Electronic Arts is boosting on its efforts to help independent studios from around the world.
At a press briefing today for the massive Electronic Entertainment Expo trade show in Los Angeles, the publisher announced its new EA Originals label. Under the name, Electronic Arts will team up with smaller studios, supporting them throughout development and marketing, and publishing their games. The company first did this last year when it worked with Coldwood Interactive to bring the adorable platforming game Unravel to consoles and PC.
The first game from EA Originals is developer Zoink Games’s Fe. In this indie, players take control of a small fox-like creature who wakes up alone in a dark forest. A developer from Zoink said Fe will be “a personal narrative about our relationship with nature.” All the other animals and creatures you find each have their own unique song, and learning those songs will help you traverse to new parts of the world.
Patrick Soderlund, EVP of EA Studios, said onstage that the publisher is committed to working with indie developers who are making “unique and gorgeous” games. All profits from the games will go back to their respective creators so they can create interesting projects in the future.