EA Black Box
Formerly | Black Box Games (1998–2002) Quicklime Games (2010) |
---|---|
Type | Subsidiary |
Industry | Video games |
Founded | 1998 Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada |
Defunct | April 2013 |
Fate | Merged into EA Canada in 2009, closed in 2013 |
Successor | Full Circle Ghost Games SkyBox Labs |
Headquarters | Burnaby, British Columbia , Canada |
Products | Need for Speed series Skate series |
Parent | Electronic Arts (2002–2013) |
Website | www.eablackbox.com |
EA Black Box (formerly Black Box Games)[1] was a video game developer based in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, founded in 1998 by former employees of Radical Entertainment and later acquired by Electronic Arts (EA). The developers are primarily known for the Need for Speed and Skate series. It was renamed Quicklime Games during the development of Need for Speed: World, but after a series of restructures it was shut down in April 2013.[2]
History[]
Black Box Games had previously developed for game publishers such as Sega, Midway Games, and EA. In June 2002, during the development of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2, the firm was acquired by EA and became an entirely owned subsidiary of EA Canada.[1][3] As a result of the acquisition the studio's name was changed to EA Black Box. In March 2003, the firm lacked space for their current projects and as a solution the top four floors of an office tower in downtown Vancouver were used for expansion. In March 2005, EA Black Box became an independent studio from EA Canada,[4] but still owned by EA.[citation needed]
On December 19, 2008, EA announced that it would be shutting down EA Black Box's Vancouver studio location and relocating operations to EA Canada's Burnaby facilities, as part of EA's worldwide consolidation plans. Officials stressed that EA Black Box would remain open, and said they expected the move to be completed by June 2009. The studio remained a part of the EA Games label, and was independent of the EA Sports studio also located within the Burnaby facility.[5]
In February 2012, EA confirmed a number off lay-offs at EA Canada and EA Black Box, and that they were transforming the studios towards "high-growth digital formats, including online, social gaming and free-to-play". EA declined to comment on whether EA Black Box's brand would remain.[6]
In July 2012, EA Black Box was renamed Quicklime Games during the development of PC game Need for Speed: World,[7] under which name it operated until its closure in April 2013.[8]
Responsibility for the Need for Speed franchise has been taken over by Ghost Games.[9]
The former employees of EA Black Box have spread around other game developers making racing games such as Ubisoft's The Crew and Slightly Mad Studios' World of Speed.[citation needed]
Games developed[]
Year | Title | Platform(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
As Black Box Games | |||
2000 | NASCAR 2001 | PlayStation | |
PlayStation 2 | |||
NHL 2K | Dreamcast | ||
2001 | NHL Hitz 20-02 | GameCube | |
PlayStation 2 | |||
Xbox | |||
2002 | Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 | PlayStation 2 | |
NHL Hitz 20-03 | GameCube | ||
PlayStation 2 | |||
Xbox | |||
Sega Soccer Slam | GameCube | ||
PlayStation 2 | |||
Xbox | |||
As EA Black Box | |||
2003 | Need for Speed: Underground | GameCube | |
Microsoft Windows | |||
PlayStation 2 | |||
Xbox | |||
NHL 2004 | GameCube | ||
Microsoft Windows | |||
PlayStation 2 | |||
Xbox | |||
2004 | Need for Speed: Underground 2 | GameCube | |
Microsoft Windows | |||
PlayStation 2 | |||
Xbox | |||
NHL 2005 | GameCube | ||
Microsoft Windows | |||
PlayStation 2 | |||
Xbox | |||
2005 | Need for Speed: Most Wanted | GameCube | |
Microsoft Windows | |||
PlayStation 2 | |||
Xbox | |||
Xbox 360 | |||
2006 | Need for Speed: Carbon | GameCube | |
Microsoft Windows | |||
PlayStation 2 | |||
PlayStation 3 | |||
Wii | |||
Xbox | |||
Xbox 360 | |||
Need for Speed: Carbon - Own the City | PlayStation Portable | Assisted Team Fusion | |
2007 | NBA Street Homecourt | PlayStation 3 | |
Xbox 360 | |||
Need for Speed: ProStreet | Microsoft Windows | ||
PlayStation 2 | |||
PlayStation 3 | |||
Wii | |||
Xbox 360 | |||
Skate | PlayStation 3 | ||
Xbox 360 | |||
2008 | Need for Speed: Undercover | Microsoft Windows | |
PlayStation 3 | |||
Xbox 360 | |||
Skate It | Nintendo DS | Assisted Exient Entertainment | |
Wii | |||
2009 | Need for Speed: Shift | Microsoft Windows | Assisted Slightly Mad Studios |
PlayStation 3 | |||
Xbox 360 | |||
Skate 2 | PlayStation 3 | ||
Xbox 360 | |||
2010 | Need for Speed: World | Microsoft Windows | |
Skate 3 | PlayStation 3 | ||
Xbox 360 | |||
2011 | Battlefield 3 | Microsoft Windows | Assisted DICE |
PlayStation 3 | |||
Xbox 360 | |||
Need for Speed: The Run | Microsoft Windows | ||
PlayStation 3 | |||
Xbox 360 | |||
As EA Jawbreaker | |||
2015 | Battlefield Hardline | Microsoft Windows | Assisted Visceral Games |
PlayStation 3 | |||
PlayStation 4 | |||
Xbox 360 | |||
Xbox One |
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b Walker, Trey (2002-06-11). "EA to buy Black Box". GameSpot. Retrieved 2012-06-27.
- ^ "EA's Instagram Page Is Flooded With Fans Demanding Skate 4". GAMING. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
- ^ "Investment Canada Act, ARCHIVED — September 2002". Industry Canada (Gov). 2002-09-15. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
- ^ Remo, Chris. "Report: EA Black Box Lays Off Majority of Staff". www.gamasutra.com. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
- ^ Tor Thorsen (2008-12-19). "EA layoffs hit 1,000, Black Box 'consolidated' Near the end of the development of Undercover, two people from Black Box died, Inderjeet Johal and Martin Sikes. This probably reflected on the development of The Run (along with only having 10% of their staff remaining)". GameSpot. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
- ^ Fred Dutton (2012-02-03). "Redundancies confirmed at EA Canada". Eurogamer. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
- ^ "EA closing Vancouver studios PopCap and Quicklime in latest round of layoffs: report". Financial Post. 2013-04-25. Retrieved 2015-03-04.
- ^ Mike Futter (2013-04-25). "EA Partners, Other Divisions Facing Closure". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 2013-10-17. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
- ^ David Scammell (2013-08-29). "Ghost takes control of the Need For Speed brand". VideoGamer. Retrieved 2013-10-25.
External links[]
- Electronic Arts
- Companies based in Burnaby
- Video game development companies
- Defunct video game companies of Canada
- Canadian companies established in 1998
- Canadian companies disestablished in 2013
- Video game companies established in 1998
- Video game companies disestablished in 2013
- Defunct companies of British Columbia
- Canadian subsidiaries of foreign companies
- 1998 establishments in British Columbia
- 2013 disestablishments in British Columbia