Ghost Games
 The official logo of Ghost Games | |
| Type | Subsidiary of Electronic Arts |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 |
| Headquarters |
Gothenburg, Sweden (Ghost Games) Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom (Ghost Games UK) |
| Key people | Marcus Nilsson |
| Products | Need for Speed (2013-present) |
| Owner(s) | Electronic Arts |
| Employees | 65+[1] |
| Parent | Electronic Arts |
| Website | ghostgames.com |
Ghost Games (formaly EA Gothenburg) is an video game developer owned by Electronic Arts (EA) located in Sweden and the UK (Ghost Games UK). The studio is currently focused on Need for Speed games using the Frostbite 3 game engine. 80% of British developer Criterion Games staff (who have produced previous Need for Speed titles and assisted Ghost in the development of Need for Speed Rivals) have moved to Ghost Games UK to help grow the studio.[2] Reducing Criterion to a team of 16 people[3] - a couple of months later founders Alex Ward & Fiona sperry left the studio.[4]
History
With EA Canada and Black Box restructured and refocused towards online and free-to-play games in February 2012, EA had already formed a new studio in 2011, EA Gothenburg. Based in Gothenburg, Sweden, it was reported that the studio would focus on development of games using the Frostbite game engine. Also reported was that the studio was developing a game "in the Need For Speed franchise" According to the CVs of employees, much of the studio's staff had worked previously on major racing titles, including Forza Horizon, Need for Speed: The Run, Project Gotham Racing and Race Pro.
On 22 October 2012, the series main developer Criterion confirmed that EA Gothenburg was working on a title in the Need for Speed franchise, but did not reveal the level of involvement or when the title would be released.
Rebranding
On 15 November 2012, EA Gothenburg was re-branded as Ghost Games. Ghost's website went live around the same time and called for potential staff to apply for a range of open positions. Ghost is headed up by former DICE executive producer Marcus Nilsson, who previously led development on games including Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, Battlefield 2142 and Shift 2: Unleashed.
On 23 May 2013, EA confirmed their next Need for Speed game, Rivals, with a teaser trailer, following marketing material tease days before. It was also confirmed that Rivals was in the works at EA's Swedish games developer Ghost Games in partnership with Criterion Games. Also, Ghost Games will be the main developer of all future installments in the Need for Speed franchise starting from 2013.
Layoffs
On 1 February 2014 rumors spread about whole studio layoffs at Ghost Games UK - the UK branch of Ghost Games. These rumors later the same day proved to be true.[5] A unannounced Need for Speed title has been put on hold, The contractors currently at the studio were let go and full time employees were told to either take redundancy or join the team behind Visceral Games rumoured Battlefield spinoff due for relese later this year. [6]
Games developed
| Video Game | Platform | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Need for Speed Rivals | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One | Additional work by Criterion Games |
References
- ↑ http://ghostgames.com/news/computer-games-create-jobs/
- ↑ Scamell, David. "The Ghost Of Criterions past.".
- ↑ http://www.videogamer.com/ps4/need_for_speed_rivals/news/criterion_reduced_to_16_people_as_studio_splinters_into_ghost_games_uk.html
- ↑ http://uk.ign.com/articles/2014/01/03/criterion-games-co-founders-leave-studio
- ↑ Crecente, Brian (1 February 2014). "Layoffs hit Ghost Games' UK office, unannounced NFS title mothballed". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
- ↑ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/news/a548271/need-for-speed-studio-ghost-games-hit-by-layoffs.html
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