Spielberg tries his hand at game development. Will he be able to pull it off with EA"s help, or will these games join the ranks of numerous other disastrous Hollywood crossovers?
The Oscar-winning filmmaker is joining forces with Electronic Arts, the world"s biggest videogame maker, to develop three original games that Spielberg may eventually turn into movies.
The deal calls for Spielberg to collaborate closely with EA"s Los Angeles studio to create three new franchise properties, having a firm hand and weighing in on everything from concept and design to characters, story and artistic visualization. He"ll also have first dibs at turning the titles into potential big-screen blockbusters or television series. EA, on the other hand, will own the intellectual property rights and develop, publish and distribute the games worldwide.
"I have been playing EA games for years and have watched them master the interactive format," says Spielberg. "Having watched the game industry grow from a niche into a major creative force in entertainment, I have a great deal of respect for EA"s understanding of the interactive format. I"m looking forward to working closely with the team in Los Angeles."