To the disappointment of literally everyone, it’s been confirmed that EA has turned down the proposal to make a new instalment in one of the company’s most loved action-adventure series, and it isn’t willing to sell the license to let anyone else do it, either.
As Eurogamer reports, American McGee, the director of American McGee's Alice and its sequel, Alice: Madness Returns, has been attempting to develop a third game titled Alice: Asylum for some time now. Thanks to the generosity of Patreon supporters, McGee and a team of designers, artists, writers, producers and modellers recently completed work on a design bible for the threequel, but after the director resumed talks with EA with the proposal for Alice: Asylum in hand, the plans were rejected.
EA is the publisher behind Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which is releasing later this month. Take a look at the trailer below.
“After several weeks of review, EA has come back with a response regarding funding and/or licensing for Alice: Asylum,” McGee wrote in a statement posted to Patreon. “On the question of funding, they have ultimately decided to pass on the project based on an internal analysis of the IP, market conditions, and details of the production proposal. On the question of licensing, they replied that Alice is an important part of EA’s overall game catalog, and selling or licensing it isn’t something they’re prepared to do right now.
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“At this point, we have exhausted every option for getting a new Alice game made,” he continued. “With those answers from EA, there is no other way forward with the project. As such, we will be hibernating this Patreon page and related pre-production activities. The content will remain in place but we'll no longer present options for funding Alice: Asylum efforts via this (or any other) platform. Alice: Asylum is at an end.”
Understandably, fans are gutted: “Truly heartbreaking and extremely disappointed in EA. Thank you and all your team for all the hard work, passion and love you put into Alice. You’re all so extremely talented, all of your efforts will forever be in our hearts. Wishing you the best with your health and future endeavours,” @Kurumivtuber tweeted. “I am so devastated by this news. As I'm sure you and your team are. Your vision with the Alice games spoke to me in a way no other game has. I've played Madness multiple times, starting it again last week. The story may not be continuing but the legacy will live on forever,” wrote @BrizzleLass.
McGee reiterated he has no control over the Alice IP, and also added that if the third game ever does enter development, he no longer has any desire to be involved.
Topics: EA