Spielberg to collaborate with EA on three new titles

Academy Award winning director Steven Spielberg has signed a deal with publisher Electronic Arts which will see him working with the EA Los Angeles studio on the creation of three original game properties.

The long-term deal, which starts this year, will see Spielberg working directly with development teams at EA to create the franchises - the intellectual properties for which will be owned by Electronic Arts.

"I have been playing EA games for years and have watched them master the interactive format," commented Spielberg in an official announcement this morning. "Having watched the game industry grow from a niche to a major creative force in entertainment, I have a great deal of respect for EA's understanding of the interactive format. I'm looking forward to working closely with the team in Los Angeles."

Aside from the obvious benefits of working directly with the hugely successful and internationally recognised director, the move will also bolster EA's library of self-owned intellectual property - an area which many identify as a key weakness for the leading publisher, since many of its most successful franchises are based on licensed IP.

"It's incredibly exciting to be collaborating with Steven Spielberg," commented EALA studio head Neil Young. "He shares our vision for the potential of the medium and has the passion and creativity to help us finally deliver on the promise that a game can not only engage and compel you with its interactivity, but can also move you emotionally."

While many of Spielberg's movies have been turned into games - and World War II movie Saving Private Ryan was a hugely important influence on many WW2 videogames of the past few years - this represents only his second direct collaboration on a game title.

The celebrated director had previously dipped his toe into the interactive medium with The Dig, an adventure title from LucasArts (which is owned by Spielberg's friend and collaborator George Lucas) on which he was credited as a story writer along with popular science fiction author Orson Scott Card.