EA outsourcing retreat leaves games on hiatus

Electronic Arts is cutting back on outsourcing, and the move has already affected titles that were due to start development, including the next iteration of Tiger Woods PGA Tour.

Following deep cutbacks across its entire business, EA has made another cost-saving measure by choosing to rein in its outsourcing for game development. One of the EA Sports title that has already been affect it is Tiger Woods PGA Tour 15.

According to Kotatu, EA had planned to outsource development of the game, while its in-house team at EA Tiburon focused on creating PGA Tour 16 for next generation systems.

However, following the resignation of CEO John Riccitello last month, that plan now appears to have been scrapped. The game hasn’t be resigned to any internal EA team for any platform, so is currently on hiatus.

EA has been a major users of outscourcing development to outside studios for many of its franchises, include the The Sims, Need for Speed and FIFA.

This abrupt around is not unlike other recent events at EA. In 2010, EA’s NBA Elite 11 – the first ever outing of its rebranded NBA Live franchise – was postponed for consoles due concerns about the “quality” of the game. Eventually, it was cancelled entirely. NBA Live 13, what would have be the series return to consoles, was itself cancelled in September 2012.

As well as cuts to internal stuff, EA has been cutting back on it publishing and services. Last week it announced that it would be closing its EA Partners programme.