|
An Exclusive Interview with Matthew Jeffery, Global Director of Talent Brand for Electronic Arts |
|
|
|
|
Matthew Jeffery, Head of Global Talent Brand EA (Electronic Arts) came down to India for MAAC's event on Game On and to also launch an initiative undertaken by MAAC by introducing a state-of-the-art Gaming curriclum "The Diploma In Game Design & Integration". He introduced students to the vistas of gaming and the prospects that come with it. CGTantra couldn't miss on this opportunity. We have the man himself: Matthew Jeffery give us a complete insight into the world of Gaming right here on CGTantra.
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EATM, EA SPORTSTM, EA MobileTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2010, EA had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies, and five titles that each sold more than four million copies, including FIFA 10, Madden NFL 10, Need for Speed SHIFT, The SIMS 3 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2.
The EA Games Label portfolio includes several established franchises such as Need for Speed, Battlefield, Mass Effect, and Medal of Honor. In addition, the EA Games Label has launched new franchises including Dead Space, Mirror's Edge and Army of Two, and has additional titles in development.
EA SPORTS games range from simulated sports titles with lifelike graphics based on real-world sports leagues, players, events and venues, to more casual games with arcade-style gameplay and graphics. EA SPORTS franchises include FIFA Soccer, Madden NFL Football, Fight Night, NBA Elite, NBA Jam, NCAA Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR, EA SPORTS MMA, NHL Hockey, and EA SPORTS Active.
The EA Play Label includes The Sims Studio, MySims, EA's Hasbro, Maxis and Casual Studios. The Label creates games based on original IP and licensed IP, with titles such as Harry Potter, BOOM BLOX, and many more. In August 2007, EA entered into a strategic relationship with Hasbro through which EA can create games based on a significant number of Hasbro's classic board games and toys, including MONOPOLY, SCRABBLE (North America only), YAHTZEE, TRIVIAL PURSUIT, NERF, G.I. JOE, and LITTLEST PET SHOP.
EA Interactive represents EA's business in the emerging areas of online and mobile games. EA Mobile is the world's leading wireless entertainment publisher – including the #1 app developer on Apple's App Store -- with award-winning games such as Tetris, Scrabble, Bejeweled, The Sims, and Need For Speed. Pogo.com is one of the leading casual gaming destinations on the Internet, with more than 1.9 million paying subscribers each month. EA Interactive is also home to EA's growing business in the social gaming sector. Led by Playfish, which EA acquired in 2009, gamers of all ages enjoy titles like Pet Society, Hotel City and Restaurant City on social platforms like Facebook and others.
Matthew is well known for innovation in recruiting and for his passionate oratory and his inspirational presentation style. Matthew was recently voted 'Recruitment Personality of the Year 2010' at the Recruiter Awards.
|
|
CG Tantra: So, how did your trip to India come up?
Matthew: I always love coming to India. Always a huge honour. MAAC invited me to fly across and help them spread the message about the future of the video games industry and how working in games is the best career anyone can have. Whilst film has flourished in India, the development of a creative games industry needs a little more help. Great that the MAAC are leading the way in messaging about how cool careers in gaming is...and will be even more so in the future.
CG Tantra: How did your presentations go?
Matthew: MAAC organised two events. The first was on 27th August in New Delhi and the second was the 28th August in Mumbai. My presentation conveyed the excitement of the videogames industry, the different jobs you can get in gaming and of course, I showcased the latest sneak peeks of EA's great new games. I understand that Indian gamers can't wait for Crysis 2, the new Medal of Honor and of course Need for Speed Hot Pursuit. MAAC also organised a lot of fun activities including a games competition and a quiz. It was an unmissable event. |
|
Dead Space 2 |
The changing world of gaming
CG Tantra: What excites you in the world of gaming at the moment?
Matthew: These are extremely exciting times in gaming. It is fascinating to see how many different aspects there are to modern gaming. Obviously there are still the big mega blockbuster PC and Console Games in Development. But the videogames market is changing. The Nintendo Wii and DS led the way in opening gaming up to new audiences and families playing games together. I will never forget the great sight of grandmothers and grandchildren playing games together like Wii Sports bowling and just having a great time. Today, we see social gaming really taking off and developers like Playfish really driving the way forward with great games on Facebook like Restaurant City and FIFA Superstars. It is amazing that these games engage huge numbers of gamers. Take Restaurant City with 16 Million gamers. That's incredible.
But that's not all. New motion control technologies, like Kinect on the X360 and Move for the Playstation can bring new audiences to gaming which is very exciting,
3D gaming is also on the horizon - although it will take a few years for that to play out.
In general, our industry is seeing a shift from packaged goods to digital offerings – offering new content, new experiences and new ways to play for consumers. That's a big opportunity and one of EA's key priorities. |
|
EA SPORTS Active 2 |
India & Gaming
CG Tantra: What excites you about India?
Matthew: India has a rich culture and heritage. As we have seen from the worldwide success of Bollywood films, it is obvious that there is a Global appeal to Indian cultural films. Now the question is, which Indian games development studio will be the first to create a globally successful 'AAA' game? If it is possible in film, why not games? Just think that there are people reading this article who have that potential to create such games. They could be the next Will Wright, Miyamoto or Kojima. Our aim is to help and uncover that talent and nurture them.Very exciting times.
CG Tantra: EA often speak of gaming and mobile gaming's potential in India why is that?
Matthew: The Indian telecommunications industry is the world's fastest growing telecommunications industry and the 2nd largest telecommunication network in the world in terms of number of wireless connections. This means that mobile gaming has huge potential in India. Look at the huge number of mobile phones in India. Every one of those owners is a potential games player. Imagine if every one of those mobile users downloaded a game. |
 |
Medal of Honor |
CG Tantra: Tell us about EA in India.
Matthew: EA has a large studio team situated in great offices in Hyderabad with teams from 3 major global business units: EA Mobile, Central Development Services (CDS) & Global Finance.
To give you more of a flavour, the mobile studio develops original mobile games and adapts games for a variety of mobile handsets. EA Mobile is the number one mobile games publisher worldwide developing a host of the world's most popular mobile phone games including Tetris, FIFA, Need for Speed, The Sims, to name but a few.
CDS India works with EA studios around the world on a range of next generation game projects for Xbox 360, Sony PS3, Nintendo Wii & PC. The team is made up of talented Software Engineers and QA Engineers who share a common passion for making games better. This team of young professionals is led by an experienced management team in an informal but professional atmosphere where creativity and innovation are strongly encouraged. At EA, people are expected to be bold, accountable and think quality first. EA India provides an environment where one can learn and grow while working and playing hard.
And finally, Global Finance is a key and critical support group within EA that delivers and supports services for our global business.
|
 |
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit |
CG Tantra: How do you see the games industry progressing in India?
Matthew: We see India as a good long term growth opportunity for the industry. There is demand for consumer electronics/entertainment products like PC's, LCD TV's, Digital Camera's, Mobile Phones and Game Consoles, and rapid adoption of internet with over 40 million current users. Those elements, plus new game offerings and delivery platforms will help the industry grow in this market.
CG Tantra: Do you see any patterns to growth?
Matthew: Industry growth comes from consumer demand and excitement, and also from local game development talent. In terms of building a talent base, we often see stages where companies first test the water and the local Talent pool through strategies including outsourcing. Then companies look at setting up national studio locations to work on projects with the west, and then potentially on their own.
CG Tantra: What do you see as the main challenges to the Indian Gaming Industry?
Matthew: We see opportunity for long term growth. There is a strong talented pool of artists, programmers and game designers across India that can help contribute to the global interactive entertainment industry. We see potential here for talented individuals to build, grow and solidify a world class, unique gaming proposition.
We also have to break through the myths of careers in gaming.
Gaming is the fastest growing media segment, and offers jobs in a stable industry, well paid, with companies like EA that offer well defined career paths, including promotion prospects. And are fun!
The Indian games industry has so much potential. Individuals need to believe in what is possible and achievable and make a difference. Those bed room programmers, artists and game designers have to take risks, pursue a dream and start making those games that will place India on the gaming map. |
|
Crysis 2 |
Film v Gaming
CG Tantra: One of the challenges to gaming is that Indian top talent is being attracted into film. How can we turn the tide?
Matthew: We have to help demonstrate the great careers that talent can have in our industry. Let's also look how far gaming has come in 25 years - remember back to the early days of gaming, the simplicity of Pong, with two bats and a square ball! Moving on to pacman and space invaders. Graphically basic games but compelling for their gameplay. Fast forward to today and you have compelling game worlds like those found in Dragon Age or Dead Space. Games that look graphically superb, but also draw you in with compelling story and gameplay. Videogames have come a very long way in 25 years.
What is fascinating is the choices where talent artists, engineers, producers etc can work. There are vast differences between film and gaming and this provides different career challenges. Obviously, the big difference between film and game is that an individual watches a film, they are required to do no more than that. With games they interact and that already starts to demonstrate the technical challenges of working in game. In film, the film director is in control and takes you through a roller coaster of emotions. But these are linear and controlled. In gaming, the control is handed to the games player. A game can have multiple outcomes, driven by user choice, AI & simulation. In a film, the audience have no control of what happens. In game, so much changes, be it camera angles, number of gamers, interaction, events, lighting etc. Even just starting to comprehend these complex technical challenges is enough but add to that the complexity of producing online games, running in real time, with huge online worlds all interacting. The complexity of realistic AI. Real time physics. Or creating controllable game characters with emotionally believable characteristics.
These opportunities are offering compelling careers in game making.
|
|
Create | The Sims 3 |
CG Tantra: Any advice for becoming a Game Designer
Matthew: There has never been a better time to get into game design and show your creativity. That's another big differential with film. In gaming we hand you the tools to create your own games and levels. That is a massive shift. Games like Spore, The Sims, LittleBigPlanet are built on the premise for User Generated Content and designing your own characters, levels and games. That is cool and at times we have been surprised by how far gamers have pushed the limits of technology and created levels and characters.
CG Tantra: What non EA games are you looking forward to?
Matthew: Batman Arkham Asylum 2. Absolutely loved the first one. Gran Turismo 5 is nearly ready and it looks awesome. As a huge fan of Formula 1, I am looking forward to seeing what Codemasters can achieve. Also, it will be fascinating to see how the next Call of Duty fares by Treyarch.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
