EA opens DICE LA to make Star Wars games

Electronic Arts has announced the new Los Angeles-based offshoot of Battlefield developer DICE.

DICE head Karl-Magnus Troedsson told the Wall Street Journal that the studio will develop games using EA's freshly acquired Star Wars license, and will also look at creating entirely new franchises of its own.

Troedsson hopes the new LA studio will also be able to lure workers away from rival studios Infinity Ward and Treyarch, which develop the Call of Duty series for Activision. "There is an extreme talent pool over there that we want a part of," he said. "It's no secret that our main competitor is there."

The LA studio is aiming to maintain the values and atmosphere of its Swedish parent, Troedsson added, saying that managers seek a consensus from staff before coming to decisions.

DICE intends to fill 60 positions at the studio before the end of 2013, and has said that some workers from EA's existing LA-studio, Medal of Honor developer Danger Close, have already come over.

Troedsson also said that the chance to work on Star Wars games will make potential staff more interested in the fledgling studio. "People stood up and cheered, when I announced that we were working on Star Wars," he said.

DICE's Battlefield 4 is due out later this year.