New Dragon Age in Q1 '11, Crysis 2 due in Q4 '10, APB delayed

EA slates Dead Space 2, Epic Games' shooter, mystery fighting and action games for Q1; Dragon Age, EA MMA, Medal of Honor, Dead Space 2 going portable; "something far-reaching for Mass Effect" in the works; Sims 3 scheduled for consoles and handhelds.

In an earnings report issued today, Electronic Arts reported an $82 million loss for the October-December quarter of 2009. The Redwood City, California-based company also used the report to announce its release schedule for its 2011 fiscal year, giving release windows to some of its most anticipated games--and unveiling many previously unknown projects.

Why so sad? It looks like Dragon Age will be getting either a sequel or major expansion next year.

January-March 2011
For role-playing game fans, the biggest news will be that Dragon Age: Origins will apparently be getting a follow-up or major expansion in the first quarter of 2011. The game "Dragon Age Title TBA" is on EA's schedule for the January-March period for the PC, unspecified consoles, and--for the first time--portable platforms. (The game's first major expansion, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening, is due out March 16.) In a postearnings report conference call, EA executives also promised the three months would yield "something far-reaching for Mass Effect," BioWare's other ongoing RPG series.

The January-March 2011 window will also see the arrival of Dead Space 2, the sequel to Visceral Games' sci-fi horror survival game, which is also getting a portable edition--but not a PC version, according to EA's schedule. Also due during the time frame are the as-yet-unseen shooter from Epic Games' Polish subsidiary, People Can Fly (Painkiller), which is being distributed under the EA Partners program. The quarter will also see the release of new entries in the Spore, Need for Speed, and Sims franchises, as well as two unidentified titles in the fighting and action genres--the latter of which will be download-only for consoles.

October-December 2010
Turning to calendar year 2010, EA has dated Crysis 2, the award-winning shooter series' debut on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, as coming during the fourth quarter. Also due around the holiday shopping season is a Need for Speed game for consoles, handhelds, and PCs--most likely the coming reboot of the series by Burnout creator Criterion. An unnamed digital trading card title (DTC) is also due then.

This guy won't be so smug when Crysis 2 comes out.

EA Sports has a robust lineup for Q4, including NBA Jam, FIFA Manager 11, NBA Live 11, and EA Sports MMA, which is apparently also now in development for handheld platforms. The division also has two separate unnamed EA Sports Active games coming to unidentified consoles during the same period. Though EA did not identify any specific platforms, EA Sports president Peter Moore mentioned at last year's Electronic Entertainment Expo that his division was working on a version of the workout game for both the PlayStation 3 Motion Controller and the Xbox 360's Project Natal. Both motion-sensing systems are set to launch this fall.

The EA Play label has several holiday-quarter releases, including The Sims 3's debut on consoles, which was first revealed back in November 2006. A new Harry Potter game is also planned, as are new entries in the Hasbro Littlest Pet Shop and Hasbro Family Game Night series. Finally, one game for PCs, consoles, and handhelds is left completely unidentified, with its title simply listed as "TBA."

July-September 2010
EA's summer lineup includes its sports heavyweights: NCAA Football 11, Madden NFL 11, FIFA 11, and NHL 11. The division will also be launching its second browser-based game, EA Sports FIFA Online, during the quarter. Meanwhile, EA Play has two offerings--a new Monopoly and MySims--and EA Games will launch the Afghanistan-set reboot of the previously World War II-set Medal of Honor shooter series. Previously announced for the PS3, 360, and PC, Medal of Honor is now also coming to handhelds, according to EA.

Medal of Honor will be bringing the Afghanistan War to handhelds.

One bit of news tucked into the July-September schedule wasn't welcome. Realtime Worlds' online open-world crime game APB, which EA Partners is publishing, has apparently been pushed back. First announced in 2005, the game had been slated for a March launch.

April-June 2010
Last and numerically least, EA's first fiscal quarter now has just four releases. EA Black Box's skateboard sim Skate 3 is due out in May, with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 arriving in June. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa hits the soccer field on April 27, with the free-to-play massively multiplayer racer Need for Speed World Online launching at an undetermined date.

Missing from the schedule are two high-profile titles: EA Sports' annual NCAA Basketball installment and the EA Partners-distributed Green Day: Rock Band. Requests for clarification sent to EA Sports, EA Partners, and Rock Band publisher MTV Games had not been returned as of press time.

ELECTRONIC ARTS FISCAL YEAR 2011 RELEASE SCHEDULE

FYQ1 (April 1-June 30, 2010)
2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa (consoles, handhelds)
Need for Speed World (PC)
Skate 3 (consoles)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 (consoles, handhelds)

FYQ2 (July 1-September 30, 2010)
APB (PC)
EA Sports FIFA Online (PC)
FIFA 11 (consoles, handhelds, PC)
Madden NFL 11 (consoles, handhelds)
Medal of Honor (final title TBA - consoles, handhelds, PC)
Monopoly Title TBA (consoles)
MySims Title TBA (consoles, handhelds)
NCAA Football 11 (consoles, handhelds)

FYQ3 (October 1-December 31, 2010)
"TBA" (consoles, handhelds, PC)
Crysis 2 (consoles, PC)
DTC Game For Console Online (consoles)
EA SPORTS Active Title 1 TBA (consoles)
EA SPORTS Active Title 2 TBA (consoles)
EA SPORTS MMA (consoles, handhelds)
FIFA Manager 11 (PC)
Harry Potter Title TBA (consoles, handhelds, PC)
Hasbro Family Game Night Title TBA (consoles)
Hasbro Littlest Pet Shop Title TBA (handhelds)
NBA Jam (Wii)
NBA LIVE 11 (consoles, handhelds)
Need For Speed Title TBA (consoles, handhelds, PC)
The Sims 3 on Console Title TBA (consoles, handhelds)

FYQ4 (January 1-March 31, 2011)
Action Title TBA ("full game download" for consoles)
Dead Space 2 (consoles, handhelds)
Dragon Age Title TBA (consoles, handhelds, PC)
Fighting Title TBA (consoles)
Hasbro Title TBA (consoles)
Need For Speed Title TBA (consoles, PC)
New Sims Title TBA (PC)
Shooter from Epic TBA (consoles, PC)
Spore Title TBA (consoles, PC)

236 Comments

  • Ripnail

    Posted Mar 9, 2010 11:59 am PT

    and btw.. ofc dead space will be released on pc.. they just trying to outsmart piracy

  • Ripnail

    Posted Mar 9, 2010 11:55 am PT

    Green day rockband? i cant believe it. Names like Dragon age and mass effect(far reaching as in Holy Mother of god) are named and you are thinking of green day.. now i rly do believe in every man his taste

  • muzza93

    Posted Mar 4, 2010 4:45 am PT

    Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day Green Day

  • muzza93

    Posted Mar 4, 2010 4:40 am PT

    Bring On Green Day RockBand

  • h2k47

    Posted Mar 2, 2010 3:39 pm PT

    The report is posted under PC section but no crysis 2, no Dead Space 2 for PC..whats the pointt of posting then????

  • You_2

    Posted Feb 28, 2010 4:00 pm PT

    Still waiting for the next half life installment.

  • Gammet25

    Posted Feb 25, 2010 11:11 pm PT

    The pc these days dont get that much of the action.

  • myungish

    Posted Feb 25, 2010 7:09 am PT

    quite disappointed dead space 2 won't be on the pc. i do have a ps3 but i'd much rather play it on my laptop on max settings. still a great line up and im most excited about crysis 2.

  • guitarist1980

    Posted Feb 25, 2010 6:25 am PT

    Oh yeah and it will be very interesting to see how Crysis 2 will look as opposed to the first one on the pc platform. Unless they completly revamp the open world nature of Crysis (semi open) I cant see how its gonna look that good on consoles. Not that I would play crysis 2 on a console but interesting to see how it turns out none the less.

  • guitarist1980

    Posted Feb 25, 2010 6:22 am PT

    Bioware is on top right now, both Dragon Age:O and ME2 were a joy to play. I actually never like to play rpg's more than once but I want to play both games again with my new eyefinity set up... to bad its bugged to hell and ME2 doesnt even work in triple monitor set ups yet, but hopefully they both get patched for it.

  • mindboy

    Posted Feb 23, 2010 11:16 am PT

    Bring it on Crysis2, Mafia 2, Max Payne 3 and of course ME3!!! ME2 is probably the best game I´ve ever played during 8 years as a PC gamer - whatta story! Can´t wait for the last part! Bring it on 2011!

  • kiopta1

    Posted Feb 22, 2010 2:26 pm PT

    ME3 will most likely be 4Q 2011 or 1Q 2012...waiting is the hardest part.

    But I think they will be moving a solid amount of DLC for ME2 which should flesh out the galaxy or help to link ME2 to ME3.

    DAO is expecting a large amount of DLC and a potential sequel in 2011.
    I just have to say GO BIOWARE! I mean of all developers they are the only ones I can think of who have so consistently delivered great games to their fans while pushing tech and ideas that are ahead of the other developers.

  • fczfriki

    Posted Feb 21, 2010 5:58 am PT

    medal of honor !ouyess! Can't wait

  • Jshaw71

    Posted Feb 13, 2010 8:26 pm PT

    sims 3 at the end of the year? i hope it'll have direct control like in sims 2 for the ps2, i guess it's nice to see nba jam return to the consoles, not a big bball fan here, but oh well...

  • lightwarrior179

    Posted Feb 12, 2010 11:11 am PT

    Crysis 2,new Dragon Age,Dead Space 2....we're in for some serious treat!

  • wexorian

    Posted Feb 11, 2010 10:45 am PT

    nice one D age origins 2nd expansion or Dragon age 2 we will see, Also after D AGE origins Awakening there will be lot of dlc till next expansion or game

  • Skargamer

    Posted Feb 11, 2010 6:26 am PT

    if a mass effect is announced it'll probably be for 2012.

  • Skargamer

    Posted Feb 11, 2010 6:25 am PT

    @dortegal120
    you TOTALLY forgot about battlefield bc : 2

  • CommanderKenny

    Posted Feb 11, 2010 5:23 am PT

    yea dragon age

  • MooncalfReviews

    Posted Feb 11, 2010 2:19 am PT

    Sucks about APB. When a publisher announces a release date they should damn well STICK TO IT, or don't announce it to start with!! Lazy greedy douches, I'm glad you lost money.

  • dortega120

    Posted Feb 10, 2010 6:18 pm PT

    Looking like a pretty nice line up. I am especialy interested about the new Medal of Honor game coming later this year. That game and Crysis 2, will probably get my shooter fill for this year.

  • Richardthe3rd

    Posted Feb 10, 2010 10:52 am PT

    I'm with Rottenwood on the ME2 topic. ME2 is most certainly an RPG. You "play" a "role," make decisions that have consequences and in several cases drastically impact the game environment. The problem I have with these "it's not an RPG" arguments is that no one can uniformly seem to explain why it's not. People list inventory, but not the combat mechanics, or say they don't like the skill system but not the inventory, or that the upgrade system is too bland and generic and the gameplay is too FPS. They're all just sidebar representations of the fact that ME2 doesn't feel grindy, doesn't have a massive inventory table full of worthless gear, and doesn't yield the time=success ratio most people are familiar with in more "germane" RPG franchises. In other words, it doesn't have all the crap in it that everyone, including RPG fanboys, complain about in almost every other RPG title....

    Which is why the complaining confuses me and why I'd hate to be a game designer. No matter what you do, no matter what changes you effect, you're screwed/scrutinized from the very first step you take critically. ME2 is a breath of fresh air for the RPG genre, and I wish more devs would think out of the box the way Bioware has with this franchise.

  • gardneed

    Posted Feb 10, 2010 9:51 am PT

    I hope Bioware doesn't do the same stupid sh-t they did with KOTOR 3 for Mass Effect 3 (i.e. turn it into a MMO). The MMO is inevitable but please at least finish Shepard's story arc.

  • Rottenwood

    Posted Feb 10, 2010 5:51 am PT

    @Kan0nF0dder

    Mass Effect 2 has all of that. You can buy dozens of armor pieces to enhance and customize your stats, and there are countless research products that jack up your weapons and abilities. You just don't lug it all around with you, thus eliminating the absurd scenario of three guys bringing an entire armory AND pharmacy with them on a mission, not to mention half a ton of gold. New powers and skills are unlocked when you complete an ally's loyalty mission, and you can add one of these to your arsenal as well. (And change it whenever you like, provided you have the Element Zero on-hand.)

    ME2 does NOT, admittedly, have long dungeon crawls. I suspect that the development team never considered that anyone could possibly want them.

    BioWare is in the story-telling business; I suspect you're at the wrong store. You'd be better served with an MMORPG (which are devoted to power-gaming and dungeon crawls) or something like Torchlight.

  • BurningUp99

    Posted Feb 10, 2010 3:28 am PT

    Meh I still think EA is sucking except for the Bioware games and Valve. Also they don't really have any interesting multi-player games coming out anytime this year which is what a lot of people want. They should have been working on a Diablo type game and really stuck it to Blizzard.

  • ivanfred

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 7:57 pm PT

    Dragon Age for PSP would be awesone. I love the PS3 version. But I gotta agree with you guys about Orzamar and the Circle Tower quests. They are tedious.

  • SixSigma1978

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 7:43 pm PT

    MASS EFFECT 3!!!!!!!!!!

  • SixSigma1978

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 7:43 pm PT

    mass effect 3!!!!!! wither????????????

  • Isayama

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 6:42 pm PT

    Crysis 2 for consoles = the sh*ts. Also MOH is looking pretty good . Plus Dragon Age speculation, awesome.

  • touchyourtoes

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 6:22 pm PT

    Does that mean Mirror's Edge 2 is canned?

  • spike6958

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 4:34 pm PT

    While a second expantion pack for Dragon Age would be good, I hope it is Dragon Age 2 so that we can start fresh.

    Im hoping the new Shooter from Epic is Gears 3 but with it saying consoles instead of just Xbox and also saying PC I would expect it to be Unreal Tournament 4.

  • Kan0nF0dder

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 2:44 pm PT

    @Rottenwood
    "...sharp dialog, ethical dilemmas, brilliant characters, customization of skills, a passable social life".... That sounds like GTA game. Like I said, you sound like you just don't like RPGs.
    Not into "new kinds of fireballs", long dungeon crawls and stat based loot to enhance your character? Not all the old conventions of RPGs are just there for padding but deliberate (often power-gamer orientated) gameplay. You don't seem to get that at all.

  • HCL2

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 2:38 pm PT

    I hope that there will be Resident Evil 6 !!!!!!!

  • bachilders

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 1:58 pm PT

    How can EA possibly still lose money? It's pathetic when publishers like EA can't even match the profitability of an indie studio. They must have some serious overhead because all of their crap sells millions of copies.

  • razorback187

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 1:42 pm PT

    SUPPORT MOUSE + KEYBOARD IN PS3 SHOOTERS PLEASE?!?!?!?

  • Hekynn

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 1:21 pm PT

    Hell ya!! Dragon Age Dead Space 2 and Crysis 2 3 awsome games can't wait!

  • Folleyrules

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 12:52 pm PT

    The only EA game I want this year I already got. Army of 2.....

  • EnriqueMJK

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 12:43 pm PT

    No Half Life Episode 3?!?!? Raaaaaaaaaaaage!

  • HBC14

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 12:18 pm PT

    I just want the new NFS

  • PitchBlack999

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 11:34 am PT

    Best news i heard this year... keep em coming

  • happyfatman021

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 11:28 am PT

    @navyguy21: I would like to direct you to the Sims 1 console port. That was a fantastic console version of the game. In fact, that was the game that made me a fan of the series. Though I agree with you that they need to not strip anything out of the game. I think they need to just do a direct port of the game onto consoles with Halo Wars style controls. They could even include the expansions and stuff packs as DLC on Xbox LIVE and PSN. It would make a great console title if they didn't try to change it to something else.

  • Janpieterzun

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 11:23 am PT

    All i saw was Dragon Age and Mass Effect nothing else mattered. Mass effect 2 is perhaps the best rpg i've ever played. Scratch perhaps..it IS the best rpg i've ever played. Played a bunch of them including the nonsensical Final Fantasy series...to play a game with a concise and articulate plot..words cannot describe.

  • spacedvest2

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 11:06 am PT

    Love the announcement of Dragon Age, but what about Rock Band 3? I am hoping that they release a killer new installment of Rock Band and bring back some of the fun that was lost last year.

  • Sith009

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 11:05 am PT

    I want Dead Space 2 for PC!!!! Got PS 3 as well but I'd like to play it on PC.

  • Shadow_Fire41

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 11:00 am PT

    more stuff for mass effect
    another expansion or a sequel next year?
    'hugs bioware'
    i love you bioware.

  • xxxAdvocatexxx

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 10:59 am PT

    How much you wanna bet that new dragon age is going to get pushed back to the fourth quarter of 2011? I'm putting down 5 gold 10 silver and 20 coppers....

  • Amz1217

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 10:34 am PT

    medal of honour is one to watch....trailer was amazing

  • navyguy21

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 10:33 am PT

    Sims 3 on consoles? I thought they learned from doing Sims 2 on consoles? If they are going to do it, they better not strip out any features like they have done with other console ports.

  • Junior_AIN

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 10:22 am PT

    Too early for a follow up, it's an expansion. Looking forward for Crysis 2.

  • solidsolo

    Posted Feb 9, 2010 10:20 am PT

    Looks like EA has crap scheduled for the rest of this year... Gotta wait til 2011 for DA and DeadSpace

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