All articles tagged with #ea
Dragon Age creator David Gaider says the series is likely dead after the Veilguard release underperformed, but he would consider returning with a darker, more provocative vision if given the chance; BioWare is focused on Mass Effect 5, and EA's ownership plus Veilguard's flop contribute to uncertainty about any future Dragon Age entry.
Insider Gaming reports that EA added real-money microtransactions to College Football 27’s single-player Dynasty and Road to Glory modes, including a $100 upgrade to max out a Dynasty coach, and removed XP sliders that previously sped leveling; backlash from creators and players has grown under #CFBPlayDontPay, with EA not yet commenting as a dev blog is expected July 9. The move fits EA’s broader monetization push across its portfolio as the company contends with debt from a Saudi-led privatization deal.
Richard Garriott says he will attempt to reclaim the copyrights to the Ultima franchise from Electronic Arts using a 35-year US copyright rule, potentially enabling a revival while not reclaiming the trademark; he notes that 'Lord British's Ultima' could appear in a future release and plans to share more at Dragon Con, with a potential entry point in 2027 when the rights lapse, though EA would still own the trademark and the path to a new game remains uncertain.
Richard Garriott (Lord British) plans to reclaim the Ultima rights from Electronic Arts by invoking Section 203 of the U.S. Copyright Act, which allows authors to regain rights after about 35 years. EA has recently filed new trademarks for the Ultima franchise, hinting at potential activity or defensive positioning. If successful, Garriott would regain copyright to the original work (though not necessarily launch a new Ultima game), since copyright covers code and look/feel while trademarks protect branding.
EA will permanently shut down Battlefield Hardline's online servers on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on June 22, 2026, making the console version largely unplayable online; the PC version remains online, and the console version had been delisted earlier. EA has offered no public explanation.
EA renewed trademarks for Ultima, while creator Richard Garriott says he intends to reclaim the original game's copyrights in 2027 (35 years after EA acquired them), potentially enabling new Ultima material under a renamed banner; trademarks mean he can't simply release a game called Ultima, and Garriott plans to share more at Dragon Con.
Richard Garriott says he intends to retake control of Ultima, the classic RPG he sold to EA in 1992, by exploiting a 35-year copyright window to reclaim the work without a direct purchase. EA would still own the Ultima trademark, allowing Garriott to create a new game that is distinct from EA’s property, with more details expected at Dragon Con.
EA is formalizing in-game advertising with a new EA Advertisement unit, while The Sims has a long-running history of real-world brand partnerships—from McDonald’s kiosks and IKEA content to Moschino and Coach—suggesting more sponsored content is on the horizon and reflecting how fan reception to branded content has evolved over time.
EA will retire GRID Legends’ online services for PS5/PS4 on September 11, 2026, removing cross‑play, online multiplayer, Quick Race, Dynamic Events, leaderboards and other online features, while offline play and the story campaign remain available. The 2022 racer from Codemasters has long struggled to sustain online activity, and EA’s move follows that trend, keeping only offline gameplay.
Electronic Arts has quietly removed The Sims Medieval from digital storefronts, pulling it from EA App and Steam with no public announcement. Existing owners can still access and play the game, but new buyers cannot. The EA Store page shows Not Available, and Steam removed the title as of March 10, 2026 per SteamDB. The 2011 spin-off—which added Pirates & Nobles—has effectively been discontinued, prompting questions about other abandoned Sims titles and potential remasters.
Mass Effect: Andromeda voice actor Tom Taylorson says the game was 'done dirty' by EA, rushed out with a Frostbite engine unsuited for the storytelling, and released into a toxic online environment; the controversy helped sink expectations, leading to scrapped plans for Andromeda-related spin-offs and a next Mass Effect now returning to Unreal Engine.
In a Morning Checkpoint recap, American McGee explains a big rift with EA Marketing over how Alice: Madness Returns should be pitched. The dev says marketing wanted a harder, sexier game, he resisted, and famously pasted dildos onto the head of a giant snail and emailed it to the team as a counter-proposal. He credits unusual financing terms that kept creative control, even as EA’s pressure persisted. The roundup also notes Resident Evil Requiem selling 7 million copies, plus other industry updates like Sony’s PS5-to-PC strategy discussions and general gaming news.
EA/ Battlefield 6 will add seven new maps this year, including Cairo Bazaar and Golmud Railway in Season 3, plus a solo battle royale queue and a ranked mode; Season 4 brings Wake Island with naval warfare and a massive Tsuru Reef map with working aircraft carriers. The year also adds a server browser, proximity chat, and platoons, with Season 5 teasing three more maps and map reworks for Blackwell Fields and New Sobek City.
EA is shutting down Dragon Age: Inquisition's PS3 servers on April 28, ending its multiplayer after 12 years; the game’s single-player legacy remains strong, but Bioware’s live-service efforts stumbled thereafter, and EA hasn’t clarified the reasons or the impact on the Dragon Age Keep portal.
EA is laying off an undisclosed number of workers across all Battlefield 6 studios to realign teams around community priorities, while affirming Battlefield remains a top priority and the cuts are not tied to ongoing acquisition talks with PIF, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners. The move follows Battlefield 6's strong 2025 sales but mixed feedback on updates and AI cosmetics.