EA trying to 'differentiate' Medal of Honor, Battlefield

EA's Frank Gibeau says that the company has made a strategic choice in alternating between Medal of Honor and Battlefield, hoping the schedule reduces sequel fatigue.

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EA is making a conscious effort to differentiate its Medal of Honor and Battlefield series, according to EA Labels head Frank Gibeau. Despite using the same game engine and cross-promotional efforts, Gibeau says the move is to cut down on franchise fatigue.

"With Medal of Honor we tried to embrace that the game is 'real.' The multiplayer is very different than Battlefield. We're trying to use a sequencing strategy to keep it as fresh and different as possible." He notes, "The trick is figuring out how to grow both of them together."

"We are very careful that Battlefield and Medal of Honor stay differentiated," Gibeau told Game Informer. "While there is an inefficiency to having two different brands coming out alternating like that, there is some upside. You don't have the annualized, sequel fatigue."

That remark seems like a pretty direct shot at the Call of Duty franchise, which has split into different sub-series but always under the Call of Duty name. That means similarities between the games, which invites comparisons. By making Medal of Honor and Battlefield distinct franchises, EA may be hoping that fans don't burn out on either one.

EA is still happy to cross-promote the games, however. Just today, it officially announced a Battlefield 4 beta code will be included with the Limited Edition of Medal of Honor: Warfighter.

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    July 17, 2012 10:30 AM

    Steve Watts posted a new article, EA trying to 'differentiate' Medal of Honor, Battlefield.

    EA's Frank Gibeau says that the company has made a strategic choice in alternating between Medal of Honor and Battlefield, hoping the schedule reduces sequel fatigue.

    • reply
      July 17, 2012 10:34 AM

      other than vehicles it seems like both games offer up the same thing. they should add co-op CoD spec ops co-op to differentiate between bf and MoH

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      July 17, 2012 10:43 AM

      MoH: focus on an epic singleplayer campaign, get rid of multiplayer.
      Battlefield: fuck single player, focus on multiplayer.
      problem solved.

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      July 17, 2012 10:44 AM

      Glad I didn't buy BF3 Premium for unfinished DLC with BF4 coming so soon. Good job EA !

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      July 17, 2012 10:44 AM

      Glad I didn't buy BF3 Premium for unfinished DLC with BF4 coming so soon. Good job EA !

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        July 17, 2012 11:40 AM

        because bf4 is coming out probably in fall 2013?

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          July 18, 2012 1:59 AM

          Beta is 2013, 4 wouldn't come out till fall 2014, which would mean the uproar is about a sequel coming out 3 years after it's predecessor. Why is this a bad thing? If anything it's too long considering we get a new COD every year.

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            July 19, 2012 8:53 PM

            Not sure where you heard that. But BF3's beta was done the same year of its release. The BF4 game will probably release in October of 2013.

            There's a reason he talks about staggering the series. Every other year is a new title released at the holiday time.

            MOH --> Late 2010
            BF3 --> Late 2011
            MOH:WF --> Late 2012
            BF4 --> Late 2013
            MOH3 --> Late 2014

            .. and so fourth. To be honest, I would be more inclined to like this strategy if they did it with THREE titles. BF would be the BF for the PC that we all know and love. BFBC can be the consolized version with smaller more ADHD gameplay. MOW can be the COD clone that EA so badly wants.

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      July 17, 2012 12:04 PM

      "Gibeau says the move is to cut down on franchise fatigue." - How about they stop RELEASING SO MANY

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        July 17, 2012 2:48 PM

        How about people stop buying them?!

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        July 17, 2012 3:32 PM

        Some of us still love them, and will keep buying them. I'm currently playing MP in both MW2 & MW3, which I know flies in the face of thinking that goes "COD sucks".....Only dipped my toes into the Battlefield series....I like it tho

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      July 17, 2012 7:14 PM

      How about you let BF be BF, and MoH be the COD-clone that it is.

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      July 18, 2012 1:44 AM

      Give up on MoH and go back to interesting spin-offs like Mirror's Edge?

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