Wing Commander Revival? (April 2, 2004)

[Bandit LOAF]

Spong has a very interesting article announcing that Electronic Arts plans to announce a return to their classic Syndicate and Desert Strike with cross platform releases to be shown at this years E3. The article goes on to claim that EA has begun a "drive to rekindle some of its unused and much-loved intellectual property" and that "several other as yet undisclosed franchises will be dusted off and receive full home console and PC revivals."

What does this mean for us? It's a hope, however slim, that a new Wing Commander game could be in the works. Wing Commander was, for a time, EA's most profitable (and certainly most beloved) franchise. If this new policy is true, it could mean that a new Wing Commander game is even now in development or could be developed based on the success of a 'first wave' of retro titles. What's more, we can say that roughly a year ago EA held discussions with several former Wing Commander developers regarding just such a plan. Hopefully, we'll know more when titles and business plans are formally announced next month at the E3 convention. We'll be there to beam back instant reports if something exciting happens.

--
Original update published on April 2, 2004

 

[Amerika]

It's too bad EA is wholly profit-oriented company that would likely bring back WC just to put a familiar name on a product in hopes of better sales rather than doing a sequel the way it's meant to be.

 

[Kazan]

I have to agree

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Profit-oriented company is a tautology.

 

[Amerika]

Profit-oriented company is a tautology.

Notice I said wholly profit-oriented, some game publishers actually care about the satisfaction of fans but sadly not many these days.

 

[Bob McDob]

Notice I said wholly profit-oriented, some game publishers actually care about the satisfaction of fans but sadly not many these days.

I'm pretty sure a company that doesn't care at all about its customers won't be a company for very long.

 

[Delance]

Notice I said wholly profit-oriented, some game publishers actually care about the satisfaction of fans but sadly not many these days.

To care about consumer satisfaction is to care about profit. Where do you think profit comes anyway?

 

[Worf]

To care about consumer satisfaction is to care about profit. Where do you think profit comes anyway?

'
There are many ways to make profit without consumer satisfaction. Monopolies are one. Strongarming people is another (pre-monopoly Microsoft). In many markets, customer satisfaction is least on everyone's mind - retail being a notable channel (two stores can sell the same item - one store has great customer service, and as such, costs more, and the second can screw its custoemrs to heck, and charge less. The second store gets business because most people valid price over service).

Of course, it's also another thing to repackage a game every year... (EA Sports)

 

[Delance]

'(two stores can sell the same item - one store has great customer service, and as such, costs more, and the second can screw its custoemrs to heck, and charge less. The second store gets business because most people valid price over service).

That would only mean that customers are more satisfied to have cheap prices than with better service, what is their right. That doesn't mean they are not satisfied. They are free to go where they want. And to talk of monopolies in the game market is very odd. Sure, Nintendo has the monopoly on publishing games for its console, or Lucasarts has the monopoly of publishing Star War games, but it's not the same.