Why is Will Wright, the creator of Sim City and Sims franchises, leaving Electronic Arts?”
Will Wright, the famed game designer behind timeless classics such as Sim City and The Sims, has left the mighty Electronic Arts to helm a fresh new venture: Stupid Fun Club. Wright joined the company in 1997 following the purchase of Maxis, his first studio. Wright is not cutting ties with EA entirely, however. Labeled as a “think tank,” the new studio, while independent in a sense, is being backed financially by EA. “The entertainment industry is moving rapidly into an era of revolutionary change,” said Will Wright. “Stupid Fun Club will explore new possibilities that are emerging from this sublime chaos and create new forms of entertainment on a variety of platforms. In my twelve years at EA, I’ve had the pleasure to work alongside some of the brightest and most talented game developers in the industry and I look forward to working with them again in the near future. EA, along with Wright himself, have both signed on as principal shareholders in Stupid Fun Club. In turn, EA will hav
Famed game designer Will Wright is leaving publisher Electronic Arts to focus on his own multimedia entertainment firm, the company said on Wednesday. Wright is the man behind the wildly popular “Sims” franchise of simulated reality games, as well as the more recent “Spore.” “The Sims” and its spin-offs, expansion packs and extensions have sold more than 100 million units worldwide. Wright is leaving EA after 12 years and will turn his attention to Stupid Fun Club, an entertainment “think tank” developing content across a range of media, including video games, movies, television, the Internet, as well as toys. EA is taking an equity stake in the venture, which Wright founded in 2001. Wright and EA will own an equal share and are the principal shareholders. “The entertainment industry is moving rapidly into an era of revolutionary change,” Wright said in a statement. “Stupid Fun Club will explore new possibilities that are emerging from this sublime chaos and create new forms of enterta
