Widescreen Gaming Forum

I'd like to point out that EA only publish the Battlefield games, not develop them - they're developed by DiCE - so blaming them for BF2142 not supporting widescreen is like blaming a cinema for the film you saw there being crap. EA also publish Black and White 2, which got a silver award on this site for natively supporting widescreen resolutions. Again, they didn't control this, but it proves my point that you can't blame the publisher for stuff like this, because it's not under their control.

But hey, don't let the facts get in the way of a senseless rant. It's really cool to hate EA at the moment, I realise.

The publisher has more control over a game's content than I think you give them credit for. My understanding is that "widescreen is cheating" is a mutual agreement between EA and DiCE. As for Black & White 2, my guess would be that since it's a singleplayer oriented game, preventing "cheating" isn't a big issue.

The publisher has some say, but in the end, the developer will have the final word - and simply, if Dice had wanted widescreen in the Battlefield games, it would've been in there. Don't get me wrong, I know that EA don't support widescreen resolutions for games they develop - look at Fifa, Madden, Harry Potter, etc - but it's still Dice's decision, not EA's, that the BF games don't support widescreen.

the end, the developer will have the final word

Not at all. DiCE needs EA more than EA needs DiCE. In the end, if the developer doesn't kow-tow to the publisher, the developer will have to find another publisher. That's how the system works.

And you don't think there are several big publishers out there who'd jump on the chance to take the Battlefield series if Dice weren't happy with the way EA did things?

I'm sure there are. But none could get DiCE the same kind of exposure that EA could, so for DiCE, it's still a better option to stick with EA.

Frankly, I'd be delighted if DiCE would drop EA and go with a more widescreen-friendly publisher, like Valve. But that would probably not improve their sales.

Of course it would - hating EA is the new "cool thing," so drop EA and all those people who are stupid enough to judge a game on who made it rather than on its merit as a game would immediately become more interested. There are loads of companies that could get Dice the same kind of exposure as EA, and without the negative stigma that comes with being associated with EA.

I'm sure there are. But none could get DiCE the same kind of exposure that EA could, so for DiCE, it's still a better option to stick with EA.

Frankly, I'd be delighted if DiCE would drop EA and go with a more widescreen-friendly publisher, like Valve. But that would probably not improve their sales.

Or if they partnered with steam....

That would be kinda odd in a way though

Of course it would - hating EA is the new "cool thing," so drop EA and all those people who are stupid enough to judge a game on who made it rather than on its merit as a game would immediately become more interested.

Not nearly enough "EA haters" would buy it to make up for the decreased exposure the game would get. EA is a mass-mainstream company, and EA haters are a vocal minority.

There are loads of companies that could get Dice the same kind of exposure as EA

Not only is that not true, but it's also aside the point. Dice is *owned* by EA games. In order to "jump ship," most of the developers would have to leave the company and form a new one.

EA haters are a minority because the majority of EA buyers are 10 year old sports fans that don't even know what a graphics card is.