Electronics Arts Undergoes Reorganization, EA Worldwide Studios Formed

One of the largest video game publishers is undergoing structural changes. Electronic Arts announced today that they are reorganizing their company in order to “strengthen [their] studios and technology platform.” The shake-up for the Redwood City, California-based company comes in the form of two major changes: the formation of EA Worldwide Studios, and EA’s Frostbite team being integrated with their technology organization.

Electronic Arts’ CEO Andrew Wilson said that EA Worldwide Studios will “bring together our top creative talent in all of our great studios to work on EA’s powerful brand portfolio and new IP.” The publisher looks to do this by having EA Mobile and Maxis “join this central studios organization.” EA Worldwide Studios will be headed up by DICE founder Patrick Söderlund, while Samantha Ryan will continue to lead the EA Mobile and Maxis teams while reporting to Söderlund. Ryan will also take on a leadership role at BioWare, as she’ll work with the studio on their upcoming RPG products such as Mass Effect Andromeda.

Meanwhile the team behind Electronic Arts’ Frostbite engine, which powers games such as Battlefield 1 and Mirror’s Edge Catalyst, will be joining forces with the EA’s CTO group. Led by Ken Moss, the teams will make sure that players get “innovative, stable and secure experiences.”

If you’re wondering why Electronic Arts is undergoing such drastic changes, here’s what CEO Andrew Wilson had to say over at EA.com:

The world is changing around us – games are now a part of the lives of nearly three billion people, while a convergence of technologies is opening up even more ways to play.  Now more than ever we have a responsibility to put our Players First.  We have already made a number of important changes over the past year that have helped reshape marketing and publishing, and launch new initiatives in competitive gaming. Today, we are announcing additional updates to our organizational structure that are designed to strengthen our studios and technology platform.

Having Electronic Arts’ talented studios work more closely together can only be a good thing in the long run, and it looks like they’ll try to replicate what Ubisoft and other large publishers have done in the past.

(Source: EA via VG247)

TRENDING