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cdj
04-10-2011, 03:13 PM
Several high level members of the development team are apparently on their way out and may be joining a new studio that is being founded by a former Tiburon executive. When made public some of the names exiting the studio will be immediately recognizable to those who closely follow the series.

On Friday The Orlando Business Journal reported on the new social gaming studio, to be known as Row Sham Bow, that is creating 60 “high wage” jobs in the Orlando area (also home to Tiburon). Job postings for the company began going up earlier this month.It is unknown at this time what if any impact would be had on the development of Madden NFL 12 or even if those individuals would be leaving immediately.

Courtesy: pastapadre (http://www.pastapadre.com/2011/04/10/senior-members-of-the-madden-nfl-development-team-departing-tiburon)

Paakaa10
04-10-2011, 03:18 PM
A quick search on Google for Row Sham Bow employment opportunities yielded the following link: http://personforce.com/jobs/employment/Lead+Game+Designer/10586

Here's a quote about the company from that listing:

Row Sham Bow, a start up social gaming company, is looking for an outstanding Lead Game Designer. You will be responsible for leading the design effort for multiple games, ensuring that our games perform well in terms of retention, virality and monetization. You will work closely with the entire team to conceptualize, implement, deploy, and manage our live games.

Sounds like an entirely different beast from EA SPORTS.

Paakaa10
04-10-2011, 03:22 PM
And here is the Orlando Business Journal article which presumably was the basis of Pasta's report: http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/print-edition/2011/04/08/former-ea-tiburon-execs-new-firm.html


A new Winter Park-based online games developer plans to create 60 high-wage jobs in Central Florida.

Row Sham Bow Inc., formed by a former Electronic Arts Tiburon executive in March, is seeking economic development incentives: $114,000 worth from Orlando and $570,000 from the state.

The incentives would come through the Qualified Target Industry (QTI) Tax Refund Program, which provides $3,000 in tax refunds to a company for each new job it creates in Florida. The program is designed to foster the creation of high-skilled jobs and encourage the growth of corporate headquarters and high-wage industries.

The company’s plans include:

That's all you can read without subscribing to the service.

Rudy
04-10-2011, 06:46 PM
I wonder if this will impact the NCAA team as well.

Paakaa10
04-10-2011, 07:43 PM
Amidst the confusion of the news today and the reactions... some good news via Twitter question and answer:


@pantherbeast: @Fillycheze Can you say at this time if the release date for madden 12 will remain in August or will be the date be pushed back or forward?


@Fillycheze: @pantherbeast Will release in August.

Hopefully that will put a quick stop to rumors of the game being in trouble as far as development and potentially facing delay for that reason.

CLW
04-10-2011, 07:57 PM
Amidst the confusion of the news today and the reactions... some good news via Twitter question and answer:





Hopefully that will put a quick stop to rumors of the game being in trouble as far as development and potentially facing delay for that reason.

Just to play Devil's Advocate here. Didn't EA also state that NBA Elite wasn't being pushed back until the last minute? I don't know whether it will affect Madden/NCAA or not. My guess is it will likely depend on how many are leaving/what those people are responsible for/does EA have anyone that can immediately step up and replace them.

IMHO this is definitely something to follow closely as it could lead to a delay or us getting a very inferior product full of bugs.

gschwendt
04-10-2011, 08:19 PM
As well, I'm assuming that most developers sign at least a single year contract which would likely keep them through at least near launch. Obviously I don't know any specifics but I'd be willing to bet that the developers would be there at least until August.

Solidice
04-10-2011, 08:23 PM
As well, I'm assuming that most developers sign at least a single year contract which would likely keep them through at least near launch. Obviously I don't know any specifics but I'd be willing to bet that the developers would be there at least until August.

at the very least, there until the game "goes gold" and is finalized.

Paakaa10
04-10-2011, 10:42 PM
Just to play Devil's Advocate here. Didn't EA also state that NBA Elite wasn't being pushed back until the last minute? I don't know whether it will affect Madden/NCAA or not.

When you consider the level of investment that EA SPORTS has in its NFL game compared to NBA, I really think we're looking at apples and hand grenades in terms of the difference. Having a license to produce video games in partnership with a sports league requires a game to be released every year. EA SPORTS was able to shelve NBA ELITE when things were going down because of one of two things: NBA JAM was in the pipeline, or the cost of "missing" a release wasn't too bad given the cost of the NBA license.

With the NFL, however, the league has already agreed to give EA SPORTS a break on the licensing fees this year--with the lockout and all that looming overhead--so it would be a real problem for Madden NFL 12 to not see release. The Madden developers are also being a great deal more open about talking about the game still being on track for August--Phil Frazier just Tweeted another message (http://twitter.com/#!/Fillycheze/status/57267479440932864) reaffirming that on his @Fillycheze account--whereas the cancellation of NBA ELITE came out of nowhere just a week or so before it was due to his stores.

Both NCAA Football 12 and Madden NFL 12 are presumably at alpha stage in development right now. If I remember correctly, the first "meaty" looks at the games typically come at EA SPORTS "Draft Night Premiere" in NYC the day before the NFL Draft where they have journalists and athletes checking out the progress. If that "milestone" gets missed, then we can start to be concerned. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry very much for this year.


My guess is it will likely depend on how many are leaving/what those people are responsible for/does EA have anyone that can immediately step up and replace them.

+1

All we know for sure today is that a former EA executive is starting up a game company called Row Sham Bow, Inc. which will be headquartered in Central Florida and apparently will be staffed by some members of the current Madden NFL development team. Until we know with 100% certainty which developers are leaving EA SPORTS, it's very difficult to know what this means for the future of the game.

With Row Sham Bow, Inc. apparently a social media--read as: Facebook--gaming developer and with job listings emphasizing the ability for employees to monetize the games developed there, maybe this will end up being a positive thing in the long run where the Madden NFL team moves away from monetizing the game. Nobody knows anything for certain here, and I'm sure it'll be a while before we in the public learn anything about what's going on.


IMHO this is definitely something to follow closely as it could lead to a delay or us getting a very inferior product full of bugs.

I can understand being gun-shy about the games with so little hard knowledge available to us at the moment. Just like every year, however, the key is just to wait and see what comes out during the PR push and decide whether or not the games are worth your money this year. If there are any major issues to come out of this news, then I'm sure we're going to know before the games hit store shelves; and then you can act accordingly.

JeffHCross
04-10-2011, 11:00 PM
As well, I'm assuming that most developers sign at least a single year contractEA does do a lot of contract work, but I'd be surprised if it was still anything more than at-will employment. I'd think people would be free to go as they please, especially in an industry with as much turnover as the game industry.

gschwendt
04-10-2011, 11:11 PM
EA does do a lot of contract work, but I'd be surprised if it was still anything more than at-will employment. I'd think people would be free to go as they please, especially in an industry with as much turnover as the game industry.
But for a yearly title, with set deadlines every year, I wouldn't think they would have a "leave whenever you want" situation, especially not for "senior members". Again though, I don't have any intimate knowledge of how they're setup... I just couldn't imagine them not having annual contracts.

JeffHCross
04-10-2011, 11:13 PM
But for a yearly title, with set deadlines every year, I wouldn't think they would have a "leave whenever you want" situationWell, we have an annual release cycle at my work -- it's not "contract" work, but even with our annual release cycle people can go as they please. I know Tiburon, especially recently, has started to employ people on contracts, but I don't know if that means it's an actual contractual obligation, or just that it has an expiration date.

CLW
04-11-2011, 06:18 AM
I personally found it somewhat surprising that there are no non-compete agreements in these employees contracts. I would think EA would want to protect itself from having a new/some other company take EA's talent and then have that talent directly compete against me. That's pretty standard employment contract stuff for anyone high enough on the totem poll to matter.

JeffHCross
04-11-2011, 11:17 PM
Well, if I was EA Sports and I had a no-compete clause, it may not include Facebook games. I may not care enough, to be quite honest, about Facebook.

Personal opinion, that is.

coogrfan
04-12-2011, 01:27 PM
Apparently Pasta has twittered that Ian Cummings is among those who will be departing.

CLW
04-12-2011, 07:38 PM
Apparently Pasta has twittered that Ian Cummings is among those who will be departing.

wow Ian leaving sounds like a BIG change for Madden. Madden 12 could very well turn out to be a disaster.

morsdraconis
04-12-2011, 08:43 PM
Ian leaving could be the best thing that ever happened to the Madden franchise. I don't know what it is about that guy, but he seems like he's a dick that wants it his way or no way when it comes to Madden and developing for it.

cdj
04-12-2011, 10:19 PM
wow Ian leaving sounds like a BIG change for Madden. Madden 12 could very well turn out to be a disaster.

I don't know how it works exactly, but at this point I would assume the items and aspects that 'senior members of the team' worked on for M12 would be done and decided, with it now being a matter of the programmers and devs (more of the ground level guys) doing their thing. I would guess that the end result of Madden 12 will be the same no matter what at this point, no matter what that may be.

CLW
04-13-2011, 04:32 PM
Ian leaving could be the best thing that ever happened to the Madden franchise. I don't know what it is about that guy, but he seems like he's a dick that wants it his way or no way when it comes to Madden and developing for it.

I actually "liked" Ian. I never met the guy and never really even interacted with him online in the community. IMHO he seemed to "care" and I thought he wanted to take the Madden series more in the direction that I want (i.e. more sim/true to life). He seemed really "gung ho" in 10 and then last year his "vibe"/body language was not good when promoting 11. I am not sure if he was just burned out or didn't like the decisions made by the "suits" had personal/life issues or what but he just didn't seem as into his job as he once was.



I don't know how it works exactly, but at this point I would assume the items and aspects that 'senior members of the team' worked on for M12 would be done and decided, with it now being a matter of the programmers and devs (more of the ground level guys) doing their thing. I would guess that the end result of Madden 12 will be the same no matter what at this point, no matter what that may be.

Yeah I don't have any sense of whose job responsibilities are what. I have learned that noone is irreplaceable no matter what. However, that doesn't mean that the loss of 1 or several people couldn't do severe short term damage to a company's product.

Something just "smells" to me. As far as I know we have had one video promoting Madden and not much in the way of NCAA news (other than new play diagrams and better grass/graphics). Perhaps I am mistaken but I feel like we usually have more info at this point.

ram29jackson
04-13-2011, 08:05 PM
Plain and simple, these guys were sick of working for a company raking in tons of money and not getting that much for working their butts off for a corporation. They are young enough not to be too entrenched and willing to take a chance elsewhere, even though its risky.
..I dont know though, its pretty stupid to jump ship at this time in history and starting a company is way risky.

EA was ranked by the CLC as the top non apparel money maker last year...i'm not reall sure what that means ?

CLW
04-15-2011, 01:09 PM
Semi-related (I suppose) PP is now reporting that EA has a new "three year plan" for Madden beginning with Madden 12. I suppose it is somewhat ironic that I believe Ian also talked about a three year plan with Madden cultivating with I believe this year's game.

CLW
04-15-2011, 01:17 PM
Ian's goodbye:



After nearly 11 years with Electronic Arts, I have decided to seek opportunities elsewhere. My time at EA has been an incredible ride. From my days in QA to my recent years as the Creative Director for Madden, I always found myself surrounded by the most talented people in the industry. I’ve had the privilege of helping to create world-class gaming experiences like Madden; a franchise that has touched peoples’ lives. For that I am truly grateful and I thank all those that I’ve worked with throughout the years.
I leave the Madden NFL 12 development team with confidence that it is in great hands. The feature set is something our core fans are really going to appreciate. From the improvements to core gameplay, to the additions to modes like franchise and superstar, and the innovative tech being used to overhaul presentation…Madden NFL 12 will be the best we’ve created yet. I’m amazed at how great it looks and how well it plays at this stage of development, with several months left to tune and polish.
Last, but certainly not least, I wanted to say “thank you” to our loyal and passionate fans. Without you, the Madden franchise would not be what it is today. I’ve always appreciated your feedback and unprecedented passion. Know that the team is now built to deliver the football experience that you all truly deserve. The team is set up only to succeed with the new expansion of the core football gameplay team, continued focus on web and online content, creating deeper career modes, and building games several years in advance. There is no doubt in my mind we will be seeing some revolutionary things from the Madden franchise in the future and I am happy to have played a role in helping steer the ship.
It's been a true pleasure. Time for the next challenge of my career.

http://www.ea.com/madden-nfl/blog/a-note-from-ian

ram29jackson
04-15-2011, 04:00 PM
Ian's goodbye:



http://www.ea.com/madden-nfl/blog/a-note-from-ian


I read it ....is he talking about leaving or trying to sell a game he has nothing to with anymore?

I understand not wanting to burn bridges but that still looks like a Madden add haha

jaymo76
04-16-2011, 12:54 AM
Semi-related (I suppose) PP is now reporting that EA has a new "three year plan" for Madden beginning with Madden 12. I suppose it is somewhat ironic that I believe Ian also talked about a three year plan with Madden cultivating with I believe this year's game.

awesome. I can't wait to hear 13's announcement about having to take a few steps back in order to move forward.

Jayrah
04-16-2011, 05:28 AM
Sounds to me like this was not necessarily Ian's decision. It's highly possible that his time was at an end after this seasons development was over. Cultivating that "3year plan" this season, maybe they didnt see the numbers last season in year 2 and said he's not getting it done.

As to the message itself: why wouldnt he promote the game he's worked so hard on? It's HIS game! There wont be a game to compete with it for probably 2 years at the earliest, and he was highly invested in the franchise. That's the kind of letter I'd want to see from a guy joining my team! Even if it's for a future competitor. Reason being you know he'll be there and never bail on you. Like I said, this seems like a move that was happening soon without a resignation if need be, especially since EA doesn't seem to be panicking. I commend you Ian! That was classy!

Rudy
04-16-2011, 06:20 AM
Maybe the community day guys can chime in but how much can one person influence the entire game? Was Ian truly in control of a lot of things?

cdj
04-16-2011, 10:56 AM
Maybe the community day guys can chime in but how much can one person influence the entire game? Was Ian truly in control of a lot of things?

From past experience, I don't think one guy has that much influence but as creative director he may have had a decent amount. I've seen some discussion that this timing could hurt Madden 12, but IMHO it's probably the best time if high level changes are going to be made. The big decisions have been made on the game and now it's just up to designers and programmers to place it in and tune/tweak. Also, it's early enough that the new hire should get in place and help shape M13.

Jayrah
04-16-2011, 12:12 PM
I agree Chris. This is perfect timing for it to go down imo too. We haven't heard a whole lot on either title yet so we tend to assume through human nature that the game's process is in jeopardy. But the Madden troops already have their orders and they don't need a general to carry them out. Plus they know what their doing. Its not an inexperienced team. But to calm the masses, ea will make some announcement next week Im sure as to the new guy

JeffHCross
04-17-2011, 01:19 PM
EA was ranked by the CLC as the top non apparel money maker last year...i'm not reall sure what that means ?It means squat. It means EA made the most money of any company licensed by the CLC for non-apparel. Which means, outside of those making jerseys, hats or anything else you wear, EA made the most money. When you think about it, they were going up against things like calenders, rainbow catchers, footballs with team logos, and DVDs. Yeah, I'm willing to imagine that NCAA easily made more money than any of those.

Which probably had nothing to do with Ian or anybody else from Madden leaving.

Turnover is natural in the gaming industry. In fact, 10+ year careers with one company (like Ian's) is a rarity in gaming.

Jayrah
04-17-2011, 04:57 PM
Turnover is natural in the gaming industry. In fact, 10+ year careers with one company (like Ian's) is a rarity in gaming.

Yep. The innovation and sell of gaming has to have a fresh take every year and always new, expanding ideas. Thats probably the most difficult part of making it so long on a year to year title.

JeffHCross
04-17-2011, 05:25 PM
Yep. The innovation and sell of gaming has to have a fresh take every year and always new, expanding ideas. Thats probably the most difficult part of making it so long on a year to year title.Well, I was speaking about the industry as a whole, which suffers from other issues. EA Sports suffers less turnover than other studios because of their year-to-year titles. As soon as NCAA 12 is done, work on NCAA 13 will begin. The same group of people will be kept (though EA has recently shifted to a contract model that may not make that as definite as it used to be) and start work on the new title. At other studios, it can be months or years before a new project is green-lit. Some studios will take the work at risk and begin work anyway, but others won't. And since everybody has mouths to feed and bills to pay, that can mean finding a new job, and quick.

JBHuskers
04-18-2011, 10:06 AM
Joystiq covered the story on Ian....and a nice pic of him too HAH

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2011/04/ian-cummings-madden-blog-225w.jpg

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/16/madden-creative-director-departs-along-with-ea-sports-cto/

cdj
05-10-2011, 01:11 PM
Via twitter:

pastapadre (http://twitter.com/#!/pastapadre/status/68012616114651136) - Putting finishing touches on story about another big name leaving Tiburon, so that'll be up within the next hour.

No indication if this party is related to Madden, another franchise, or a studio exec.

morsdraconis
05-10-2011, 01:52 PM
EA Sports Tiburon Loses Another Executive Producer - Jeremy Strauser (worked as EP on Madden NFL (08,10,11), NCAA Football (08, 09, 10), and NFL Head Coach) (http://www.pastapadre.com/2011/05/10/ea-sports-tiburon-loses-an-executive-producer-joins-wave-of-recent-departures)

CLW
05-10-2011, 01:57 PM
"Executive Producer" sounds pretty important but I don't believe I have ever heard/seen Jeremy Strauser before.

JerzeyReign
05-10-2011, 02:12 PM
Guess he's the smart one... stay out of the view of pre-puberty douchebags :)

CLW
05-10-2011, 02:18 PM
Guess he's the smart one... stay out of the view of pre-puberty douchebags :)

Werd! Although I like to refer to them as "DREADS OR THIS IS THE WORST [CENSORED] GAME EVA!" people :nod:

skipwondah33
05-10-2011, 02:40 PM
Werd! Although I like to refer to them as "DREADS OR THIS IS THE WORST [CENSORED] GAME EVA!" people :nod:

lol nice

cdj
05-10-2011, 03:52 PM
He was formerly the EP of Madden NFL & NCAA Football and was currently the EP for EA SPORTS NBA (since the move to Tiburon last fall). He did stay out of the limelight more than Phil Frazier (current Madden NFL EP) and Roy Harvey (NCAA Football EP) have.

JeffHCross
05-10-2011, 10:54 PM
This is the first one to be genuinely disappointing to me. Strauser had an interview in a book I was reading before the January Community Day trip, and I was really hoping to have a chance to speak to him about it, even casually. Opportunity missed, I suppose.

ram29jackson
05-17-2011, 08:09 PM
on average, guys who are game designers/developers/workers dont usually seem to last more than 3 years anyway

JeffHCross
08-24-2012, 04:17 PM
EA Sports Tiburon Loses Another Executive Producer - Jeremy Strauser (worked as EP on Madden NFL (08,10,11), NCAA Football (08, 09, 10), and NFL Head Coach) (http://www.pastapadre.com/2011/05/10/ea-sports-tiburon-loses-an-executive-producer-joins-wave-of-recent-departures)As a follow up to this story: http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/08/as-zynga-stock-price-plummets-company-hemorrhaging-top-talent


Just yesterday, Alan Patmore, who oversaw CityVille, was lured away to Kixeye. Erik Bethke, a company general manager in charge of Mafia Wars 2, said on his Facebook page that he’d left the company this month. Bloomberg also reported that Ya-Bing Chu, a company vice president, and Jeremy Strauser also left this month. Chief Operating Officer John Schappert left the company on August 8 after disappointing earnings—he was only at the company for less than 18 months.In addition to Strauser's position as Exec Producer, Schappert was the EA COO.