EA eats up Black Box

I was just browsing PS2Vision and came across this. EA bought Black Box?! They did Soccer Slam! WTF?! I thought they were in cahoots with Sega!

*cun-fuzzed*

I read about this news as well. It's terrible. The guys at Black Box have made a huge mistake. EA buys you and then guts you out.

Origin Systems

Westwood

And who's next? I hear rumors, but I'm not going to start spreading that just yet.

In any case, Black Box Game's only direct title for Sega was NHL 2K. Sega Soccer Slam was developed by Black Box, produced by Visual Concepts and published by Sega. They've had stints with Midway (NHL Hitz) and EA (Nascar 2001 and Nascar Thunder 2002).

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Originally posted by Captain Vegetable
I was just browsing PS2Vision and came across this. EA bought Black Box?! They did Soccer Slam! WTF?! I thought they were in cahoots with Sega!

*cun-fuzzed*

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Well they also did NHL Hitz and NHL2K, both excellent games. And we all know EA needs help in their sports games department because frankly, they suck ass. So by buying out Black Box they obtain some talented guys who could help improve their shitty sports games.

And no, they weren't in cahoots with Sega

I personally thought NHL 2K sucked, I don't really care.

You know what Rick I agree. And yes I AM the Pickle Faced Mushroom Man

so does this mean that soccer-slam is going to stay with EA now? :(

I agree with you Carter, EA will have these guys ripped out, resorted, and then they'll try to make something that turns to crap. -NEVER- let anyone buy you unless you know who your dealing with! (worse case example, the dying express.com killing gamefan :( )

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Originally posted by unit003
(worse case example, the dying express.com killing gamefan :( )

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Aye that sucked. I also hated how Express.com used to be REALLY awesome. They'd send every item 2nd day mail so you'd have it in no time. Then all that internet shananaganz happened and they started actually sending orders 2weeks-a month after you'd place the order and it would still take forever to get there. Shame, now gamefan is dead and express is a joke.


Em...I suppose I should say something relating to this thread...em...yeah it sucks when any company gets bought out by a bigger one. They're just never the same after that.

"Sega Soccer Slam" will not be EA's property, as Sega's name is Sega's. However, if you look at the box, Sega has a ® by it while Soccer Slam has only the TM. I'd imagine that the TM belongs to Sega but possibly it may actually belong to Black Box (thus becoming EA property).

I do not remember reading the trademark data on the box but I'd imagine that Soccer Slam is Sega's, but that doesn't stop Black Box from making a Soccer Slam-like game for EA.

There's a few things to note:

• A: Publishers of X Game keep the right to said game as it was originally published unless expressed otherwise in contract which is usually a very special kind of deal. Sega Published Soccer Slam so the title and future games remain thiers. The Xbox version is likely underway directly from Visual Concepts or from another developer SOA sees fit to licence work to (like Raster for Quake 3 Arena for DC). Another example of this is Acclaim keeping the Dave Mirra licence after Z-Axis was bought by Activision, or how Sierra keeps (kept) churning out Half-Life expansions well after Valve was done with it.
  
  B: Black Box was never very good IMO... Soccer Slam was the only remotely decent game they put out.
  
  C: EA will probably mess with Black Boxes internal structure, but this may not be for the worst (see reason B) EA gets a really bad rap here, and though some of it is deserved not all of it is. EA not making games for DC is the same fair decision that 3DO made about supporting Xbox (IMO one of the best reasons to own one... no Army Men games! HA!). That's their call. EA maligined Origin (not sure about Westwood because they still rock IMO) but Maxis is still fine. They ain't no Sega... but then, who is?

Pure speculation here, but Sega of America announced its intent to expand its frist party development past Visual Concepts. Black Box would have been a likely contender so perhaps EA simply wanted to cut them to the quick. I think Sega should SERIOUSLY look to the PC community. As a Multiplatform publisher, they have given nothing (worthwhile) to PC and when they do they haven't published some themselves. If Sega want's to beat EA, they NEED PC and they need to fight the likes of The Sims (and other Sim games) Command & Conquer and many many of EA's other GREAT PC titles. So far, it looks like they don't have a chance in hell in besting EA.

ºTracer

Well, Segasoft's The Space Bar looked pretty cool and it was made by ex-Infocom man Steve Meretzky.

But I guess the Segasoft didn't make much cash since they died a quick death.