Fruits of UK Talent-Buying Frenzy Ripen as Burnout 3 Images Light up the Web
Smash ‘em up race sequel takes a more realistic edge.
Electronic Arts has released the first screenshots of Burnout 3 and officially confirmed the acquisition if the IP, confirming our reports from last month that the seminal racer made up a focused UK development buy-out strategy.
EA also revealed that Xbox Live would be shunned by the game, which will hit both Microsoft’s console and the PlayStation 2 in September, as the battle for a larger split of Xbox Live subscriptions rages on with only Xbox Battlefield 1942 carrying a ray of hope.
"Working closely with EA's European Studio on the development of Burnout 3 is exciting for Criterion and the Burnout series. We are thrilled that the game will benefit from EA's development and publishing expertise that ensures a worldwide audience will be able to enjoy this phenomenal game," said Fiona Sperry, Studio Head at Criterion Games. "We are confident that through this partnership, this fantastic game will be made even better."
No reason has been given for Acclaim, Burnout's original publisher, ending its ties with Criterion, though a lack of funding late last year is believed to have priced the game out of the publisher’s grasp.
Burnout 3 complements the recently signed TimeSplitters 3 in EA’s outsourced UK development portfolio, something that it has been steadily expanding for sometime. As you may know, TimeSplitters development studio Free Radical split from erstwhile publisher Eidos last year.
Wthout question, both games are canny signings for EA,lending credibility to the oft-criticised third party publishing giant.
No reason was given as to why the third instalment of the middleware-developed series has skipped the GameCube, though given EA’s track record of multi-format releases, this situation may well change before the September ship date.
EA also revealed that Xbox Live would be shunned by the game, which will hit both Microsoft’s console and the PlayStation 2 in September, as the battle for a larger split of Xbox Live subscriptions rages on with only Xbox Battlefield 1942 carrying a ray of hope.
"Working closely with EA's European Studio on the development of Burnout 3 is exciting for Criterion and the Burnout series. We are thrilled that the game will benefit from EA's development and publishing expertise that ensures a worldwide audience will be able to enjoy this phenomenal game," said Fiona Sperry, Studio Head at Criterion Games. "We are confident that through this partnership, this fantastic game will be made even better."
No reason has been given for Acclaim, Burnout's original publisher, ending its ties with Criterion, though a lack of funding late last year is believed to have priced the game out of the publisher’s grasp.
Burnout 3 complements the recently signed TimeSplitters 3 in EA’s outsourced UK development portfolio, something that it has been steadily expanding for sometime. As you may know, TimeSplitters development studio Free Radical split from erstwhile publisher Eidos last year.
Wthout question, both games are canny signings for EA,lending credibility to the oft-criticised third party publishing giant.
No reason was given as to why the third instalment of the middleware-developed series has skipped the GameCube, though given EA’s track record of multi-format releases, this situation may well change before the September ship date.
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Comments
omer48912 10 Feb 2004 19:29
1/2
EA is going to be a new Microsoft in few years time.
And burnout was ok but i saw nothing new in burnout 2 so i hope that they make some big changes in the 3rd one otherwise i am not buying it again.
And burnout was ok but i saw nothing new in burnout 2 so i hope that they make some big changes in the 3rd one otherwise i am not buying it again.
DoctorDee 11 Feb 2004 11:40
2/2
omer48912 wrote:
>EA is going to be a new Microsoft in few years
>time.
Whoa. Microsoft's reach goes WAY beyond what EA have achieved.
Sure, EA is huge! and sure their stranglehold on the games market is counter-productive, but Microsoft are on (effectively) every desktop, and they want to be on every server, set-top and mobile device too.
They are involved with applications, games and operating systems, and they want to be inolved in digital distribution and rights management.
EA is big, Micro$oft is HUGE!!!
>EA is going to be a new Microsoft in few years
>time.
Whoa. Microsoft's reach goes WAY beyond what EA have achieved.
Sure, EA is huge! and sure their stranglehold on the games market is counter-productive, but Microsoft are on (effectively) every desktop, and they want to be on every server, set-top and mobile device too.
They are involved with applications, games and operating systems, and they want to be inolved in digital distribution and rights management.
EA is big, Micro$oft is HUGE!!!