EA Vancouver facts for kids
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| Division | |
| Industry | Video games |
| Predecessors |
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| Founded | 1991 (as EA Canada) |
| Headquarters |
,
Canada
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| Products | NHL series (1991–present) EA Sports FC series (2023–present) FIFA series (1993–2022) SSX series (2000–2012) NFS series (1994–2000, see EA Black Box) Skate series (2007–2010, see EA Black Box) |
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Number of employees
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1,300 |
| Parent | Electronic Arts |
EA Vancouver is a Canadian video game developer that creates some of the world's most popular sports games. Located in Burnaby, British Columbia, it is the largest and oldest studio owned by the famous company Electronic Arts (EA).
Have you ever played games from the EA Sports FC (which used to be called FIFA) or NHL series? EA Vancouver is the team behind them! With around 1,300 employees, this studio is a powerhouse in the gaming world. It also has the biggest video game testing center on the planet, where people play games to find and fix bugs before they are released.
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How It All Started
EA Vancouver wasn't always part of Electronic Arts. It began in 1983 as a small company called Distinctive Software. They were known for making fun racing and sports games.
In 1991, the video game giant Electronic Arts saw how great their games were and bought the company. Distinctive Software was renamed EA Canada and became a major part of the EA family. Over the years, the studio grew and eventually became known as EA Vancouver.
Over time, EA Vancouver also joined forces with other game studios.
- EA Seattle: In 2002, a studio in Seattle was closed, and many of its talented developers moved to work at EA Vancouver.
- EA Black Box: In 2002, EA also bought Black Box Games. This studio was famous for creating the popular Need for Speed racing games and the Skate skateboarding series. For a while, it was part of EA Canada before becoming its own studio and was eventually closed in 2013.
A Cool Place to Work
The EA Vancouver campus is more than just a bunch of offices. It's a huge, creative space designed to help people make amazing video games.
The campus has special studios for creating game music and sound effects. It also has a high-tech motion-capture studio. This is where actors wear special suits with sensors, and their movements are recorded to make the characters in games look super realistic.
To make sure the games are perfect, there is a large department for quality assurance, or game testing. Testers play the games for hours to find any glitches or problems.
But it's not all work! The campus also has fun facilities for employees, including:
- Fitness rooms to stay active
- Two movie theaters
- A cafeteria and coffee bars
- A soccer field
- Arcade rooms filled with games
Famous Games Made by EA Vancouver
EA Vancouver is best known for making sports games under the EA Sports brand. They have created dozens of hit titles over the years.
The World's Most Popular Soccer Game
For decades, EA Vancouver developed the FIFA series, which was the best-selling soccer video game in the world. Millions of people played it every year. Starting in 2023, the series was renamed EA Sports FC, and the studio continues to release new versions with updated teams and players.
They have also made other soccer games, like:
- FIFA Street: A fun, arcade-style game focused on tricks and skills.
- Games for major tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro.
Ice Hockey Action
Another huge success for the studio is the NHL series. Since the 1990s, EA Vancouver has been creating realistic ice hockey games that let players control their favorite teams and stars. Each year, they release a new game with better graphics and new features.
Other Awesome Sports Games
Besides soccer and hockey, the studio has worked on many other sports titles, including:
- EA Sports UFC: A series of fighting games based on the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
- NBA Live: For many years, the studio developed games for this popular basketball series.
- SSX: An exciting snowboarding series known for its wild tricks and fast-paced action. It was published under the EA Sports BIG label, which focused on extreme sports games.
The team at EA Vancouver has created hundreds of games, making them one of the most important and successful video game studios in the world.
See also
- Project Ragtag, assisted in development
