements from E3, including a new MMA title, Madden NFL 10 and how new first-party technology could influence EA's future titles.
Q: The first thing I want to talk about is the announcement of a new franchise, EA Sports MMA. And I wanted to clear something up before I get into questions: THQ's license with UFC is exclusive through 2011, right?
A: I don't know what the terms of their deal are, and we obviously respect that, but there's a huge opportunity in a fast growing sport. We can bring the EA Sports style we have proven with things like Fight Night; we can focus on quality, investing in physics engines and getting the style and gameplay right. We recognize how important the UFC license, but it's not a barrier for entering long term. This is a long term commitment
A: I don't know what the terms of their deal are, and we obviously respect that, but there's a huge opportunity in a fast growing sport. We can bring the EA Sports style we have proven with things like Fight Night; we can focus on quality, investing in physics engines and getting the style and gameplay right. We recognize how important the UFC license, but it's not a barrier for entering long term. This is a long term commitment
Q: So what kind of complications does that create when you've got a league that's almost synonymous with the sport in the way people say Coke instead of soda or Kleenex instead of tissue?
A: For years, Konami challenged us with Pro Evo Soccer, with no licenses in some countries and a mix of generic and semi-licensed product and did it on gameplay. We've come back hard and started to dominate soccer. I don't see any reason why we can't build a challenger to the UFC license game. I recently attended a Strike Force card in San Jose -- 14,000 people, Showtime covering it live. UFC is an important part of the overall MMA scene, but there's room for a company like ourselves to come in and grow the overall pie. THQ probably would relish some competition because it would put even more spotlight on the sport.
A: For years, Konami challenged us with Pro Evo Soccer, with no licenses in some countries and a mix of generic and semi-licensed product and did it on gameplay. We've come back hard and started to dominate soccer. I don't see any reason why we can't build a challenger to the UFC license game. I recently attended a Strike Force card in San Jose -- 14,000 people, Showtime covering it live. UFC is an important part of the overall MMA scene, but there's room for a company like ourselves to come in and grow the overall pie. THQ probably would relish some competition because it would put even more spotlight on the sport.
Q: Have you guys taken a look at the THQ game to try and get a sense of what you can improve upon and get a leg up on the competition?
A: This is the latest in a number of UFC games. Our team that has been assembled that is working on this is made up of MMA fans. They get the sport, they're inside the culture, a number of them on the team train for it. We've also worked retroactively on the game. And yes, of course when the game shipped from THQ, we got the game, tore it apart to find what it should be and finding where we can make a difference. It won't work shipping our own version of Undisputed.
A: This is the latest in a number of UFC games. Our team that has been assembled that is working on this is made up of MMA fans. They get the sport, they're inside the culture, a number of them on the team train for it. We've also worked retroactively on the game. And yes, of course when the game shipped from THQ, we got the game, tore it apart to find what it should be and finding where we can make a difference. It won't work shipping our own version of Undisputed.
Q: Shifting gears to Madden NFL 10, you were able to announce an Online Franchise mode. Did you guys feel a little more confident in going forward with this mode after seeing that Online Dynasty was successful in NCAA Football 09 last year?
A: Being able to build out your franchise, we learned a lot from that, the community obviously got a taste of it in NCAA and desperately wanted it in NFL. It allows you to do a bunch of stuff outside the console game itself. We can learn from one sport, one game and bring it in.
A: Being able to build out your franchise, we learned a lot from that, the community obviously got a taste of it in NCAA and desperately wanted it in NFL. It allows you to do a bunch of stuff outside the console game itself. We can learn from one sport, one game and bring it in.
Q: Yeah, I saw that you'll be able to make moves from EA's site and also there will be an iPhone app. You guys are really getting into every part of everyone's lives.
A: When you're connected on any device, we need to give you a Madden experience, a FIFA experience and so on and so forth. We provide 365 days of Madden, not just launch, the months of football season and then you put it away. FIFA taught us a lot of lessons about how to get people bring the disc of the shelf and back into the drive. We want to bring an Ultimate Team game mechanic to other sports.
A: When you're connected on any device, we need to give you a Madden experience, a FIFA experience and so on and so forth. We provide 365 days of Madden, not just launch, the months of football season and then you put it away. FIFA taught us a lot of lessons about how to get people bring the disc of the shelf and back into the drive. We want to bring an Ultimate Team game mechanic to other sports.
Q: Staying on Madden NFL 10: I was wondering if any thought was given to changing course and giving the cover to John Madden himself after his retirement. You guys seemed to be pretty well down the path of the two-man cover with Fitzgerald and Polamalu at that point, but I figured if you'd call an audible for anyone, it'd be Madden himself.
A: No, as much as he's so important to the game itself and as much at this point he's retired form the public face of who he is in the broadcast booth, it gives us more time to spend time with him. There was never any questions, once we developed the "X," we wanted the cover art and athletes to reflect the "X" ("Fight For Every Yard"). As you've seen, the Pro-Tak engine allows you to get that extra two feet for the first down. Having John Madden on the cover didn't feel right because it didn't play into the product "X." We couldn't think of anybody better than Fitzgerald and Polamalu coming out of the Super Bowl.
A: No, as much as he's so important to the game itself and as much at this point he's retired form the public face of who he is in the broadcast booth, it gives us more time to spend time with him. There was never any questions, once we developed the "X," we wanted the cover art and athletes to reflect the "X" ("Fight For Every Yard"). As you've seen, the Pro-Tak engine allows you to get that extra two feet for the first down. Having John Madden on the cover didn't feel right because it didn't play into the product "X." We couldn't think of anybody better than Fitzgerald and Polamalu coming out of the Super Bowl.
Q: Moving on to the announcement around Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online, I wanted to know if you project that kind of model going forward for other sports, and if so, which ones?
A: We've already done it in Asia where the business model evolved a couple of years ago. Mid-session games; 15-20 minutes: what can you do that you find satisfying? We are doing FIFA over there, we are doing NBA over there. There's no reason, if we get something that becomes a 30-minute satisfying experience, that we couldn't do it here as well. We're trying to Westernize mid-session games to see what is applicable to Western consumers. I wouldn't write off the plan that at some time down the road that we'll pack these sports games into more easy-to-chew and digest flash/browser based games. Golf is modular, you can play four holes, feel good about it, save your score, and come back when you get a chance again and work your way down the course, so we're going to learn a lot with golf and we'll apply those other lessons to sports and see where we can make a difference.
A: We've already done it in Asia where the business model evolved a couple of years ago. Mid-session games; 15-20 minutes: what can you do that you find satisfying? We are doing FIFA over there, we are doing NBA over there. There's no reason, if we get something that becomes a 30-minute satisfying experience, that we couldn't do it here as well. We're trying to Westernize mid-session games to see what is applicable to Western consumers. I wouldn't write off the plan that at some time down the road that we'll pack these sports games into more easy-to-chew and digest flash/browser based games. Golf is modular, you can play four holes, feel good about it, save your score, and come back when you get a chance again and work your way down the course, so we're going to learn a lot with golf and we'll apply those other lessons to sports and see where we can make a difference.
Q: I tried to listen in on most of the presentation, but missed the part about Fight Night Round 4 moving up to June 25. Can you explain why that move was made? Was that just a matter of being ready earlier than expected?
A: We looked at where we were at with the game, as you polish and polish, you allow yourself a lot more lead time so that you can get the game out without rushing. As the game started to come in, we started to look at the quality we had, there was a call we had to make. You get games out a week early, that can make a big difference to selling and consumers getting their hands on it. The demo went wide in the last 24 hours and we saw huge download numbers and we thought if the operations team can get it done a week early, retail loves it.
A: We looked at where we were at with the game, as you polish and polish, you allow yourself a lot more lead time so that you can get the game out without rushing. As the game started to come in, we started to look at the quality we had, there was a call we had to make. You get games out a week early, that can make a big difference to selling and consumers getting their hands on it. The demo went wide in the last 24 hours and we saw huge download numbers and we thought if the operations team can get it done a week early, retail loves it.
Q: Any news on either hoops franchise -- pro or collegiate -- you can share for next season yet? That seems to be the only sport not getting any play at the moment.
A: We have to balance out a relatively short segment; what is news, how do we show strategic commitment to the Wii platform and online? You can only do so much in the 15 minutes. Both FIFA and NHL are playable on the floor at E3. NBA, I'm not sure it's on the floor. It's a little early. This is typically a tad early for me to feel good showing NBA. Making sure it's ready when we show it rather than rushing it out for E3 is the right thing to do.
A: We have to balance out a relatively short segment; what is news, how do we show strategic commitment to the Wii platform and online? You can only do so much in the 15 minutes. Both FIFA and NHL are playable on the floor at E3. NBA, I'm not sure it's on the floor. It's a little early. This is typically a tad early for me to feel good showing NBA. Making sure it's ready when we show it rather than rushing it out for E3 is the right thing to do.
Q: Let's talk about some things that could effect EA Sports, like the announcements about various new peripherals from other consoles. We'll go in the order they were announced: Project Natal from Microsoft?
A: We think Project Natal, which we obviously saw a while back, we think there's a huge opportunity for sports and fitness in there. Anytime you're making motion easier, you play into the world of sports because we all like to swing a club swing a racquet, throw a punch and kick a ball. The ability to open that up, it's a big opportunity for us, so we're excited for seeing where Natal goes.
A: We think Project Natal, which we obviously saw a while back, we think there's a huge opportunity for sports and fitness in there. Anytime you're making motion easier, you play into the world of sports because we all like to swing a club swing a racquet, throw a punch and kick a ball. The ability to open that up, it's a big opportunity for us, so we're excited for seeing where Natal goes.
Q: Wii Vitality Sensor?
A: I was there and I hadn't seen that before. I really didn't know what to make of it. I need to learn more about what it measures for us to comment on that. We hadn't seen that from Nintendo before. If it's true biometrics there ... but measuring vitality? I don't know what that means.
A: I was there and I hadn't seen that before. I really didn't know what to make of it. I need to learn more about what it measures for us to comment on that. We hadn't seen that from Nintendo before. If it's true biometrics there ... but measuring vitality? I don't know what that means.
Q: PlayStation Motion Controller? This seems more like a Wii Remote, so does that make developing for it easier?
A: It's certainly close. You've got three different gesture motion controls. There are a number of consistent tools that we now have built primarily for the Wii that we can apply here. We need to learn more about it. Sports is in a very good position to take advantage of anything that is motion or gesture controlled. We'd had a preview, so we'll be ready when they're ready to ship the thing.
A: It's certainly close. You've got three different gesture motion controls. There are a number of consistent tools that we now have built primarily for the Wii that we can apply here. We need to learn more about it. Sports is in a very good position to take advantage of anything that is motion or gesture controlled. We'd had a preview, so we'll be ready when they're ready to ship the thing.
