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EA / Bizzarre Creations announce new XBLA game!

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pswii60

Member
Redwood City, Calif., – January 17, 2007 – Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced its launch onto Microsoft’s Xbox Live® Arcade with Boom Boom Rocket™. The game is a hypnotic rhythm music game conceived by EA’s Pogo.com™ casual games design team and developed by Bizarre Creations, the developer who brought Project Gotham Racing® 3 to the Xbox 360™, and fan-favorite Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved to Xbox Live Arcade. The game is scheduled to go live Spring 2007 and is EA’s first title on Xbox Live Arcade.

In Boom Boom Rocket, players trigger rockets to the beat of the music while traveling through a 3D cityscape. The better the player times the explosions, the more spectacular the fireworks effects. The fireworks are choreographed to 10 original tracks created by Ian Livingstone. Players can play in single player mode or go head-to-head against a friend on the same console.

“As one of the worldwide leaders in game publishing, EA has long recognized the power of on-demand, online entertainment,” said Chris Early, Product Unit Manager for Xbox Live Arcade and Microsoft Casual Games. ”We’re honored that EA has chosen Xbox Live Arcade as the platform for their first-ever downloadable game for console game players and are excited to make Boom Boom Rocket available to the millions of Xbox Live Arcade players around the world.”

“Boom Boom Rocket is an addictive and original challenge for all types of gamer, and we're enjoying working with EA to create this unique Xbox Live Arcade experience”, said Martyn Chudley, Managing Director of Bizarre Creations. “Our teams love both working and playing on Xbox Live Arcade, and we're looking forward to releasing another innovative title on this platform with Boom Boom Rocket.”

“This is a perfect time to bring such a unique and custom-built arcade game to Xbox Live Arcade gamers,” said Chip Lange, EA Vice President. “We’ve crafted Boom Boom Rocket to offer an intensely fun entertainment experience for the thriving community of hard core and casual gamers alike on Xbox Live Arcade. It’s only natural that our launch title comes from the Pogo team, given their remarkable success with casual games.”

The game features three modes of gameplay: Normal, Speed and multiplayer head-to-head. Each song is choreographed into three skill levels to ensure that everyone can join in the fun. Successfully chain fireworks to fill the bonus meter and activate the psychedelic bonus mode for extra points. Players can unlock new firework designs by mastering each music track. You can also utilize the connected online element and see how their scores compare with other players on the Boom Boom Rocket leaderboard.

About Bizarre Creations
Bizarre Creations is an independent developer, based in Liverpool, UK. Established in 1994, the company is famed for such high profile franchises as Formula 1, Fur Fighters and Project Gotham Racing. Bizarre prides itself on providing high-quality next-generation gaming experiences that excel in gameplay, graphics, audio and technology. Find them on the web at http://www.bizarreonline.net or http://www.bizarrecreations.com.
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Sounds interesting!
 
In Boom Boom Rocket, players trigger rockets to the beat of the music while traveling through a 3D cityscape. The better the player times the explosions, the more spectacular the fireworks effects.
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hmm....
fantavision.jpg
?
 
Anyone think there is any significance here that it is announced for XBLA and not PSN? I always thought EA were fully multilplatform in all their plans? Surely this is going to annoy Sony somewhat, unless they've got some games planned for PSN too.
 
Based on the luscious, particle-heavy GeoWars engine, I presume.

Edit:
pswii60 said:
Anyone think there is any significance here that it is announced for XBLA and not PSN? I always thought EA were fully multilplatform in all their plans? Surely this is going to annoy Sony somewhat, unless they've got some games planned for PSN too.
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Sure, there's some significance, just as there's some significance that it took EA more than a year to jump onboard with XBLA in the first place.
 
Interview with EA's Chip Lange about the announcement:

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=12431

GS: What’s EA’s view of the PlayStation Network?

CB: The PlayStation Network is new, and those guys have got a great vision – it’s well thought out and planned, but the Microsoft guys have been out on the market a little bit longer. We're in active discussions with them about how that community is going to be brought to life.

We think with all of these different platforms, it's the content providers that ultimately are responsible for bringing the features to life, and that's where I think EA really gets in and shines. We've got huge aspirations for our franchises and their ability to benefit off of the PlayStation 3 network, just like we've had great success on the PlayStation 2 online network with some of our games.

GS: Does that include original downloadable games as well?

CB: We don't have any downloadable originals that are ready to announce right now on the PlayStation 3, but what I can tell you is the comment I made earlier, which is we'll publish interactive content on any platform that makes financial sense.
 
Spring 2007+the usual 5 month delay= Late Summer 2007!

Yeah.....

I guess I am a little bitter about the Crackdown demo being delayed....
 
For some reason, I confused Bizarre Creations with Oddworld Inhabitants.

*mildly disappointed*
 
Isn't the point of doing an XBLA game to cut the middle man out so the developers get he cash outside of Microsoft's shop fee?
 
h0l211 said:
GS: Does that include original downloadable games as well?

CB: We don't have any downloadable originals that are ready to announce right now on the PlayStation 3, but what I can tell you is the comment I made earlier, which is we'll publish interactive content on any platform that makes financial sense.
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SSX bowling confirmed!
 
Vormund said:
I never got around to buying that. So I guess this is game being released on XBLA is fine by me. :)
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It wasnt worth what I paid for it. But for 5 dollars it would be awesome.
 
Rlan said:
Isn't the point of doing an XBLA game to cut the middle man out so the developers get he cash outside of Microsoft's shop fee?
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This is probably the beginning of bigger publsihers making XBLA games. It has been mentioned for awhile these big publishers have been taken aback by the success of XBLA, and want a piece of the action.
 
Rlan said:
Isn't the point of doing an XBLA game to cut the middle man out so the developers get he cash outside of Microsoft's shop fee?
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What? No.

It saves them having to create physical discs and manuals, but there are still royalty fees.

They actually bundled some Live games together on a Physical disc too... I guess it's really just about alternate revenue streams.
 
Mrbob said:
This is probably the beginning of bigger publsihers making XBLA games. It has been mentioned for awhile these big publishers have been taken aback by the success of XBLA, and want a piece of the action.
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Yeah, the interview (nice read, btw) says they've been working on it for about 10 months now, right around when word started dropping about humongous XBLA developer interest. Looks like we should start seeing the fruits of all that with stuff like this. Sounds interesting.
 
Rlan said:
Isn't the point of doing an XBLA game to cut the middle man out so the developers get he cash outside of Microsoft's shop fee?
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Maybe Bizarre didn't want to fund it themselves. EA funds it, EA uses their promotional muscle to push it, EA takes a cut.

Maybe EA drove this whole project.
 
Rlan said:
Isn't the point of doing an XBLA game to cut the middle man out so the developers get he cash outside of Microsoft's shop fee?
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hmm, thats really a bit strange. especially if you caonsider the good releationship of bizarre creations and mircosoft. maybe its only to get the game out on other platforms too.
 
Unison said:
What? No.

It saves them having to create physical discs and manuals, but there are still royalty fees.

They actually bundled some Live games together on a Physical disc too... I guess it's really just about alternate revenue streams.
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Royalty fees to Microsoft for putting the game up there, yeah, but isn't Microsoft essentially the publisher? Wouldn't The Behemoth be 'self publishing' Alien Hominid & Castle Crashers? Wouldn't Outerlight only be paying Valve for using the engine and the online store for the Ship?

It sounds redundant to have EA to get Bizzare to make a new game, when EA could do it themselves. Sure, Konami and Midway get Digital Eclipse to recreate their own old games, but for something new? There is only so many eays you can cut 8 bucks.
 
Rlan said:
Isn't the point of doing an XBLA game to cut the middle man out so the developers get he cash outside of Microsoft's shop fee?
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If this game is 1/2 as cool as Geometry Wars, I'm gonna be a happy man!
 
EA are probably paying bizarre to make the game with them due to how popular geo wars was, and probably the fact that bizzare are a great gaming company :D
 
a big HELL YEAH for anything new on xbla from that genius at bizarre! a boo for EA and any big publisher on it though. just rubs me wrong. why is that neccesary? i'm sure i'm just clueless to the workings of the industry
 
I'm all for EA trying out some new things. Hopefully it leads to them funding some other new projects instead of mostly just sports and licensed crap.

I'm certainly putting this on my 360 watch list.
 
rhythm game + bizarre creations sounds like a great combination to me. i have high hopes for this... but being published by EA is a huge MEH for me.
 
sounds like a mix of Fantavision and Rez...from the makers of Geometry Wars. Somehow, that really sounds good on paper, but I remain skeptical that they can make the execution fresh and exciting.
Nothing beats Rez though.
 
Looking forward to this. Bizarre Creations is one of my favorites because they excel at hardcore score-based gameplay in the PGR and Geometry Wars series. I hope that carries over to this new game, though the genre and EA marketing might have a hand in softening it.

Should be at least good regardless.
 
Rlan said:
Isn't the point of doing an XBLA game to cut the middle man out so the developers get he cash outside of Microsoft's shop fee?
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The games still need to be funded by somebody. Development ain't free.
 
Bad_Boy said:
lol, give me tekken tag. :P


Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice... ;)
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I still play Fantavision. Fireworks, chillout music, crazy weird movies featuring real life kids in between levels equals an awesome game.
 
Sounds pretty cool. More original content is always a good thing and it's being developed by Bizzare Creations too!

I wonder if this is one of the games that will break the 50 meg limit since it's a rhythm/music game.
 
Sean said:
Sounds pretty cool. More original content is always a good thing and it's being developed by Bizzare Creations too!

I wonder if this is one of the games that will break the 50 meg limit since it's a rhythm/music game.
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It would have to have some major special exceptions!! :)
 
I think Xbox Live (or Nintendo's or PS network for that matter) is a great place to have non-games for sale (as well as somethin pretty simple / text-based). I can think of it as a place where we can purchase a lot of DS-ish games for a TV-based console (games like Phoenix Wright also come to mind).
 
boom boom rocket
nezumi o tasukerou
boom boom rocket
neko ga kowai
boom boom rocket
rocketto sugoi
SCARY JAPANESE SHOUTING
 
pswii60 said:
Anyone think there is any significance here that it is announced for XBLA and not PSN? I always thought EA were fully multilplatform in all their plans? Surely this is going to annoy Sony somewhat, unless they've got some games planned for PSN too.
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EA is not publishing on PSN because they "disagree with Sony's model" or something to that effect.

It's the flipside of where they stood with respect to Microsoft in the early days of XBL.
 
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