Will Wright, who made social ecosystems a distinct category of computer games, is leaving publisher Electronic Arts and setting up an entertainment think tank. In its announcement Wednesday, EA said it was making an equity investment in the think tank, called Stupid Fun Club.
The club, according to the company, is “developing intellectual properties to be deployed across multiple fronts, including video games, movies, television, the Internet, and toys.” Wright will head up the club, and he and EA will be the principal shareholders with equal percentages.
Exploring ‘Sublime Chaos’
In a statement, Wright said Stupid Fun Club will “explore new possibilities that are emerging” from the “sublime chaos” resulting from this period of revolutionary change in the entertainment industry. He added that he’s had the “pleasure to work alongside some of the brightest and most talented game developers in the industry” during his 12 years at EA.
In 1989, Wright and Jeff Braun started Maxis, which EA bought in 1997. He’s best known for the blockbuster game franchises The Sims, SimCity and, most recently, Spore.
Wright has been inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame and received a lifetime achievement award from the 2001 Game Developers Choice Awards.
The Spore franchise and Maxis label will continue to be run by Maxis Vice President and General Manager Lucy Bradshaw, and near-term release plans include the Spore Galactic Adventures expansion pack and spin-offs such as Spore Hero, Spore Hero Arena, and Spore Creature Keeper. The Sims line is handled by the EA Play label, which expects to launch The Sims 3 in June.
Galactic Adventures, out in June for computers, enables players to take the Spore adventure to planets. Spore Hero, for the Nintendo Wii, allows users to create creatures that can fight and save their planet, and Hero Arena delivers a battle…