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Why Gamers Need Riccitiello
We round up some of John's best quotes and explain why we need him at the helm of EA.
Written by Andy Griffiths, 15 January 2010
Pressure is beginning to mount on EA's CEO John Riccitiello, who yesterday had to cut the mega publisher's financial forecasts for a second year in a row. Investment politics aside, there are many reasons why gamers should care about this power struggle which is erupting at arguably gaming's biggest publisher. We take a look at a few of Riccitiello's most notable quotes over the past years and argue why gaming needs him.
1. Talking to MTV Multiplayer, August 2008.
"I think what redeems our industry is quality, and I think we take a step back every time we take a license and exploit it with a crappy game, that's not what we're about."
EA used to be known for cheap movie tie-ins and stagnating annual sports franchises being released year after year. Now their most notable franchises like Madden, Fifa and NHL have made great innovative leaps during the past three years and as a result have overtaken their respective rivals. EA have even controversially canned games which would have made money despite its poor content, including a title based on the movie Dark Knight.
2. Speaking to The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, January 2009
"Some of my greatest beliefs regarding gaming are that our art form is today - or certainly has the potential - to be recognised as the peer of the best of Hollywood movies, I want to help others see that. I also believe that there is no inherent conflict between great creativity and achieving strong profitability - I believe they go hand in hand.
Old EA would never have taken a chance with Tim Schafer's Brutal Legend after it was dumped by Activision, yet under Richetiello's reign it was supported and prospered. The same could be said for DICE's Mirror's Edge - what other publisher would have given the Swedish publisher, known only for shooters, a chance to make something which didn't involve guns?
3. Speaking at DICE summit February, 2008:
"Creative teams can be thought of as flowers in a hothouse - you move the temperature up or down a few degrees and the flowers will die,"
Any CEO which understands the creative process is extremely valuable. Gaming will struggle to progress as a medium if there are only faceless money men at the top.
4. Interview with Venture Beat, July 2008
"I don't think the investors give a shit about our quality. They care about our earnings per share. They wait for it to happen. We had three years where we didn't make our expectations. If I were an investor, I would wait and see."
All businesses rely on profit, obviously, but surely creative endeavours should be evaluated by other means than just revenue? Riccitiello has also stated the importance of gaming's business leaders playing games in order to understand the medium, it certainly is more inspiring than Bobby Kotick's "take the fun out of game design" approach.
We don't want to see EA go back to the old days and if Riccitiello is replaced there's a danger that the positive strides the publisher has made over the past few years will all be for nought. Ultimately we have no control over whether he stays or not but the least we can do is recognise how far EA have come, partly due to their charismatic CEO.
