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Mark Jacobs Interview Part One - What's in a Name?
On Wednesday, MMORPG.com Managing Editor Jon Wood spoke with EA Mythic VP and General Manager Mark Jacobs about four different announcements from the studio. Part One announces a name change for the company from EA mythic back to Mythic Entertainment. Tomorrow's part two will reveal three more announcements concerning Warhammer Online.
Mythic Entertainment. It’s a name that we haven’t really heard much of since June 20th, 2006 when the company known best for their Realm vs. Realm style MMORPG Dark Age of Camelot and their upcoming MMORPG Warhammer Online announced that it had been acquired by publishing giant Electronic Arts (EA). After the announcement the company went through a name change and a re-branding, including a new logo, that saw the studio re-named “EA Mythic”.
Today, MMORPG.com learned that EA Mythic will be going through another transition as the company reclaims the Mythic Entertainment name.
“We are going back to Mythic Entertainment,” said Mark Jacobs, the VP and General Manager of EA Mythic. “I’ve always been a believer of separate branding,” he continued, going on to cite a number of successful companies like Disney and GE that operate subsidiary companies under separate and distinct brands.
“I think that this is a wonderful example of how things at EA are changing,” he continued, “both John (Riccitiello, CEO of EA) and Frank (Gibeau, EA) have spoken multiple times about city states, more freedom, that sort of thing and I think this is an obvious example.”
With that quote, Jacobs is referring to statements that Riccitellio made published in a February 10th article from Gamasutra essentially stating that EA subsidiaries are like city-states [of the larger EA empire]:
"These citystates are more about who they are individually than they are part of EA... The heart and soul of what our company is with the developers who create the products because without that we are absolutely nothing."
It seems as though a part of supporting that individuality means a re-branding or in this case a re-re-branding of their studios, including Mythic Entertainment. Still, just in case there was any confusion, Jacobs also points out that they are still the same company and are still a part of EA:
“We’re still part of EA,” he said, “this is a name change and both Mythic Entertainment and EA are well represented in the game, on the box, etc. but the developer is going to be officially Mythic Entertainment.”
The last question I asked before moving on to other subjects revolved around the logo. Is the new logo here to stay, or whether we should expect a return to the classic Mythic Entertainment.
“We are going to go with a hybrid,” Jacobs answered. “Going back to the old logo… ok that’s good, but we’re looking to do something better so I think you’ll like our new logo. It is very similar to what we’ve done before, but it’s not identical.”
While this is the end of the announcements for tonight, log on to MMORPG.com tomorrow for a report on the rest of that interview that includes three other exclusive announcements specifically addressing Warhammer Online.
Enormous Announcement = Beta date? :) :)
You betcha... Mythic has embargoed the remainder of the interview because it is time sensitive I bet and I imagine beta is the reason :)
I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I also don't want you to get your hopes up. No, it has nothing to do with beta, or any other date for that matter.
I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I also don't want you to get your hopes up. No, it has nothing to do with beta, or any other date for that matter.
You hear that sound? That's the sound of hopes being dashed against the rocks...
I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I also don't want you to get your hopes up. No, it has nothing to do with beta, or any other date for that matter.
Boo :)
Thanks Jon. Disappointing as it is, I am happy to have that clarification rather than 523452 posts about the Beta announcement coming tomorrow. Heh.
I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I also don't want you to get your hopes up. No, it has nothing to do with beta, or any other date for that matter.
ITS A CONSPIRACY, hes definately a mythic employee
let me guess...
announcement 1 :With a subcription for warhammer online, you get to play Dark Age of Camelot for free.
announcement 2 : Sanya is coming back! woot (Ihope)
announcement 3 :no idea
Aww, no news on Dark Age of Camelot. At least they're going back to good old MYTHIC! No EA bs.
Announcement = WAR pushed back to Q1 2009?
2. CE sold out
3. open beta access to all pre-orders CE and not CE.
just my guess
No matter what they do they can not take the EA away.
Same EA doing business as usual with hostile takeovers of other companies and ruining them.
Take 2 anyone?
If they can really leave Mythic alone then thats great, just dont see that happening down the road.
The announcement...
The reason that EAMythic was changed back to Mythic is that EA has decided Mythic and WAR = epic fail. It was determined that it would be the best course of action to remove the EA from Mythic now.. rather than after the sale.
After the announcement Mark Jacobs will state that Mythic is being resold the rights to their properties for "a very good price".
Mark Jacobs will also announce that he is hiring Brad McQuaid to be the VP of operations at Mythic. It has been said that Mark believes Brad is the only other person alive who can spin a turd as well as he can.
Within 3 months it will be announced that they have signed with SOE to co-publish WAR...
Then pigs will fly.
At least 50% of this is true.. but even I am not sure which 50%.
(yes I was bored).
Ok my one serious reply for this thread.
There was NO hostile take over of Mythic by EA.
Mark Jacobs claimed it was in Mythics best interest to sell to EA.
When you consider how much the population of DAoC had already dropped...
That they had canceled the development for the game they were making (the futuristic rome thing.. Emperator or whatever) and that they had obviously paid out money for the rights to WAR...
Most likely they needed a large cash injection... thus they sold.
As to EA ruining companies it aquires... totally agree.
No beta date that sucks!
As far as the other surprises that are coming they better be good or it will be disappointing. I have been playing Warhammer for many years and I can not wait to finnally play this as an MMO. Please let the news be good and not that the date has been pushed baack again.
Though I can't give a significant reason why, this announcement seems important to me. Just the removal of EA as a precursor to Mythic feels like a burden has been lifted. I honestly can't even explain myself. I just remember reading it and feeling this imaginary elephant being lifted off my shoulders. How weird is that.
EA used to acquire companies and mess them up by restructering and taking to much control away from them. Tack on the fact that they would pump out games requardless of how good they actually were.
Now they have a new CEO that is trying to change that image. He is placing more importance on the quality of games. Mythic is a big example of this. Not only are they allowed to make the game they want, they are allowed to take the time they need to make it, and now they are being allowed to keep the Mythic name seperate from EA.
As for Take 2. They have yet to be acquired let alone ruined. It is fairly obvious why EA would want them and that is just pure business there.
Now take a look at C&C 3 Red Alert. They are getting a bunch of the orginal C&C Red Alert devs on the project. I haven't heard anything bad coming from Bioware after they got acquired either.
I think they have learned their lesson about public opinion and game development teams. Honestly though I would trust EA and SOE, SWG was a tragedy but what they did with EQ2(after launch) and Vangaurd shows they can make forward progress, to make another MMO that I would try. As long as they show signs of trying to change in the right direction. Blizzard hasn't really shown me that and they still rely on old IP's to make games.
Did you even read the interview?
"Jacobs also points out that they are still the same company and are still a part of EA"
EA isn't going anywhere, this is just a namechange.
I doubt the upcoming will be very important. If it was, they wouldn't announce it exclusively on this site.
That's the smartest thing they did since they brought onboard EA (EA + MMORPG = Layoffs)
They'll still be with EA but at least they are getting rid of the name.
ITS A CONSPIRACY, hes definately a mythic employee
I am a strong supporter of the grilled cheese option. Who here is with me!
So EA is removed from Mythics name, new logo, new face lift. EA Supervision staying the same, but now more behind the curtains, so much that in 3 months only enlightened people remember that EA still owns Mythic, completely. That sounds like PR to me, good PR.
Also who ever suggested that EA is doing this (yes, EA ordered this, Mythic cannot do this kind of changes on its own) to wash it hands off, incase WAR flops, well I think you might be right. Seeing what hapenned to Conan, say what you like, but I wouldn't like my huge entertainment shop to be directly connected to publishing that kind of game =))
Good news anyway, sweet PR to give everything nice look, washing your hands from possible problems, and still keeping the money coming in and control in your hands. I wouldn't have expected anything less from EA. Would you?
EA used to acquire companies and mess them up by restructering and taking to much control away from them. Tack on the fact that they would pump out games requardless of how good they actually were.
Now they have a new CEO that is trying to change that image. He is placing more importance on the quality of games. Mythic is a big example of this. Not only are they allowed to make the game they want, they are allowed to take the time they need to make it, and now they are being allowed to keep the Mythic name seperate from EA.
As for Take 2. They have yet to be acquired let alone ruined. It is fairly obvious why EA would want them and that is just pure business there.
Now take a look at C&C 3 Red Alert. They are getting a bunch of the orginal C&C Red Alert devs on the project. I haven't heard anything bad coming from Bioware after they got acquired either.
I think they have learned their lesson about public opinion and game development teams. Honestly though I would trust EA and SOE, SWG was a tragedy but what they did with EQ2(after launch) and Vangaurd shows they can make forward progress, to make another MMO that I would try. As long as they show signs of trying to change in the right direction. Blizzard hasn't really shown me that and they still rely on old IP's to make games.
You wouldnt hear anything bad coming from Bioware yet because of the CEO's former dealings with them and the cash profit he made. Take 2's share prices have been all over the place since EA marched into the shareholders office, but yes its business. It's good C&C original devs are coming back, true.
EA's plan is that lets remove our name from Mythic, let Mythic spin it's PR, in case war fails then at least only a few will know but at the end of the day we still have the Bioware back up mmo.
In other news....
Mr Jacobs was spotted leaving EA HQ, with a smile on his face and showing the public whats happening.
Pull that Wool over your Eyes!
Did YOU even read the interview?
The CEO basically said that they are doing a complete about-face on the way they handle their subsidiaries, which is fantastic news for those of us who are familiar with EA buyouts. They have eaten probably a dozen companies over the years who made fantastic games, only for those companies to never be heard from again. To find out now that they are no longer interested in strangling these companies to death should give new hope to we who are interested in the gaming industry.
The removal of "EA" as part of Mythic's name is symbolic in the way EA's handling of the company has changed. Yes, they are still part of EA, but being removed is the constant reminder that Mythic now has someone looking over their shoulders. We can worry less about WAR's success knowing that EA will keep to themselves more than they have in the past.
.. It's tomorrow.
What's up? :)
Just finished writing the article. Should be up shortly.
Your a good man Jon :)
Many thanks! Anxiously clicking refresh....
i certainly see this as a good thing, its EA recognising that Mythic have a good enough rep and good enough production qualities and management to be able to make Mythic stand on its own.
One of the intiial interviews by Jacobs stated in order for this game to be a success it has to be more then evolutionary. In fact it has to be revolutionary meaning it must blow all that exists out of the water in every which way or form. If it does NOT then it will simply be a failed clone of whats already on the market. Alot of old school/orginial MMO players are in fact waiting for Warhammer. For this game to really sell or be successful this game should appeal first to the pioneer *PVP* players of MMO's. It cant be a another PVE clone like WOW or LOTRO or it will flop. It simply has to be the BEST. As hungry as many are for it now, I don't believe they will release Warhammer until they feel it is the superior game of this age. I can wait personally although pretty much every known game in existence bores most of us now lol.. I'm looking forward to it and i will wait until its time to be released has come. I'm guessing a ready for Christmas release date. Just makes sense.
This is great news. I know that it is just a name but Mythic Entertainment is a name that has been around for many years. So it is good that they are going back to their old name, plus it just has a better ring to it then EA Mythic
.
I also liked seeing that EA has the right attitude towards their different development teams. Like they said without their developers, EA is nothing. It is refreshing to see a company admit that.
"subsidiary devs are like City-States in the EA Empire "
THIS! IS! SPARTA!
*cackle*