Electronic Arts is making major changes to its development structure as it focuses on growing and expanding the Battlefield series following what has been a challenging launch for Battlefield 2042.
The future-set military shooter launched in November and was swiftly criticized for a lack of features found in previous games and for its many bugs, some of which–including the infamous “unable to load persistence data” bug–prevented users from playing entirely. Perhaps the biggest change being announced today is EA is formally announcing the creation of a Battlefield universe that will seemingly span multiple games and offerings, which will be developed by different studios across North America and Europe.
Additionally, DICE GM Oskar Gabrielson is leaving the company to pursue a new endeavor outside of EA. The shake-up also includes Respawn’s Vince Zampella taking on a bigger role as the new overall boss of the Battlefield franchise, while Halo designer Marcus Lehto is building a new development team in Seattle focused on injecting more storytelling into the Battlefield universe. Ripple Effect, the developer of Battlefield 2042’s Portal mode, is developing a new Battlefield experience in the Battlefield 2042 universe.
In the immediate future, EA told GameSpot that DICE, Ripple Effect, and Lehto’s new Seattle studio will work together to expand upon and improve Battlefield 2042. The other Battlefield games and experiences in the works are meant to serve as extensions, to a degree, of the new Battlefield universe that EA is trying to create. There are no specifics available about the new games and experiences that EA intends to create or when they will release, as of yet.
As for Lehto, the man who designed Master Chief and played a major role in making Halo what it is today, he is heading up a new, unnamed studio in the Seattle area. It will collaborate with DICE and Ripple Effect with the aim of expanding the narrative, storytelling, and character development opportunities in the Battlefield series. There is no word yet on what this means in terms of specific products or strategies, however.
In a big shift, Battlefield 2042 did not have a single-player mode, instead opting to focus on three main multiplayer pillars: All-Out Warfare, Portal, and Hazard Zone. Lehto previously started an independent studio called V1 Interactive that made a sci-fi shooter called Disintegration. The game failed to find an audience, and V1 closed its doors. Lehto was hired by EA earlier this year, but it isn’t until today that we’re learning what he’s working on.
Byron Beede, the longtime Call of Duty veteran who EA hired earlier this year to grow the Battlefield series as the shepherd of its long-term strategy and business decisions, said Lehto and his team in Seattle will expand Battlefield 2042’s narrative across a “variety of experiences.” These will lay the foundation for “storytelling opportunities now and well into the future,” Beede teased. Whatever Lehto’s team creates, it will show up in “later seasons” for Battlefield 2042 and “beyond.”
“While he and his team in the Seattle area are just getting started on building the Battlefield world of tomorrow, their work will shape later seasons for 2042 and beyond,” Beede said. “This new studio will act as the driver for narrative in tight collaboration with DICE and Ripple Effect Studios to help build great player experiences in the Battlefield universe.”
In another big move, Battlefield 2042 Portal developer Ripple Effect will continue to support Portal while it gets to work on a “new experience” in the Battlefield 2042 universe. Ripple Effect boss Christian Grass told GameSpot that he’s unable to comment on what Ripple Effect is developing outside of Portal.
Zampella’s new position is on top of his existing managerial responsibilities at Respawn, which includes overseeing the ongoing efforts for live-service title Apex Legends and the studio’s other unannounced projects, one of which is rumored to be a sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. EA chief operating officer Laura Miele sung Zampella’s praises, saying he is the right person to lead the Battlefield franchise into the future, building off his past successes with Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, and Apex Legends.
“He creates culture-defining entertainment that resonants beyond games. We are bringing one of the most influential and talented individuals in entertainment to a franchise that is ready to be unleashed into the modern era of gaming. It’s an extraordinary inflection point in game history. His ability to lead studios and bring developers together so they can create world-class experiences is unmatched,” Miele said. “I believe the structure, process, and vision he brings will enable Battlefield to excel like never before. No one knows shooters and live services better than Vince.”
Together with Beede, Miele believes the right team is in place to help the Battlefield franchise grow and thrive. Miele went on to say that EA now has people with “strong operational experience” running its studios across North America and Europe who are contributing to the newly established Battlefield universe.
Zampella said EA plans to “grow significantly” in terms of the number of developers working on the Battlefield franchise across the company, and he called on developers to have a look at EA’s open positions and consider putting in an application.
Zampella wouldn’t comment on specifics as it relates to the new types of Battlefield games that EA might develop in the future, or the cadence for when they might be released. However, he teased that Battlefield’s universe is “rich with opportunity, both from a storytelling perspective and as a universe where our teams can create innovative gameplay experiences. Truly, anything is possible.”
EA CEO Andrew Wilson has said the company may eventually develop a free-to-play Battlefield game, and while Zampella stopped short of confirming this, he said the company is “exploring every possibility” as it looks to grow Battlefield to help it reach its full potential.”
Beede said EA has devised a “long-term plan” to support Battlefield going forward, but before the company gets into specifics about where the series is headed next, the first job is to support Battlefield 2042 and expand it through its live-service offering.
“From that foundation our teams will create new experiences that expand the Battlefield universe. So I wouldn’t say there is a cadence or deadline, we need to do what is right for our players and our game,” Beede said.
Not everyone is staying on board through this transition, however, as Gabrielson, DICE’s current GM, is leaving the company at the end of the year. In a statement, Gabrielson said leaving DICE and EA entirely was among the most difficult decisions he’s had to make in his life. “It is hard to put into words my passion for our studio, our teams and the Battlefield franchise. The last decade with the team at DICE has been nothing short of amazing. From the debut of Battlefield 3, to Star Wars Battlefront and Battlefield 1, and of course the return of all-out warfare with Battlefield 2042,” Gabrielson said. “There’s just been so many great memories working with our teams. DICE has some of the best talent in the industry and the team is in great hands.”
“As a whole, we’re all-in on Battlefield. It is one of the most important and valuable franchises in the industry. Collectively, we are out to unlock its enormous potential.” — EA COO Laura Miele
Rebecka Coutaz, the former studio director at Ubisoft Annecy, is taking over for Gabrielson as GM of DICE going forward. Gabrielson is staying on with DICE and EA for the rest of the year to help Coutaz with the transition to the role of GM. Gabrielson said he’s leaving to start a “new adventure,” but it remains to be seen where he might be headed next.
Although Battlefield 2042 might not have enjoyed the strongest start as it relates to player reception, Miele tells GameSpot that Battlefield 2042 is trending in the right direction already since launch. She said players are responding positively to the changes DICE has made so far, though there remains plenty of negativity online. The newest update, which is the biggest one for Battlefield 2042 to date with more than 150 fixes, went live today, December 2.
“We are lucky we have such passionate fans, and I am confident we will continue to do everything we can to meet their expectations. We believe in 2042 as it is the cornerstone for the future as we begin work to expand the universe,” Miele said. “As a whole, we’re all-in on Battlefield. It is one of the most important and valuable franchises in the industry. Collectively, we are out to unlock its enormous potential.”
EA’s new statement about being “all-in” on Battlefield suggests that no further Battlefront games are in the works at DICE, though this is not strictly confirmed.
Coutaz, as GM of DICE, will work alongside a number of veterans to define her leadership team.
What this all means for EA, DICE, and Battlefield remains to be seen. While the publisher is positioning the news as an exciting future for Battlefield, there’s no way to know at this stage just what the outcome will look like–will we get annualized Battlefield releases? A free-to-play battle royale game? Will DICE have the opportunity to work on non-Battlefield games? The announcement raises more questions than answers at this point.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Artificial intelligence‘s recent rise to the forefront of business has left most office workers wondering how often they should use the technology and whether a computer will eventually replace them.
Those were among the highlights of a recent study conducted by the workplace communications platform Slack. After conducting in-depth interviews with 5,000 desktop workers, Slack concluded there are five types of AI personalities in the workplace: “The Maximalist” who regularly uses AI on their jobs; “The Underground” who covertly uses AI; “The Rebel,” who abhors AI; “The Superfan” who is excited about AI but still hasn’t used it; and “The Observer” who is taking a wait-and-see approach.
Only 50% of the respondents fell under the Maximalist or Underground categories, posing a challenge for businesses that want their workers to embrace AI technology. The Associated Press recently discussed the excitement and tension surrounding AI at work with Christina Janzer, Slack’s senior vice president of research and analytics.
Q: What do you make about the wide range of perceptions about AI at work?
A: It shows people are experiencing AI in very different ways, so they have very different emotions about it. Understanding those emotions will help understand what is going to drive usage of AI. If people are feeling guilty or nervous about it, they are not going to use it. So we have to understand where people are, then point them toward learning to value this new technology.
Q: The Maximalist and The Underground both seem to be early adopters of AI at work, but what is different about their attitudes?
A: Maximalists are all in on AI. They are getting value out of it, they are excited about it, and they are actively sharing that they are using it, which is a really big driver for usage among others.
The Underground is the one that is really interesting to me because they are using it, but they are hiding it. There are different reasons for that. They are worried they are going to be seen as incompetent. They are worried that AI is going to be seen as cheating. And so with them, we have an opportunity to provide clear guidelines to help them know that AI usage is celebrated and encouraged. But right now they don’t have guidelines from their companies and they don’t feel particularly encouraged to use it.
Overall, there is more excitement about AI than not, so I think that’s great We just need to figure out how to harness that.
Q: What about the 19% of workers who fell under the Rebel description in Slack’s study?
A: Rebels tend to be women, which is really interesting. Three out of five rebels are women, which I obviously don’t like to see. Also, rebels tend to be older. At a high level, men are adopting the technology at higher rates than women.
Q: Why do you think more women than men are resisting AI?
A: Women are more likely to see AI as a threat, more likely to worry that AI is going to take over their jobs. To me, that points to women not feeling as trusted in the workplace as men do. If you feel trusted by your manager, you are more likely to experiment with AI. Women are reluctant to adopt a technology that might be seen as a replacement for them whereas men may have more confidence that isn’t going to happen because they feel more trusted.
Q: What are some of the things employers should be doing if they want their workers to embrace AI on the job?
A: We are seeing three out of five desk workers don’t even have clear guidelines with AI, because their companies just aren’t telling them anything, so that’s a huge opportunity.
Another opportunity to encourage AI usage in the open. If we can create a culture where it’s celebrated, where people can see the way people are using it, then they can know that it’s accepted and celebrated. Then they can be inspired.
The third thing is we have to create a culture of experimentation where people feel comfortable trying it out, testing it, getting comfortable with it because a lot of people just don’t know where to start. The reality is you can start small, you don’t have to completely change your job. Having AI write an email or summarize content is a great place to start so you can start to understand what this technology can do.
Q: Do you think the fears about people losing their jobs because of AI are warranted?
A: People with AI are going to replace people without AI.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Tuesday that it would provide up to $325 million to Hemlock Semiconductor for a new factory, a move that could help give Democrats a political edge in the swing state of Michigan ahead of election day.
The funding would support 180 manufacturing jobs in Saginaw County, where Republicans and Democrats were neck-in-neck for the past two presidential elections. There would also be construction jobs tied to the factory that would produce hyper-pure polysilicon, a building block for electronics and solar panels, among other technologies.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on a call with reporters that the funding came from the CHIPS and Science Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2022. It’s part of a broader industrial strategy that the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, supports, while Republican nominee Donald Trump, the former president, sees tariff hikes and income tax cuts as better to support manufacturing.
“What we’ve been able to do with the CHIPS Act is not just build a few new factories, but fundamentally revitalize the semiconductor ecosystem in our country with American workers,” Raimondo said. “All of this is because of the vision of the Biden-Harris administration.”
A senior administration official said the timing of the announcement reflected the negotiating process for reaching terms on the grant, rather than any political considerations. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss the process.
After site work, Hemlock Semiconductor plans to begin construction in 2026 and then start production in 2028, the official said.
Running in 2016, Trump narrowly won Saginaw County and Michigan as a whole. But in 2020 against Biden, both Saginaw County and Michigan flipped to the Democrats.
Although no one likes a know-it-all, they dominate the Internet.
The Internet began as a vast repository of information. It quickly became a breeding ground for self-proclaimed experts seeking what most people desire: recognition and money.
Today, anyone with an Internet connection and some typing skills can position themselves, regardless of their education or experience, as a subject matter expert (SME). From relationship advice, career coaching, and health and nutrition tips to citizen journalists practicing pseudo-journalism, the Internet is awash with individuals—Internet talking heads—sharing their “insights,” which are, in large part, essentially educated guesses without the education or experience.
The Internet has become a 24/7/365 sitcom where armchair experts think they’re the star.
Not long ago, years, sometimes decades, of dedicated work and acquiring education in one’s field was once required to be recognized as an expert. The knowledge and opinions of doctors, scientists, historians, et al. were respected due to their education and experience. Today, a social media account and a knack for hyperbole are all it takes to present oneself as an “expert” to achieve Internet fame that can be monetized.
On the Internet, nearly every piece of content is self-serving in some way.
The line between actual expertise and self-professed knowledge has become blurry as an out-of-focus selfie. Inadvertently, social media platforms have created an informal degree program where likes and shares are equivalent to degrees. After reading selective articles, they’ve found via and watching some TikTok videos, a person can post a video claiming they’re an herbal medicine expert. Their new “knowledge,” which their followers will absorb, claims that Panda dung tea—one of the most expensive teas in the world and isn’t what its name implies—cures everything from hypertension to existential crisis. Meanwhile, registered dietitians are shaking their heads, wondering how to compete against all the misinformation their clients are exposed to.
More disturbing are individuals obsessed with evangelizing their beliefs or conspiracy theories. These people write in-depth blog posts, such as Elvis Is Alive and the Moon Landings Were Staged, with links to obscure YouTube videos, websites, social media accounts, and blogs. Regardless of your beliefs, someone or a group on the Internet shares them, thus confirming your beliefs.
Misinformation is the Internet’s currency used to get likes, shares, and engagement; thus, it often spreads like a cosmic joke. Consider the prevalence of clickbait headlines:
You Won’t Believe What Taylor Swift Says About Climate Change!
This Bedtime Drink Melts Belly Fat While You Sleep!
In One Week, I Turned $10 Into $1 Million!
Titles that make outrageous claims are how the content creator gets reads and views, which generates revenue via affiliate marketing, product placement, and pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Clickbait headlines are how you end up watching a TikTok video by a purported nutrition expert adamantly asserting you can lose belly fat while you sleep by drinking, for 14 consecutive days, a concoction of raw eggs, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar 15 minutes before going to bed.
Our constant search for answers that’ll explain our convoluted world and our desire for shortcuts to success is how Internet talking heads achieve influencer status. Because we tend to seek low-hanging fruits, we listen to those with little experience or knowledge of the topics they discuss yet are astute enough to know what most people want to hear.
There’s a trend, more disturbing than spreading misinformation, that needs to be called out: individuals who’ve never achieved significant wealth or traded stocks giving how-to-make-easy-money advice, the appeal of which is undeniable. Several people I know have lost substantial money by following the “advice” of Internet talking heads.
Anyone on social media claiming to have a foolproof money-making strategy is lying. They wouldn’t be peddling their money-making strategy if they could make easy money.
Successful people tend to be secretive.
Social media companies design their respective algorithms to serve their advertisers—their source of revenue—interest; hence, content from Internet talking heads appears most prominent in your feeds. When a video of a self-professed expert goes viral, likely because it pressed an emotional button, the more people see it, the more engagement it receives, such as likes, shares and comments, creating a cycle akin to a tornado.
Imagine scrolling through your TikTok feed and stumbling upon a “scientist” who claims they can predict the weather using only aluminum foil, copper wire, sea salt and baking soda. You chuckle, but you notice his video got over 7,000 likes, has been shared over 600 times and received over 400 comments. You think to yourself, “Maybe this guy is onto something.” What started as a quest to achieve Internet fame evolved into an Internet-wide belief that weather forecasting can be as easy as DIY crafts.
Since anyone can call themselves “an expert,” you must cultivate critical thinking skills to distinguish genuine expertise from self-professed experts’ self-promoting nonsense. While the absurdity of the Internet can be entertaining, misinformation has serious consequences. The next time you read a headline that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably an Internet talking head making an educated guess; without the education seeking Internet fame, they can monetize.
