EA Black Box

EA Black Box was a game development studio under Electronic Arts, located in Vancouver, Canada, known for developing the Need for Speed series and the Skate series. The studio was closed in 2013.

EA Black Box began in 1998 as Black Box Games in British Columbia. Its founders were former Radical Entertainment employees, but the available reference material does not identify them individually. The independent studio worked with publishers such as Sega, Midway Games, and Electronic Arts before entering a closer relationship with EA. In June 2002, EA acquired the company while it was developing Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2. The acquisition made Black Box Games a wholly owned subsidiary of EA Canada, and the studio was renamed EA Black Box. Its subsequent work connected it particularly with the Need for Speed racing franchise and the Skate series, establishing the studio's main creative and commercial profile within the EA Games label. The studio expanded in 2003 when it moved into the top four floors of a downtown Vancouver office tower to accommodate its projects. In 2005 it became an independent studio from EA Canada in operational terms, although it continued to be owned by Electronic Arts. This distinction allowed EA Black Box to operate as a separately identified development unit while remaining part of EA's Canadian production organization. EA announced in December 2008 that it would close the Vancouver location and transfer the studio's operations to EA Canada's Burnaby facilities. The relocation was presented as part of EA's global consolidation plans, and the company said EA Black Box would continue to operate. The studio remained under the EA Games label and was not merged into the EA Sports studio at the same site. By 2012, EA was restructuring its Canadian development operations around online, social, and free-to-play formats. Layoffs were confirmed at EA Canada and EA Black Box in February of that year. In July 2012, while developing Need for Speed: World for PC, EA Black Box was renamed Quicklime Games. The new name lasted until the studio shut down in April 2013. Later in 2013, responsibility for the Need for Speed franchise was transferred to Ghost Games. EA Black Box consequently survives primarily through its historical contributions to EA's racing and skateboarding catalogs.

• 2013

  Studio closure

  [1]EA Black Boxen.wikipedia.org

  Quicklime Games, formerly EA Black Box, closed in April after restructuring.

• 2012

  Renamed Quicklime Games

  [1]EA Black Boxen.wikipedia.org

  The studio adopted the Quicklime Games name while developing Need for Speed: World.

• 2008

  Vancouver-to-Burnaby relocation announced

  [1]EA Black Boxen.wikipedia.org

  EA announced the closure of the Vancouver location and relocation of operations to EA Canada's Burnaby facilities.

• 2005

  Operational separation from EA Canada

  [1]EA Black Boxen.wikipedia.org

  EA Black Box became an independent studio from EA Canada while remaining owned by Electronic Arts.

• 2003

  Vancouver expansion

  [1]EA Black Boxen.wikipedia.org

  The studio expanded into four floors of a downtown Vancouver office tower to accommodate its projects.

• 2002

  Electronic Arts acquired the studio

  [1]EA Black Boxen.wikipedia.org

  EA acquired Black Box Games during development of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 and renamed it EA Black Box.

• 1998

  Black Box Games was founded

  [1]EA Black Boxen.wikipedia.org

  Former Radical Entertainment employees founded Black Box Games in British Columbia.

An EA-owned Canadian development studio focused on commercially prominent console, PC, and later online games, with particular recognition for arcade-style racing and skateboarding titles.

• Racing video-game franchise

  Need for Speed

  Need for Speed was the studio's most prominent area of association. EA Black Box worked on titles in Electronic Arts' long-running racing franchise, helping define its profile as an EA development team specializing in high-speed, accessible driving games. The studio's later online work also included Need for Speed: World, which was developed during the period when the team became known as Quicklime Games.

• Skateboarding video-game franchise

  Skate

  Skate was another major franchise associated with EA Black Box. The series formed part of the studio's best-known console development work and broadened its identity beyond racing. It used skateboarding as the basis for a distinct action-sports experience under the Electronic Arts portfolio.

• Online racing video game

  Need for Speed: World

  Need for Speed: World was a PC-focused online project developed during the studio's transition toward digital, online, social, and free-to-play formats. The work was carried out during the period in which EA Black Box was renamed Quicklime Games.

• 2012

  Shift toward digital formatsStrategy

  Background

  EA was repositioning its Canadian studios toward online, social, and free-to-play formats.

  Action taken

  EA confirmed layoffs affecting EA Canada and EA Black Box and redirected the studios toward digital growth areas.

  Aftermath

  EA Black Box was renamed Quicklime Games during development of Need for Speed: World and closed in April 2013.

  Source

• 2008

  Consolidation and relocation to BurnabyStrategy

  Background

  EA announced the move as part of worldwide consolidation plans affecting its development organization.

  Action taken

  EA planned to close the Vancouver location and relocate EA Black Box operations to EA Canada's Burnaby facilities.

  Aftermath

  EA Black Box remained open and continued under the EA Games label, separate from EA Sports at the Burnaby site.

  Source

• 2002

  Acquisition by Electronic ArtsM&A

  Background

  Black Box Games was already working on Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 when EA acquired the studio.

  Action taken

  EA made the studio a wholly owned subsidiary of EA Canada and changed its name to EA Black Box.

  Aftermath

  The studio became an identifiable EA development unit and was associated with Need for Speed and Skate.

  Source

• 2013

  Quicklime Games closed[1]EA Black Boxen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The renamed studio ceased operations in April 2013 after further restructuring within Electronic Arts.

• 2012

  Layoffs and digital-format restructuring affected EA Black Box[1]EA Black Boxen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  EA confirmed layoffs at EA Canada and EA Black Box while describing a transition toward online, social, and free-to-play formats.

• 2012

  EA Black Box was renamed Quicklime Games[1]EA Black Boxen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  During development of Need for Speed: World, the studio adopted the Quicklime Games name.

• 2008

  EA announced the relocation of EA Black Box from Vancouver to Burnaby[1]EA Black Boxen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  EA announced that the Vancouver location would be closed and operations moved to EA Canada's Burnaby facilities as part of a global consolidation plan. EA said the studio would remain open.

• 2002

  Electronic Arts acquired Black Box Games[1]EA Black Boxen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Electronic Arts acquired Black Box Games during the studio's development of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2. The company became a wholly owned subsidiary of EA Canada and was renamed EA Black Box.

1. 1EA Black Boxen.wikipedia.org