Vapourware LOL ELECTRONIC ARTS: The EA Thread

[Spectacle]

I can already see in the far future where humanity has colonized space SpaceEA stating that "in today's intergalactic video game market you really need to sell 100 million units to recoup the costs".

No need for a galactic civilization for that, it will likely happen here on Earth within the next 50 years or so (assuming no ITZ). The 10 million sales of a super hit vidya game is still piss tiny compared to a global populaion of 7 billion, if the Chinese and Indians get used to buying games AAAA++ games will be aiming for triple digit million sales.

-Spectacle

 

[Brinko]

http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/08/...ic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget

I'd say that this is an incline for the WiiU games library but that doesn't really exist at the moment.

 

[DragoFireheart]

Good, keep that EA shit away from as much as possible.

 

[Ninja Destroyer]

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/ea-lays-off-900-employees-in-organizational-restructuring/

EA lays off 900 employees in 'organizational restructuring'


During a conference call discussing its year-end financials yesterday, Electronic Arts revealed that it laid off approximately 900 employees worldwide as part of an "organizational restructuring" initiative.

Emphasizing that its business was in a period of transition due to the coming launch of next-generation consoles, EA CFO Blake Jorgensen announced company-wide plans to "reduce [its] overall headcount by approximately 10 percent," in an attempt to reduce costs. EA employed an estimated 9,000 workers across its studios, according to its last official employee count in March of 2012.

The latest round of layoffs cost EA $16 million in severance payments.

Over the last year, EA announced layoffs in its Los Angeles and Montreal offices, was vague about closures at EA Mobile and shuttered its PopCap Dublin studio. Last month, EA's Origin was restructured, and is now part of the Frank Gibeau-headed EA Labels group.

Electronic Arts has developed a pattern to its layoff practices over the last few years. In May of last year, restructuring-related layoffs cut EA's workforce by an estimated 5 to 10 percent, while around 800 EA employees lost their jobs between 2010 and 2011.

 

[Zewp]

2000 in april. 900 now. They really are cleaning house.

 

[Curious_Tongue]

Didn't they have over a billion a year in revenue? That would cover the budgets 10 Skyrims or 10 GTA games every single year.

 

[Tolknaz]

In the grand scheme of things Sim City was arguably the best that could happen to EA. A few more high profile failures like that and they'll hopefully go down.

 

[msxyz]

According to the linked article, they estimate the costs of the layoffs to be 16 million $ for the severance package of 900 people. Not even 20K$ a head. Cheap bastards! Not to mention that, probably, most of the money will go into the retirements funds of the few managers fired while the rest of the staff will be left scraping for crumbs.
One more reason NOT to work in the video games industry.

A shame for the people involved, but the sooner these abominations of companies go under, the better for everyone.

 

[DragoFireheart]

How much is your typical severance package for companies paying you say... 50K+ salary?

 

[msxyz]

How much is your typical severance package for companies paying you say... 50K+ salary?

The company is required, by law, to provide a severance package equal to one month of wage per every year you've worked at the company. In case of layoffs, unless the company is broke, you can usually negotiate an additional incentive. It's customary to give about 6 months worth of salary on top of the minimum required by law.

However, as I said before, I'm surprised if most people at EA got only 1-2 months of salary and rest is reserved for the few white collars fired.

 

[tuluse]

What law are you taking about? There is no such law in the US.

 

[tadhg]

The company is required, by law, to provide a severance package equal to one month of wage per every year you've worked at the company. In case of layoffs, unless the company is broke, you can usually negotiate an additional incentive. It's customary to give about 6 months worth of salary on top of the minimum required by law.
However, as I said before, I'm surprised if most people at EA got only 1-2 months of salary and rest is reserved for the few white collars fired.

Who has these laws? US doesn't federally, and Canada is 1 week per year employed not 1 month.

 

[deuxhero]

In the US the employer is forced to pay into an unemployment insurance pool for every employee (in effect, it is taken out of potential wage, so you, the employee, are paying it. Same with social security match and other crap), which the unemployed employee then collects on ("unemployment"). Nothing like he is describing.

 

[msxyz]

The company is required, by law, to provide a severance package equal to one month of wage per every year you've worked at the company. In case of layoffs, unless the company is broke, you can usually negotiate an additional incentive. It's customary to give about 6 months worth of salary on top of the minimum required by law.
However, as I said before, I'm surprised if most people at EA got only 1-2 months of salary and rest is reserved for the few white collars fired.

Who has these laws? US doesn't federally, and Canada is 1 week per year employed not 1 month.

Italy since 1927. When it comes to social welfare, the good old Mussolini was light years ahead. Actually it's not one month per year but 1/13.5 of the annual wage (which is still about one month worth of salary because we get payed 13-14 times a year). Incredible as it sound, many European countries took inspiration from the Italian social welfare reform of 1927 when they decided to reform theirs, because it was the most advanced in the world (and even today many countries are far behind).

 

[Jaesun]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-05-10-ea-registers-domains-for-battlefields-13-20

In a case of comically long-term planning, EA has secured the rights to domains forwww.battlefield13.com to www.battlefield20.com.​

As reported by Fusible, EA curiously doesn't own the domain rights to Battlefields 10-12 dot com, though it's snatch numbers two through nine.​

The domain for Battlefield4.com was only acquired by EA last month for $9000, while the publisher once spent $80K to acquire the numberless Battlefield.com.​

In reaction to this news, Rock, Paper, Shotgun bought the rights to www.battlefield21.comfor £25 while Destructoid acquired its parody site www.Battlefield69.com for a mere $8. One day when we're living underground killing each other for water, John Walker and co. will be laughing it up in their ivory tower while Battlefield games are inevitably still being made.​

 

[Occasionally Fatal]

I wonder how many Guitar Hero sites Activision acquired before killing the franchise. Although I guess they've been making Battlefield games for like 13 years now.

 

[Black]

http://m.uk.ign.com/articles/2013/05/10/ea-sports-executive-vice-president-sells-all-stock


MAN THE BOATS

 

[Blaine]

Smart man.

 

[evdk]

Smart man.

Smart man and the next plaintiff in an insider trading trial.

 

[Blaine]

Smart man and the next plaintiff in an insider trading trial.

"Plaintiff" refers to the party that initiates a legal action. I'm not sure why Wilson would file suit against another entity for insider trading.

Do you mean "defendant"?

 

[evdk]

Smart man and the next plaintiff in an insider trading trial.

"Plaintiff" refers to the party that initiates a legal action. I'm not sure why Wilson would file suit against another entity for insider trading.

Do you mean "defendant"?

When I'm sober I will take offense.

 

[deuxhero]

"Executive Vice President" is an actual job title and not just some needlessly complex title created as a gag for the Simpsons?!

 

[Curious_Tongue]

When I'm sober I will take offense.

Can't hide behind the drunk defense.

Also, sober until proven otherwise.

 

[Curious_Tongue]

"Executive Vice President" is an actual job title and not just some job title made up by the Simpsons writers?!

JUNIOR executive vice president.

 

[Blaine]

evdk
An insider trading charge will never stick if Wilson sold his shares following the public announcement that EA had acquired exclusive rights to publish Star Wars games, which he did.

According to the linked-to document, he filed on the 9th, two days after that announcement. The stock jump likely occurred Tuesday or Wednesday.

Insider trading is mostly abused for buying low before a price jump, I think, rather than for selling high. When it's high, everyone knows it and there's time to sell. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.