BATTLE WORN

“IT’S IMPORTANT THAT YOU PLAY TO THE STRENGTHS OF THE STUDIO”

At a certain point, a name like DICE becomes ironic. The Swedish studio behind Battlefield and Battlefront isn’t famed for taking great gambles in the field of interactive entertainment. Instead, it’s known for facilitating one thing: Large-scale multiplayer shootouts. Nestled deep in EA’s corporate bosom, it’s in no position to be agile or surprise anybody. Shareholders don’t especially like surprises.

The last time DICE took a real risk was over a decade ago, with . At the time, it was looking to expand its portfolio beyond . “It’s important that you play in 2007. “I don’t think we’d do a dancing game, for example. So we’d be looking for something fresh and interesting, something that’s commercially viable, something that, if there’s a gap in EA’s portfolio, would slide in there—but something that fits the experience of the studio.”