GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.

EA on Battlefield 4/SimCity issues -- "When you push innovation, you miss other things"

CEO Andrew Wilson also says "building games is very hard" and confirms that EA has "changed our process."

279 Comments
No Caption Provided

Electronic Arts has again responded to the widespread server issues that plagued the launches of SimCity and Battlefield 4, but this time, the comments come straight from the top. During a question-and-answer session held over Twitter recently, EA CEO Andrew Wilson was asked what EA has learned from the technical troubles surrounding those games.

"Building games is very hard… when you push innovation, you miss other things," Wilson responded. "We've changed our process."

Wilson did not elaborate on how, specifically, EA has adjusted its process to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.

Just last week, EA CFO Blake Jorgensen said part of the reason why Battlefield 4 suffered at launch was due to the "complexity" of the game (64-player online, tablet support), as well as the fact that developer DICE was working with new consoles like the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Before that, EA chief creative officer defended Battlefield 4's rocky launch, saying "I think there was a lot of noise about the game, but some of that is a function of your surface area. The more customers you have, the more noise becomes available."

Overall, Battlefield 4 has been an "exceedingly successful" title from a sales and gameplay perspective, Hilleman said. In addition, the Battlefield franchise has not been damaged at all by the technical troubles of Battlefield 4, Jorgensen said previously.

As for SimCity, technical woes beset the game at launch, but these issues have since been corrected. An offline mode is coming to SimCity through its next patch.

Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos.
This video has an invalid file format.
00:00:00
Sorry, but you can't access this content!
Please enter your date of birth to view this video

By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

Join the conversation
There are 279 comments about this story
279 Comments  RefreshSorted By 
GameSpot has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to toxic conduct in comments. Any abusive, racist, sexist, threatening, bullying, vulgar, and otherwise objectionable behavior will result in moderation and/or account termination. Please keep your discussion civil.

Avatar image for 19James89
19James89

30

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

How the hell do Battlefield 4 and Sim City push innovation?


Super Mario 64 pushed innovation, Minecraft push innovation, Portal 2 pushed innovation.


They'll be saying Titanfall pushes innovation next week.

21 • 
Avatar image for Aelfredus
Aelfredus

26

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

<< LINK REMOVED >> A new genre will always equal innovation in my book. That's why I consider Titanfall innovating.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for SolidSnakeJT
SolidSnakeJT

1049

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

<< LINK REMOVED >> a lot of reviews already do...sadly.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for hardeepmeghera
Hardeepmeghera

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

<< LINK REMOVED >> You clearly don't know what 'innovation' means. BF4 is arguably the best when it comes to graphics. The graphics are an innovation on its own

Upvote • 
Avatar image for DomaineStickem
DomaineStickem

207

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 21

User Lists: 0

<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> What "New" innovation does BF4 bring to the table besides Battle packs and... "levelution" ಠ_ಠ

Upvote • 
Avatar image for SolidSnakeJT
SolidSnakeJT

1049

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >>lololol

graphics are almost the same as bf3, and theres other games with same/better graphics...You don't innovate in graphics, you just need more power and tools to produce better graphics.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for 19James89
19James89

30

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

<< LINK REMOVED >> I think a career in stand up comedy awaits you.

19 • 
Avatar image for hardeepmeghera
Hardeepmeghera

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

<< LINK REMOVED >> Darn it. For a second there I really thought I had some sort of future. Ahh well.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for 19James89
19James89

30

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

<< LINK REMOVED >> No chance buddy, no chance.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for hardeepmeghera
Hardeepmeghera

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

<< LINK REMOVED >> You'll probably be a season ticket holder then I presume.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for Saidrex
Saidrex

1726

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 8

User Lists: 0

@19James89 but mechs in fps shooter. No game has done that before... exccept BF 2142, BlackLight Retribution and some others i don't even know about.

upd1. oh and Planetside 2

14 • 
Avatar image for tomservo51
tomservo51

698

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 26

User Lists: 0

<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Dont forget MechAssult, MechWarrior.

14 • 
Avatar image for grenadehh
Grenadehh

40

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 31

User Lists: 6

@tomservo51 @Saidrex @19James89 Mechwarrior and the Battletech franchise aren't a shooter franchise. That's the same as classifying X-wing/Tie fighter and Descent as FPS just because you're in first person. Heavy Gear and Starsiege (Not Starsiege: Trbies) are also not FPS, they're mecha. Mecha isn't a sub-genre.


And yes, do forget MechAssault. **** that game.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for normanislost
normanislost

1748

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

And hawken and halo 4

Upvote • 
Avatar image for normanislost
normanislost

1748

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Sim city was very innovative

It was a pretty innovative way to destroy a franchise

31 • 
Avatar image for deactivated-58a78a043e9d4
deactivated-58a78a043e9d4

2269

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 19

User Lists: 0

<< LINK REMOVED >> Simcity was different from its predecessors but I wouldn't say it was particularly innovative. It changed the core mechanism of the series by having players focus on fixing specific problems rather than playing with the systems. CitiesXL did the same thing and it did it before Simcity.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for grenadehh
Grenadehh

40

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 31

User Lists: 6

<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> And Cities XL also did it better.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for damnyou444
damnyou444

25

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 0

innovation from EA !!!!!!!!!! Nice joke !

Upvote • 
Avatar image for MikeManiac61
MikeManiac61

63

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Please just stop, diarrhea from the mouth

4 • 
Avatar image for Saidrex
Saidrex

1726

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 8

User Lists: 0

where exactly is this huge innovation in BF4?

Upvote • 
Avatar image for normanislost
normanislost

1748

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Releasing the game unfinished then using our money to fix it and our gametime to beta test it

8 • 
Avatar image for Thanatos2k
Thanatos2k

17660

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

<< LINK REMOVED >> That's not innovative because it's happened before. Sadly.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for grenadehh
Grenadehh

40

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 31

User Lists: 6

<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> WoW is the biggest culprit, again. 10 years of paying to beta test that game and it doesn't even improve, it gets worse

Upvote • 
Avatar image for grenadehh
Grenadehh

40

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 31

User Lists: 6

<< LINK REMOVED >> That's not innovative. Blizzard has been doing that for 10 years straight with WoW.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for dnmt
dnmt

28

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Dirty cunts.

2 • 
Avatar image for spartanx169x
spartanx169x

2905

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 8

User Lists: 0

<< LINK REMOVED >> To be deleted 3, 2, 1....

Upvote • 
Avatar image for glenn2709
glenn2709

1719

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

LOL what innovation is he talking about.

Upvote • 
Avatar image for tomservo51
tomservo51

698

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 26

User Lists: 0

Coming from a company that has NEVER pushed innovation. LOL

14 • 
Avatar image for dr_josh
Dr_Josh

129

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

It really is a shame when pesky things like making sure your game works properly in the first place get in the way of innovation.

8 • 
Avatar image for spartanx169x
spartanx169x

2905

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 8

User Lists: 0

<< LINK REMOVED >> except they fail at both.

8 •