EA reveals details of Spielberg game

Renowned film director turns his talents to gaming, teams up with Electronic Arts to create Boom Blox for the Wii.

Steven Spielberg has won three Academy awards and directed movie greats, including Jaws, Saving Private Ryan, and Schindler's List. Not content with that, he's now involved in making video games too.

Boom Blox is the first product of the partnership between EA and the famed filmmaker that was announced at E3 Media & Business Summit last year. The game is a family-friendly Wii title, which has players building and knocking down sets of blocks. It will also feature an in-game editor so gamers can create their own levels.

It was revealed today that there will be single-player, co-op, and versus game modes, over 300 levels, and more than 30 "wacky" characters.

Spielberg explained at E3 that game development had always intrigued him and went on to say, "I am a gamer myself, and I really wanted to create a video game that I could play with my kids." The movie director said that the inspiration for the game came from using the Wii controller.

The esteemed director isn't entirely a video game newbie--he conceived the original idea for LucasArts' point and click adventure The Dig and is also working on another project in conjunction with EA, which is promised to be a "contemporary action-packed adventure... set against the backdrop of an epic story". No title or shipping time frame for this title has been disclosed, but EA has revealed the game will be coming to the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

Boom Blox is being developed at EA Los Angeles and will be coming in May 2008 for the Nintendo Wii. There will also be a mobile version coming sometime in spring.

64 Comments

  • Obi_Wan50

    Posted Mar 29, 2008 3:34 pm PT

    Man, you guys are crazy, i think this game is going to be awesome....especially since it has 300+ lvls and a lvl editor...never ending fun!!! i'm going to get it....

  • Dryker

    Posted Feb 8, 2008 1:11 am PT

    I've been somewhat bashing the Wii for its so-called "Casual" gaming, but I must say, after playing Wii sports at my brother's house with his girlfriend, that it is quite intriguing. It is a shame that they made the machine so relatively weak. Better graphics could really ramp-up the realism and immersiveness of the experience. I especially enjoyed Wii golf, but am disappointed at the small number of courses.

  • drogaz

    Posted Feb 7, 2008 4:27 pm PT

    Sounds pretty sweet to me. I'll get it if it gets good reviews.

  • raverrozza

    Posted Feb 7, 2008 6:19 am PT

    bunyipbrown

    yeah they are different things. but whos to say he cant do it. well you for one which just shows u to be a very narrow minded soul who decides on something before you experience it. i mean im not holding my breath but im certainly not going to slabber at the game. especially before anyone has seen even the slightest hint to what its like.

  • bunyipbrown

    Posted Feb 7, 2008 4:54 am PT

    oh yeah and Spielberg is overrated. Totally overrated .

  • bunyipbrown

    Posted Feb 7, 2008 4:53 am PT

    yeah i agree. I f he wants to make games for his kids, he can. But i dont want to witness the crap thats hes going to bring out. Hes a movie director, not a game director. And when you think about it the two are completely different.

  • SmallPower

    Posted Feb 7, 2008 2:35 am PT

    "I am a gamer." - Steven Spielberg

    vindication at last

  • Zelda-Elite

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 10:51 pm PT

    Where's my "contemporary action-packed adventure" for the Wii?

  • kgb1234

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 8:36 pm PT

    wow sounds like the Wii is getting the short end of the stick

  • BringTheBlood

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 7:46 pm PT

    Omg this is like when actors think they can having a singing career too, or vis versa. STICK WITH WHAT YOU KNOW SPIELBERG!

    And that game sounds a little like LittleBigPlanet. real original Steven, pat yourself on the back for that one.

  • geofshaka

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 5:27 pm PT

    halo is far beneath spielberg and spielbergs overrated

  • peeweeshift

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 3:57 pm PT

    dam i thought this was announcing him making the new halo game. guess that won't happen till halo wars is out the door. bad microsoft. i bet its in the works and is already being beta

  • dkpunk

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 3:46 pm PT

    @lamprey263
    Everything you mentioned was gold... I don't get it... The Dig was a fantastic game.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 2:32 pm PT

    Umm, The Dig is like 12 years old, and according to what I can find, Sean Clark, the one that "conceived the original idea for LucasArts' point and click adventure The Dig", has only written an episode of Sliders and worked on the story from Escape from Monkey Island, in addition to the The Dig; THAT'S IT!! He also directed/produced and helped program for Sam and Max Hit the Road... but man, that's so long ago. I wouldn't be surprised if this project ended up being a disaster.

  • superdance14

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 2:00 pm PT

    How long has this already been known?

  • GhostyMcboo

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 1:31 pm PT

    Hell, look at Indiana Jones = it's kid friendly and Ford murders like, 35 people a flick!

  • Jedilink109

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 1:15 pm PT

    Eh, we'll see how this turns out.

  • StanleyL GameSpot staff member

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 1:01 pm PT

    This man gave us Animaniacs, so I'm definitely happy with his idea of "kid-friendly".

  • Smartiepants

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 12:35 pm PT

    A 'wacky' game about blocks. Hmm... I think I'll hang on for the 360 / PS3 game, thanks very much.

  • Blazer88

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 12:15 pm PT

    There are a loty of "wacky" characters in the system wars forums I hear.

  • WiiMan21

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 12:05 pm PT

    Whoa!, Didn't see that coming. There better be an online mode, but I don't expect him to include that in his first game. If he does do that it will give him a great first impression. =D

  • razu_gamer

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 11:57 am PT

    I hope he seriously means what he said. That he wanted to play a game with his children. I am just worried he saw the Wii and thought "lets make a family friendly game".

  • gord_mose

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 11:56 am PT

    The Wii may be a great fit for a lot of these games, but XBLA has become an excellent way to get lighter themed games into people's hands. I personally have spent far too much money on downloadable content, but I would be happy to see more quality content on XBLA. I will defniitely continue to buy games for the 360 but will not buy a Wii. I bought one and sold it within a week because the system just doesn't have enough going for it, at least for someone like me who A) Does not play Nintendo themed games and B) Isn't interested in a platform that has as much grap as the Wii does.

  • kingtahktahkhuk

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 11:48 am PT

    epic fail in the making

  • g8summit

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 11:39 am PT

    This is just a cash grab, wait until the action game comes out from him to see a truly good game. If his action game proves to be a good game, then its possible we might see another company rise to be as good as Lucasarts.

  • hstolar

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 11:36 am PT

    I don't know about this ...

  • CodyTG

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 11:30 am PT

    This isn't something I would expect to see Spielberg in. But the game looks unique and interesting.

  • Auricom-R

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 11:23 am PT

    oh ooh oooah oohohhh!

  • Rect_Pola

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 11:16 am PT

    The Dig was awesome. I hope this is as good as he's capable of. I pray the game and story are deeper than what they've given us.

  • BigDaddy973

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 11:16 am PT

    INteresting.

  • Warlypwnage

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 11:12 am PT

    Spielberg, what a nub.

  • ohioyankee

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 11:06 am PT

    so, it's a ripoff of jenga? we all know how well that went over on the wii

  • fmobliv06

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 11:05 am PT

    Steven Spielberg presents...a game about knocking blocks over. great.

  • matthewjackman

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 10:48 am PT

    And here I was hoping for a WWII game that actually told a moral story. Oh well, lets knock some blocks over while we wait!

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 10:47 am PT

    Boom Blox? I'm expect a music puzzle game now.

  • HellaStoned

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 10:37 am PT

    we all know about those "speilberg" types they love their money!

  • GreenGoblin2099

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 10:31 am PT

    Spielberg's version of Tetris Attack anyone??

  • drangel_jam

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 10:30 am PT

    I was expecting an adventure game for the new-gen consoles (PS3 & X360) with an epic storytelling, but baby steps is not a bad thing at all.

  • lociefer

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 10:23 am PT

    rofl , i really lol'd at this , i read the banner and i was like , wow , spielberg is makin a game and stuff , i thought he'd make an alien war game or smthin , but a blocks game ? xD rofl

  • Senor_Kami

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 10:16 am PT

    I don't have a Wii so this is very ehh for me. I'm interested in the game that he writing the story for though.

  • Siofen

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 9:48 am PT

    It sounds great! Gotta love Spielberg the guy is just brimming with ideas.

  • Bgrngod

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 9:47 am PT

    He is probably working on an Indiana Jones game with EA I'd guess.

    But Boom Box sounds kind of weird. Who knows, maybe it ends up being one of those surprise puzzler type games.

  • oli54321

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 9:43 am PT

    Sounds crap, why not just buy a set of building blocks?

  • GKBeetle

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 9:39 am PT

    Game looks like it could be good. Everybody who is saying this isn't innovative should wait to see how the game actually plays. The screenshots look intriguing to me. I'll wait till it comes out to pass judgement, but I'm excited about it now.

  • jwmakoto

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 9:35 am PT

    equili3rium
    I remember the game "The Dig". It was originally an idea he had for a movie but would have cost too much to make and the technology wasn't around yet that could have created it. I wish he would turn it into a film. It would be great!

    That would be an amazing movie. Such a great game back in the day... and I'm not even that old

  • darthzew

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 9:34 am PT

    I was hoping for something intriguing and artsy from Mr. Spielberg... I'm disappointed, but it might be fun anyway.

  • equili3rium

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 9:18 am PT

    I remember the game "The Dig". It was originally an idea he had for a movie but would have cost too much to make and the technology wasn't around yet that could have created it. I wish he would turn it into a film. It would be great!

  • Khoo1992

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 9:08 am PT

    Does Wii lost all of it's creativity? Come on EA, Wii still the potential

  • tobenator

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 9:07 am PT

    Boom Blox actually looks pretty tight. Fun party game.

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