E3 '07: Spielberg puzzling Wii, thrilling 360 & PS3

Legendary filmmaker tells Newsweek about the puzzle game and sci-fi adventure title he's working on with EA.

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--At last year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, Electronic Arts announced it was collaborating with Steven Spielberg on two mystery games. Though few details were revealed at the time, EALA general manager Neil Young told GameSpot sister site News.com that the acclaimed director would be intimately involved in the projects' development.

"Steven's at the studio every week," Young said. "We're getting the first game rolling, and we want to understand what that is before we get going on the second. And Steven's great. He's humble but has strong opinions about story and also about game design. He's also flexible. We iterate the story and the game design almost every time we're together."

Now, over a year later, the first details about the aforementioned games are starting to work out. Speaking with Newsweek, Spielberg talked about both games.

The results? First up is an Wii "action-puzzle simulator" code-named "PQRS."Newsweek describes the game as melding the "the creativity of the building-blocks game Jenga with the charm of a Saturday-morning cartoon." It will reportedly allow players to intuitively manipulate said blocks with the Wii Remote's motion-sensing functionality.

The other game Spielberg is developing with EA is a futuristic PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 action-adventure game code-named "LMNO." One of the central aspects of the game will be a mysterious "computer-controlled woman" who will assist the game's protagonist. However, said female will apparently be more moody than Cortana in the Halo games, as her abilities will shift along with her relationship to said protagonist.

The changing rapport between game hero and virtual femme fatale is designed to draw the player further into the game, according to Spielberg. He told Newsweek that, "The challenge is, can the game have an emotional impact on players while they are actively manipulating the world?"

178 Comments

  • bobbysbits

    Posted Oct 1, 2008 7:27 am GMT

    speilberg didn't make Titanic

  • Lightchaos

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 6:50 pm GMT

    Spielberg is now making video games!
    Sweet!

  • Dima_06

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 6:38 pm GMT

    Ahh crap, I fudged up my phrase. It should read: When the time comes when game consoles graphics look more vivid than real life, then I will retract my statement. That is all.

  • Dima_06

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 6:36 pm GMT

    Where are the new Indiana Jones and Titanic games. LOL JK, good news I suppose...better than no news at all. Games will never surpass the emotional impact that movies have on its viewers...its not brain surgery. Only when consoles are strong enough in their graphical capabilites as to create said game with a look of more that lifelike than I will that my statement back and eat it.

  • alejandrope3000

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 6:08 pm GMT

    it's ok.

  • blackcro55

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 6:02 pm GMT

    >can the game have an emotional impact on players

    Oh ya: just drop in a buxom, curvacious cutie with a gun and there is an emotional impact.

  • mrhankeydinks

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 2:45 pm GMT

    sounds interesting

  • Thorpe89 Site moderator

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 2:27 pm GMT

    Hopefully, this should prove good for him.

  • Hydrolix

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 1:35 pm GMT

    great movie directors working on games is a marvelous idea. I hope it works out. I've been dying for some new games with quality story telling...something that both Spielberg and Jackson are excellent at.

  • CowbellFanatic

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 12:18 pm GMT

    So now we have Speilberg and Peter Jackson making games. Lets see if they can make the jump from movies to games very well.

  • oOCAKESOo

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 11:30 am GMT

    EA bought Dreamworks interactive....which made the first medal of honor (spielbergs project) So thats why he went to EA. Seems like an interesting concept....Id like to see how much character driven the game is.

  • SgtMustang

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 10:55 am GMT

    Yea, hopefully that adventure won't have something weird, such as computer love person thing or what Jporter313 said, be like AI.

  • jporter313 GameSpot staff member

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 10:42 am GMT

    Anybody else worried that this adventure is going to turn out more like "AI" rather than "Close Encounters"?

  • jazilla

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 10:40 am GMT

    It will be fun to see how all of this pans out. I find it interesting though that Speilberg went with EA and not his great pal George Lucas to make a game with.

  • MedevilDragon

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 7:44 am GMT

    Sounds good I think I will... wait just A sec, it's been made by ea, I think I'll pass since ea can't make any good games.

  • AnFangs_Endes

    Posted Jul 10, 2007 7:03 am GMT

    Hopefully they'll be good, and none school/learning related with codenames like those.

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 11:04 pm GMT

    Yo Spielberg. Listen up. We dont need another Wii puzzler. Check.

    Yo Spielberg. Listen up. We dont need another PS3 & 360 action-adventure. Check.

  • Wayward_Son_88

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 10:49 pm GMT

    My first point is to AvidGamer, EA is deciding on the direction and scope of the games, not Spielberg. If your gonna be a PS3 fanboy, at least do it right.

    Second is well, these games just sound boring, why buy a jenga game when I can play at home for free, and that really dissappoints me since the wii needs more good games than it has. The second one sounds better but still doesn't sound very good, I'll need a more detailed preview to make a decision on that one. I like Spielbergs movies, maybe he should just stick with those.

  • syafiqjabar

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 8:38 pm GMT

    Hey, google (or Wikipedia) 'The Dig', an old adventure game Senor Spielbergo was involved in.

    A Saturday morning cartoon style puzzler? Well, he did make Pinky and The Brain, Animaniacs, and Freakazoid! Speaking of which, we need a Freakazoid game!!

    Isn't there a third game? Probably for Xbox 360 and PC.

  • AvIdGaMeR444

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 7:53 pm GMT

    So, Spielberg is working on a puzzle game for Wii (the console selling the most), and a major epic sci-fi adventure game that will take a heck of a lot more work than a puzzle game for PS3 (console selling the worst). Makes a lot of sense...even Spielberg doesn't take the Wii seriously

  • Proman84

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 6:22 pm GMT

    Awesome. I cannot wait to play these. Spielberg rocks.

  • jesus_knight

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 6:08 pm GMT

    hope they could turn into good games

  • soulfood4

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 6:06 pm GMT

    Umm yay? A Wii Jenga? How stupid...geez.

  • linkzero

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 5:39 pm GMT

    lol, Wii-Jenga.

    And they should comeup with better codenames, I don't want to talk about 'PQRS'.

  • JaMeS4418

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 4:46 pm GMT

    looks boring

  • sexyup

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 4:39 pm GMT

    i dont get it

  • Sacif

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 3:54 pm GMT

    Yeah I am not exactly hyping this yet, the track record with Hollywood getting into games is not well at all.

  • mrklorox

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 3:42 pm GMT

    I'm not into this idea whatsoever. This sounds like pure marketing. Yuck!

  • DouglasBuffone

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 3:37 pm GMT

    Well I am happy that big named people are getting involved, but this does not really look interesting to me.

  • thefjk

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 2:48 pm GMT

    Sounds horrible... these games will only make sense once seen!

  • harrassee

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 2:36 pm GMT

    My guess is that the Wii is selling so well b/c (1) because it is much cheaper, it is often given as a gift to someone else, so who cares if there are only 2 games made for people over 12 years?, and (2) the console is NOT made for "hardcore" or serious gamers, but for "casual" gamers who DON'T want depth and complexity in their games.

  • fattyxboxbutt

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 2:29 pm GMT

    Im gonna hold off on LMNO and PQRS, until TUVW, and XYZA come out.

  • cheezlarson

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 2:16 pm GMT

    WTF? The "melding ... of ... Jenga with ... a Saturday-morning cartoon". Everyone ready for Teenage Mutant Jenga Turtles.

  • Pete5506

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 2:10 pm GMT

    hmm I don't know at this time

  • cheezlarson

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 2:10 pm GMT

    Sure when the games come out they'll be good, but when they come out again, they'll be digitally enhanced.

  • Bill900

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 1:47 pm GMT

    Since when does Spielberg know anything about making games?

  • jzen_

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 1:16 pm GMT

    @ smartiepants a mystery to even myself, who owns one. i just have it for the future big name titles coming out late this year to early next.

  • ChucklesMginty

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 1:00 pm GMT

    wierd...

  • GreenGoblin2099

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 12:59 pm GMT

    lol@diablobasher.

    It's an E.T. game!!! now with walkie-talkies instead of guns!!! *points out the Wii*

  • ajcali08

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 12:51 pm GMT

    happyyoi : Since GTA 4 designers are quoted saying the 360 version of the game is hindering their vision of wat they want GTA 4 to be like. ID showed off a live rendered demo with 20 gig + in textures. Sony looks like the only consolejavascript:submitPost();
    Submit that has room for the future and if u got a 360, your going to be spending alot more money in the future.

  • diablobasher

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 12:44 pm GMT

    Move over E.T., looks like the Nevada desert needs to make room for these games.

  • GreenGoblin2099

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 12:29 pm GMT

    After the big let down called Fable, the whole "her abilities will shift along with her relationship to said protagonist." isn't as appealing. And a puzzle simulator??? lol E.T. needs to figure out how to go home!!!

  • dragonwarlock77

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 12:24 pm GMT

    the "LMNO" one sounds sweet! hope to hear more on it!

  • Smartiepants

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 12:22 pm GMT

    Is the Wii ever going to get another game that isn't a party or puzzle title? How can it be selling so well with such a miserable selection of games?

  • CyphenX

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 12:22 pm GMT

    too hazy to make any calls...

  • DaFrop

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 12:20 pm GMT

    Why is the grammar so terrible? Random said's thrown in there...

  • Sonovius

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 12:17 pm GMT

    virtual beard combing?

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