Harry Potter Puts a Spell on EA
The best selling children's book series will now become a videogame series.
Published: August 10, 2000
Electronic Arts has officially announced that it has bought the exclusive rights to develop, publish and distribute computer and video games based on the popular (and semi-controversial) Harry Potter childrens' book series.
According to the agreement, EA will develop PC and console-based games based on the current series of Harry Potter books: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; the upcoming feature film from Warner Bros. Pictures; and any subsequent Harry Potter films distributed during the terms of the agreement. This means that EA has the Harry Potter licence until they basically don't want it anymore.
The exclusive license gives Electronic Arts the right to develop games for current and next gen consoles (like the PS2) and all handheld platforms, which basically means the Game Boy and GBA. EA has been granted rights to online gaming via the Internet.[blockquote]
Don Mattrick, president of EA worldwide studios, had this to say on the deal, "EA has accepted the challenge to create a series of interactive games that reflect the incredible imagination of J.K. Rowling's books. We are extremely excited to become part of the Harry Potter phenomenon by bringing our own brand of interactive magic to this fantastic series."[/blockquote]
EA's development team plans to work with J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, and Warner Bros. studios in order to make sure that the storyline and characters remain true to the novels, which will please the purists and fanatics of the book series.
According to the agreement, EA will develop PC and console-based games based on the current series of Harry Potter books: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; the upcoming feature film from Warner Bros. Pictures; and any subsequent Harry Potter films distributed during the terms of the agreement. This means that EA has the Harry Potter licence until they basically don't want it anymore.
The exclusive license gives Electronic Arts the right to develop games for current and next gen consoles (like the PS2) and all handheld platforms, which basically means the Game Boy and GBA. EA has been granted rights to online gaming via the Internet.[blockquote]
Don Mattrick, president of EA worldwide studios, had this to say on the deal, "EA has accepted the challenge to create a series of interactive games that reflect the incredible imagination of J.K. Rowling's books. We are extremely excited to become part of the Harry Potter phenomenon by bringing our own brand of interactive magic to this fantastic series."[/blockquote]
EA's development team plans to work with J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, and Warner Bros. studios in order to make sure that the storyline and characters remain true to the novels, which will please the purists and fanatics of the book series.
