Report: Neil Young departs EA

Blueprint chief leaves publisher after 11 years; internal memo indicates new Medal of Honor in development.

It was only a few months back when former EA Los Angeles studio head Neil Young had been given the reins to EA Blueprint, a high-risk, low-cost initiative that would focus on creating new intellectual property for the publisher. However, Young's stint as head of this operation has proven to be short lived.

Newsweek reports today that Young will be ending his tenure with Electronic Arts, having joined the publisher 11 years ago. "Neil Young has decided to leave EA to manage his own company," said EA Games president Frank Gibeau in an internal memo. "Neil is an 11-year EA veteran who has created a lot of great games and many good friendships at EA. We wish him the very best on his new project. Neil will always be welcome at EA."

During his time with the publisher, Young oversaw the experimental alternate reality game Majestic, as well as more mainstream fare such as Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Medal of Honor: Airborne, and Boom Blox, reports Newsweek. Westwood Studios founder Louis Castle will take over Young's responsibilities heading up Blueprint, and oversee such projects as Steven Spielberg's second EA collaboration, code-named LMNO.

It also appears as if the upcoming Tiberium isn't the only first-person shooter in boot camp at EALA. According to Newsweek's leaked memo, EALA studio head Mike Verdu is overseeing a new installment in the developer's long-running Medal of Honor franchise. No other details on the title were revealed, and EA had not responded to requests for clarification as of press time.

58 Comments

  • alosborne

    Posted Mar 23, 2009 4:01 pm PT

    Looking forward to the next MOH if they're actually making one.

  • Jeeesh

    Posted Jun 27, 2008 6:35 am PT

    How dare he have the same name as Neil Young.

  • warp10ck

    Posted Jun 26, 2008 5:19 am PT

    New Medal Of Honor ?? please let it be Medal Of Honor Iraqi Assault

  • madmalz

    Posted Jun 26, 2008 3:04 am PT

    Man, these jokes are worse than when George Harrison left Nintendo.

  • JeroenVS

    Posted Jun 25, 2008 8:00 am PT

    "Neil Young has decided to leave EA to manage his own company"

    ...and eventually, EA will take that company over, too. There is no escape, Neil!

  • Sgt_Levy

    Posted Jun 25, 2008 6:26 am PT

    Man, I'm late to the party... All the good Neil Young jokes are taken!

  • NA3D

    Posted Jun 24, 2008 9:50 pm PT

    Well, EA is working on Ubisoft right now too, but they are not doing so aggressively like TakeTwo. Once TakeTwo is taken out though, I am sure EA will continue back on their conquest of working away at Ubisoft, and maybe even THQ.

    (By the way, EA owns the domain EAUbisoft already even. So you might want to get ready for that one too kids.)

  • Jerian

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 12:19 am PT

    Majestic, damn you EA i really wanted to play that...more evidence that after that point in time EA said they challenged everything but in reality wanted no challenge at all, sounds like Young leaving is the least of their problems after their botched takover attempt of Rockstar hehe Heres in idea EA why dont you spend more $$$ on making games and less on other companies "bioware cough" who make games lol Microsoft doesnt need the competition "cough" "Bungie" "cough"

  • combatsoldier

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 9:29 pm PT

    Niel I hope you find happiness and success in whatever venture you decide to take.

  • kuda001

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 5:43 pm PT

    He won't be missed.

  • Proman84

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 2:52 pm PT

    I have a feeling this 'LMNO' will be a fantastic game.

  • division_9

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 3:20 am PT

    I'm not surprised people are leaving EA since it does after all stand for Extra Assets and not Electronic Arts.

  • pourya_ahmadian

    Posted Jun 21, 2008 2:03 am PT

    ok;another big man out;

  • GhostyMcboo

    Posted Jun 20, 2008 1:15 pm PT

    So that's what Neil has been up to! I was wondering when the next album was coming out... I guess it's back to the studio.

    WE ARE ALL COMEDIANS

  • Jason_Morris

    Posted Jun 20, 2008 10:45 am PT

    Ah!!! He shares the most uncommon names "Neil" and "Young" with a famous singer/songwriter, hence the wittily quoting of the OTHER Neil Young's song lyrics!

    Comedy genius...

  • I_AM_GAMER

    Posted Jun 20, 2008 8:16 am PT

    Well Mr. Young... Just remember...
    Southern man, better keep your head.
    Don't forget what your good book said!

  • markharris31

    Posted Jun 20, 2008 5:42 am PT

    Neil Young jokes... mindless EA bashers... unabashed ingnorance... what an entertaining thread!

  • combatsoldier

    Posted Jun 20, 2008 1:35 am PT

    Neil we all love and support whatever you decide to do. thankyou for always being a good role model to others. You my friend are a legend and will be missed. EA made a very stupid mistake.

  • amscheip1

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 9:46 pm PT

    keep on rockin in the free world neil young. you know whats funny? the commisioner of some business in my town is named charles bronson

  • mrjasler

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 9:29 pm PT

    cutting off Neil Young's wage can only be a good thing. He was useless at EA anyways.. for the amount of money they were paying him they could hire half a team.

  • CVM_123

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 7:46 pm PT

    EA you paid the price

  • The_AI

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 7:45 pm PT

    Remember when that George Harrison guy left Nintendo?

  • zintarr

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 5:04 pm PT

    EA burn in Hell

  • Trindris

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 2:49 pm PT

    The only reason I clicked on this article is so I could read all the Neil Young jokes.

  • gzader

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 2:24 pm PT

    Don't want no cash
    Don't need no money
    Ain't got no stash
    This note's for you.
    - Neil Young

    Guess we should have seen this coming.

  • Thatsmypunk

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 2:13 pm PT

    Keep on rockin' in the free world.

  • cheerios3d

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 2:05 pm PT

    SUCKS 2 B U EA :{ do ur thing Young

  • The_AI

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 1:51 pm PT

    He went to search for a heart of gold!

    *shot*

  • fredwv

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 1:29 pm PT

    who

  • sideoftheham

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 1:28 pm PT

    Neil Young the musician?

  • Ranteal

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 1:27 pm PT

    Old Man look at my life. Too bad. I was so looking forward to Southren Man being in Madden 09

  • mashom

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 1:27 pm PT

    EA that is ur reputation dont let it go so easy..

  • miraimike

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 1:26 pm PT

    Don't let it bring you down It's only castles burning, Just find someone who's turning And you will come around.

    ?

    Oh, wrong Neil.

  • ScrunchMuppet

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 1:24 pm PT

    Why does EA keep f!@?!ing up?

  • klugenbeel

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 1:11 pm PT

    Yeah, EA sucks. They make very few decent games....and in a way this is bad news. Neil was behind a EA game that i really enjoyed recently, and that was MoH: Airborne, it was actually a fun game and added a new elelment to WW2 FPS with paratroops. Don't get me wrong, it was no Brothers in Arms (the WW2 game of WW2 games), but it was the best MoH in the series, the fist one, was.....eh....Omaha Beach landing could have been way more fun and better designed.

  • CVM_123

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 1:08 pm PT

    EA thats bad...

  • enoslives7

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 1:03 pm PT

    seriously though, I hope EA burns in he11

  • enoslives7

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 1:03 pm PT

    First he leaves Crosby, Stills , and Nash....now EA. What a quitter !!

  • Vexx88

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 12:38 pm PT

    One word: Good.

  • 5-0

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 12:31 pm PT

    Well I wanted to make some Neil Young joke, but someone guy did one further back...so...another one of EA leaves. Good.

  • LindBergh2007

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 12:30 pm PT

    This is just the tip of the iceberg for whats to come for EA.

    "Thier judgement cometh and that right soon."

  • liveforever89

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 12:23 pm PT

    I guess he thought it was better to burn out than to fade away . . .

  • BraveArc

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 12:21 pm PT

    Hopefully the new MoH is related to modern wars.

  • Gen_Warbuff

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 12:05 pm PT

    Gee, another Medal Of Honor game, what a shocker!

  • Ton77

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 11:52 am PT

    so now EA went from bad to worst.?

  • WardCleaver02

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 11:51 am PT

    Well, I hope Neil Young will remember: EA don't need him around, anyhow.

    Sorry, I couldn't resist.

  • erica1633

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 11:50 am PT

    Dude who would have thought neil young worked for EA

  • akiwak

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 11:45 am PT

    Steven Spielberg's second EA collaboration, code-named LMNO. Laughing My Nuts Off???

  • RHCPfan24

    Posted Jun 19, 2008 11:42 am PT

    Uh, I want to make some sort of Neil Young joke, but b_wilcox stole mine. All right, you left after the goldrush. Ok that wasn't funny.

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