Just what is up with Electronic Arts? EA has gone all-out and dropped pretensions of having learned the lessons that CEO John Riccitiello claimed to have learned. As EA gears up for the hostile takeover of Take-Two, Riccitiello has further driven fears into gamers that his company intends to eat the industry — by implying that EA would continue Grand Theft Auto without Rockstar, if need be.
Riccitiello has “no fear that the value EA placed on Take-Two could be damaged if the trio of Rockstar creators decided not to pursue further Grand Theft Auto titles after the latest release.”
“There is no doubt that EA is several times larger than Take-Two – everyday somebody walks in and somebody walks out. If the wrong guy walks out, we have an issue to deal with. But we don’t stop making games.”
Longtime readers will know that I have nothing against the activities of so-called “evil” corporations, but even I’m disturbed by EA’s recent actions, especially since they seem to go against everything that Riccitiello has been saying for the past year. It appears that, while on the cusp of regaining some respect in this industry, EA has decided to shed the sheep’s clothing and go on a rampage.
“The big headline here is that our primary interest is in Rockstar and the intellectual properties around Rockstar”, stated Riccitiello to the BBC, confirming Take-Two’s own theory that EA wants Grand Theft Auto, and the profits associated with the upcoming GTA IV. Just … damn. It’s like they’re reveling in how ruthless they are over at EA.
