Yousef Fares: An Unlikely EA Proponent
Victory sometimes turns into dramatic statements. We've seen it recently with gaming personalities coming out with jaw-dropping comments following major wins. Now, Youssef Fares, the gaming talent behind the hit co-op title It Takes Two, has joined the fray with a rather surprising take on one big publisher: Electronic Arts.
In an interview with The Gamer recently, Fares went on a fervent defense of Electronic Arts. He described EA as a supportive and non-invasive partner, far from the experiences he has had with some of the other publishers. In Fares' view, EA is a "wonderful company" that really works with creators.
"EA never gets involved in any development process. I mean, never, at all," Fares affirmed. "I am extending this company credit for believing in artistic vision and supporting it. They do not get involved with the processes. At times it appears to me that this corporation is unfairly hated. I do not know how they've collaborated with others, but with us – it's been great."
A Lone Voice in a Sea of Criticism?
While it is actually positive to hear of Hazelight's fruitful and silky smooth collaboration with Electronic Arts, Fares' words have certainly struck a nerve online. It's no secret that EA has developed a sort of less-than-impressive reputation among gamers. The internet is essentially teeming with memes showing EA's tendency to acquire studios only to later shut them down. Titles like Visceral Games (defunct), Black Box Games (defunct), Pandemic Studios (defunct), Maxis Software (completely reorganized) – a long list of what were once cherished developers who disappeared, or dramatically changed, under the banner of EA.
And let us not forget the infamous Star Wars: Battlefront II fiasco. The aggressive monetization through loot boxes in that game was so extreme it caught the attention of regulators around the world, prompting conversations regarding the potentially harmful effects of loot box systems. It is hard to imagine that level of aggressive monetization was entirely the developers' idea.
Past Blunders, Lessons?
Then again, as they say, that's then. Taking Fares at his word might mean that the promises of lessons learned from all these missteps would bring about a model much more amicable to creators. In a way, that might explain why It Takes Two has received critical acclaim. It makes one pause and contemplate whether the narrative around EA is shifting at least for some developers.
