EA Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Laura Miele denounced games industry toxicity during her DICE 2022 keynote, calling for the removal of leaders who "fall short of basic standards."

"Let's face it, there have been some rough headlines," Miele said. "Stories about negligence and lawsuits, all stemming from leaders who failed to uphold standards we've come to expect."

While Miele didn't call out Activision Blizzard by name, nor CEO Bobby Kotick, both of whom have been at the center of a year of headlines and lawsuits concerning industry toxicity, she criticized industry leaders she says have benefited from "destructive behavior."

Activision Blizzard has enjoyed considerable success during Kotick's tenure, with Call of Duty becoming one of the largest franchises in the games industry. In that time, he has become one of the highest paid CEOs in the games industry, with reports emerging today that he stands to receive $22 million in stock if he is able to improve Activision Blizzard's culture.

But in what seemed to be pointed criticism of Activision Blizzard in general and Kotick in particular, Miele argued that no level of success matters in the face of toxic culture and CEOs that she says allow it to exist.

"Women have been harassed, bullied, marginalized, held back in their careers, paid less, and much, much less. These are real stories, real human beings, and this is going on in companies in our industry," Miele said.

She added, "Leaders who fall short of basic standards must go."

Miele's comments were part of a broader discussion of how the games industry can realize its full potential as the leader of modern entertainment. She talked at length about how games sit at the center of the modern social experience, arguing that leaders within the industry have a special responsibility in light of gaming's global importance.

However, the last year has been a reckoning for companies such as Activision Blizzard, which have faced government investigations and lawsuits concerning their toxic culture. Kotick has been at the center of many of these controversies as reports have emerged that he was well aware of these issues and opted to do nothing.

Activision Blizzard's behavior has been criticized by key platform holders throughout the industry, including its soon-to-be parent company, Xbox. Multiple industry leaders and publications have called for Kotick's resignation.

Miele joined these choruses of voices in arguing for the removal of leaders who enable toxic cultures, but she also said that it was a critical issue facing the industry at large.

"If companies can't figure this out and fix this burning issue, we don't get to move forward. We don't get to pass go," Miele said.

Blogroll Image Source: DICE 2022

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN

EA chief operating officer Laura Miele says it’s on the games industry to build a better online community and how it’s not as hard a challenge as one would expect.

At the annual DICE Summit, Miele delivered a keynote address that covered a range of topics from the metaverse to the state of the industry. One element Miele touched on was how the games industry is uniquely positioned to improve all the various burgeoning metaverses and social networks currently in the works.

Miele cites EA’s work with games like Apex Legends and how the community improved itself without bans or other punitive measures. “85% of players who receive feedback about their behavior under the Positive Play charter changed their behavior. We didn’t have to ban them.”

According to Miele EA was able to improve its Apex Legends community by sending a straightforward, personal email versus an outright ban and it has resulted in positive change.

The Apex Legends statistic is an example Miele provided that shows how the games industry can bring order to the metaverse. “We need some world order,” Mile says, “and no industry can do it better than ours.”

Another positive community tool Miele cites is the ping system in Apex Legends which can let players non-verbally communicate online with strangers. This ping system was one of the patents EA has opened up to let other developers use royalty-free. “We can dare to do better. The ingenuity of game developers can have a significant impact on creating safer communities,” Miele says.

Miele’s full keynote hit on a broad range of topics and kicked off the first in-person DICE Summit since 2020. In the past two years, we’ve seen the rise of concepts like the metaverse while the industry was rocked by a sexual discrimination scandal at companies like Activision Blizzard.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

EA chief operating officer Laura Miele says it’s on the games industry to build a better online community and how it’s not as hard a challenge as one would expect.

At the annual DICE Summit, Miele delivered a keynote address that covered a range of topics from the metaverse to the state of the industry. One element Miele touched on was how the games industry is uniquely positioned to improve all the various burgeoning metaverses and social networks currently in the works.

Miele cites EA’s work with games like Apex Legends and how the community improved itself without bans or other punitive measures. “85% of players who receive feedback about their behavior under the Positive Play charter changed their behavior. We didn’t have to ban them.”

According to Miele EA was able to improve its Apex Legends community by sending a straightforward, personal email versus an outright ban and it has resulted in positive change.

The Apex Legends statistic is an example Miele provided that shows how the games industry can bring order to the metaverse. “We need some world order,” Mile says, “and no industry can do it better than ours.”

Another positive community tool Miele cites is the ping system in Apex Legends which can let players non-verbally communicate online with strangers. This ping system was one of the patents EA has opened up to let other developers use royalty-free. “We can dare to do better. The ingenuity of game developers can have a significant impact on creating safer communities,” Miele says.

Miele’s full keynote hit on a broad range of topics and kicked off the first in-person DICE Summit since 2020. In the past two years, we’ve seen the rise of concepts like the metaverse while the industry was rocked by a sexual discrimination scandal at companies like Activision Blizzard.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

EA CEO Andrew Wilson reportedly told his staff in November 2021 that the FIFA license has been an "impediment" to EA's hopes for its football games.

Citing sources familiar with the conversation, VideoGamesChronicle reports that Wilson told staff in an internal meeting that FIFA (the organization) had kept EA from expanding FIFA (the games) into additional modes beyond a standard 11 vs. 11 or "broader digital ecosystems." Wilson also reportedly stated that the only value EA received from FIFA in a non-World Cup year was "four letters on the front of the box."

“I’m going to be more open… more open than I’ve been with the outside world,” Wilson reportedly said, when asked why EA was considering breaking up with FIFA. “We’ve had a great relationship with FIFA over the past 30-odd years. We’ve created billions in value… it’s just huge. We’ve created one of the biggest entertainment properties on the planet. I would argue – and this may be a little biased – that the FIFA brand has more meaning as a video game than it does a governing body of soccer. We don’t take that for granted and we try not to be arrogant. We’ve worked really hard to try and make FIFA understand what we need for the future.”

It's another installment in the long-running feud between EA and the FIFA organization, which most recently saw FIFA appear to challenge EA's football monopoly. The organization released a statement in October 2021 calling itself "bullish" over "the future of gaming and esports." The statement similarly appeared to denounce EA's grip on the football video game market, drastically outperforming its only competitor, Pro Evolution Soccer. FIFA reportedly wants to charge EA upwards of $1 billion per year for the rights to the FIFA brand.

EA currently holds a 10-year naming deal with FIFA, but that could expire without renewal after this year's Qatar World Cup, making FIFA 23 potentially the last EA Sports football game with FIFA branding.

“Our players tell us they want more cultural and commercial brands relevant to them in their markets, more deeply embedded in the game… brands like Nike. But because FIFA has a relationship with Adidas, we are not able to do that," Wilson reportedly said. “Our players tell us they want more modes of play, different things beyond 11v11 and different types of gameplay. I would tell you, it’s been a fight to get FIFA to acknowledge the types of things that we want to create, because they say our licence only covers certain categories."

Wilson also said that FIFA is impeding EA's ability to adapt quickly to player demands and adding new features or content.

“Our players are telling us they want us to move really quick: ‘we want you guys doing stuff fast’. And in order to do that, we need a level of freedom to be truly creative, innovative and experiment in the marketplace,” Wilson said.

He added that EA wants to be "good partners" with FIFA, but "I wouldn’t be surprised if we ultimately move in a different direction."

IGN has reached out to EA for comment and will update the story if we receive a reply.

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.

EA CEO Andrew Wilson reportedly told his staff in November 2021 that the FIFA license has been an "impediment" to EA's hopes for its football games.

Citing sources familiar with the conversation, VideoGamesChronicle reports that Wilson told staff in an internal meeting that FIFA (the organization) had kept EA from expanding FIFA (the games) into additional modes beyond a standard 11 vs. 11 or "broader digital ecosystems." Wilson also reportedly stated that the only value EA received from FIFA in a non-World Cup year was "four letters on the front of the box."

“I’m going to be more open… more open than I’ve been with the outside world,” Wilson reportedly said, when asked why EA was considering breaking up with FIFA. “We’ve had a great relationship with FIFA over the past 30-odd years. We’ve created billions in value… it’s just huge. We’ve created one of the biggest entertainment properties on the planet. I would argue – and this may be a little biased – that the FIFA brand has more meaning as a video game than it does a governing body of soccer. We don’t take that for granted and we try not to be arrogant. We’ve worked really hard to try and make FIFA understand what we need for the future.”

It's another installment in the long-running feud between EA and the FIFA organization, which most recently saw FIFA appear to challenge EA's football monopoly. The organization released a statement in October 2021 calling itself "bullish" over "the future of gaming and esports." The statement similarly appeared to denounce EA's grip on the football video game market, drastically outperforming its only competitor, Pro Evolution Soccer. FIFA reportedly wants to charge EA upwards of $1 billion per year for the rights to the FIFA brand.

EA currently holds a 10-year naming deal with FIFA, but that could expire without renewal after this year's Qatar World Cup, making FIFA 23 potentially the last EA Sports football game with FIFA branding.

“Our players tell us they want more cultural and commercial brands relevant to them in their markets, more deeply embedded in the game… brands like Nike. But because FIFA has a relationship with Adidas, we are not able to do that," Wilson reportedly said. “Our players tell us they want more modes of play, different things beyond 11v11 and different types of gameplay. I would tell you, it’s been a fight to get FIFA to acknowledge the types of things that we want to create, because they say our licence only covers certain categories."

Wilson also said that FIFA is impeding EA's ability to adapt quickly to player demands and adding new features or content.

“Our players are telling us they want us to move really quick: ‘we want you guys doing stuff fast’. And in order to do that, we need a level of freedom to be truly creative, innovative and experiment in the marketplace,” Wilson said.

He added that EA wants to be "good partners" with FIFA, but "I wouldn’t be surprised if we ultimately move in a different direction."

IGN has reached out to EA for comment and will update the story if we receive a reply.

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.

Elden Ring has been one of the gaming community's most anticipated games for years, and its review scores appear to be living up to the hype. Right now, Elden Ring is one of the highest-scoring games on Metacritic and OpenCritic. The two websites compile scores from various outlets, giving an average score that's usually a pretty good indicator of the general critical consensus on a game.

Over on Metacritic, the PlayStation 5 version of Elden Ring has a score of 97, tied with the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Grand Theft Auto V, Metroid Prime, and more. Only four games have ever scored a 98, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time stands alone at 99. And on OpenCritic, Elden Ring is currently tied with Super Mario Odyssey for the highest rating on the website at a 97.

There are a couple important things to note with Elden Ring's score. First, the scores are incredibly fresh since Elden Ring's review embargo only lifted hours ago, and some reviews that are already out aren't scored yet due to the game's length. New review scores can keep coming in over time, causing Elden Ring's average score to change. Also, both Metacritic and OpenCritic don't encompass many reviews for older games. Metacritic specifically only has a handful of pre-2000 games in its rankings, with all-time greats from consoles like the SNES not being included at all. Still, it's an impressive achievement for FromSoftware.

Our Elden Ring review largely agrees with the common consensus. We called the game a masterpiece, saying, "Elden Ring is one that we’ll be looking back on as a game that moved a genre forward."

The hype train for Elden Ring has almost reached the station. If you can't wait to check out The Lands Between, check out the global release schedule to learn what time you can start playing. Or, if you're a FromSoftware rookie and are worried about the difficulty, learn about Elden Ring's detailed tutorial dungeon for new players.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Elden Ring has been one of the gaming community's most anticipated games for years, and its review scores appear to be living up to the hype. Right now, Elden Ring is one of the highest-scoring games on Metacritic and OpenCritic. The two websites compile scores from various outlets, giving an average score that's usually a pretty good indicator of the general critical consensus on a game.

Over on Metacritic, the PlayStation 5 version of Elden Ring has a score of 97, tied with the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Grand Theft Auto V, Metroid Prime, and more. Only four games have ever scored a 98, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time stands alone at 99. And on OpenCritic, Elden Ring is currently tied with Super Mario Odyssey for the highest rating on the website at a 97.

There are a couple important things to note with Elden Ring's score. First, the scores are incredibly fresh since Elden Ring's review embargo only lifted hours ago, and some reviews that are already out aren't scored yet due to the game's length. New review scores can keep coming in over time, causing Elden Ring's average score to change. Also, both Metacritic and OpenCritic don't encompass many reviews for older games. Metacritic specifically only has a handful of pre-2000 games in its rankings, with all-time greats from consoles like the SNES not being included at all. Still, it's an impressive achievement for FromSoftware.

Our Elden Ring review largely agrees with the common consensus. We called the game a masterpiece, saying, "Elden Ring is one that we’ll be looking back on as a game that moved a genre forward."

The hype train for Elden Ring has almost reached the station. If you can't wait to check out The Lands Between, check out the global release schedule to learn what time you can start playing. Or, if you're a FromSoftware rookie and are worried about the difficulty, learn about Elden Ring's detailed tutorial dungeon for new players.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

BioWare has provided an update on Dragon Age 4, saying that the game is currently "right in the middle of production," while also announcing the departure of its executive producer.

In a blog today, general manager Gary McKay outlined the different phases of game development, noting that Dragon Age 4 was currently in the midst of the phase where the development team is "executing on the blueprint."

"Our blueprint was completed last year, so we’re now focused on building out our vision: creating amazing environments, deep characters, strong gameplay, impactful writing, emotional cinematics – and much more. The blueprint for the game is well understood and the team is focused," he wrote.

However, he continues, the team is now saying goodbye to executive producer Christian Dailey, who started with BioWare back in 2018 and was promoted to executive producer in 2020 after Mark Darrah departed the project. Dragon Age 4 has grappled with other high-profile departures over the years, including general manager Casey Hudson (alongside Darrah in 2020) and senior creative director Matt Goldman late last year.

With Dailey's departure, McKay outlines the current leadership structure at BioWare: Mac Walters, who led development on Mass Effect Legendary Edition, is serving as production director. Dragon Age design director Corrine Busche is the game director, and Dragon Age development veteran Benoit Houle is the director of product development. McKay is also working closely with the team.

McKay concludes by suggesting we'll see more Dragon Age updates going forward in the form of both blogs and social content, while reassuring that the next Mass Effect is still in the works, and the team is currently "actively prototyping new ideas and experiences."

We don't know too much about Dragon Age 4 as of yet. First teased in 2018 at The Game Awards, we've since learned that it will take place in Tevinter, seen several concept art teases, and gotten a glimpse at the return of the Grey Wardens.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

BioWare has provided an update on Dragon Age 4, saying that the game is currently "right in the middle of production," while also announcing the departure of its executive producer.

In a blog today, general manager Gary McKay outlined the different phases of game development, noting that Dragon Age 4 was currently in the midst of the phase where the development team is "executing on the blueprint."

"Our blueprint was completed last year, so we’re now focused on building out our vision: creating amazing environments, deep characters, strong gameplay, impactful writing, emotional cinematics – and much more. The blueprint for the game is well understood and the team is focused," he wrote.

However, he continues, the team is now saying goodbye to executive producer Christian Dailey, who started with BioWare back in 2018 and was promoted to executive producer in 2020 after Mark Darrah departed the project. Dragon Age 4 has grappled with other high-profile departures over the years, including general manager Casey Hudson (alongside Darrah in 2020) and senior creative director Matt Goldman late last year.

With Dailey's departure, McKay outlines the current leadership structure at BioWare: Mac Walters, who led development on Mass Effect Legendary Edition, is serving as production director. Dragon Age design director Corrine Busche is the game director, and Dragon Age development veteran Benoit Houle is the director of product development. McKay is also working closely with the team.

McKay concludes by suggesting we'll see more Dragon Age updates going forward in the form of both blogs and social content, while reassuring that the next Mass Effect is still in the works, and the team is currently "actively prototyping new ideas and experiences."

We don't know too much about Dragon Age 4 as of yet. First teased in 2018 at The Game Awards, we've since learned that it will take place in Tevinter, seen several concept art teases, and gotten a glimpse at the return of the Grey Wardens.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

While Tom Brady may have officially retired from the NFL, the seven-time Super Bowl champion is keeping his love of football alive in a new football-themed road trip movie called 80 for Brady that he will produce and act in.

As reported by THR, Paramount Pictures and Endeavor Content's 80 for Brady will star Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field and will be directed by Kyle Marvin, who also co-wrote the script with Michael Covino.

The film is inspired by the true story of four New England Patriots-loving best friends who take a life-changing road trip to see Tom Brady compete in Super Bowl LI in 2017. Brady himself was very involved in getting this project off the ground and is producing the film through his company 199 Productions alongside Donna Giglotti and Endeavor Content.

Production on 80 for Brady will start in Spring 2022 and the latest version of the script is based on a draft from Booksmart's Emily Halpern and Sarah Haskins.

Tom Brady was in the NFL for 22 seasons and spent the first 20 as the QB of the New England Patriots before finishing his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Along the way, he earned seven Super Bowl rings, five Super Bowl MVP awards, 4 NFL MVP awards, and so much more. He also hold many NFL records, including the most Super Bowl wins and the most career QB wins, attempts, completions, touchdowns, yards, and more.

Brady was also the cover star of Madden NFL 18 and Madden NFL 22 alongside Kansas City Chief's QB Patrick Mahomes. In our review of Madden NFL 22, we said that it "takes a small and unimpressive first step into the Xbox Series X and PS5 generation, with even its better new ideas hobbled by poor execution."

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.