EA Blueprint: creating new properties in multiple media at low cost

There's been a lot of speculation in the videogame press about what exactly EA Blueprint is. All we have known for sure so far is that Neil Young (pictured right), the former head of the Electronic Arts Los Angeles development studio, moved north to to head up a new division. A widely cited report on Gametap (currently down so I'm linking to 1Up's follow-on for the moment) said it would be focused on applications for social networks like Facebook.

But last night at an EA-sponsored event here at GDC centered around a fantastic speech by Will Wright (a bad photo I took from the event is on the bottom right), I spoke to Young and learned a lot about the new division he's heading up. He also spoke a little bit about his new job on stage while introducing Wright.

Here was Neil's basic introduction to Blueprint: "We focus on creating [intellectual property] in new ways for our media and finding smart ways to spread it across the media landscape."

In other words,, social media games may be a part of Blueprint, but it's a whole lot more. Here's what I gleaned:

-Blueprint will be focused on creating new intellectual property. But not primarily through the kind of AAA titles that EA does best. "It could be live events, it could be on the Internet, it could be clothing," Young threw out as examples of how EA Blueprint could begin, or extend, the life of its properties.

-EA Blueprint has development staff working under it. That includes the team at EALA developing games in conjunction with Steven Spielberg ("Boom Blox," an untitled game about a secret agent and an android, and one we know nothing about) and Maxis -- though I assume not the teams at Maxis working on "Sims" games, since that's a whole separate division at EA.

-Blueprint will also be working with teams outside of Electronic Arts. In other words, if somebody has an idea that they want to take to EA but it's not ready to be a huge console or PC title, Neil Young is probably now the go-to guy.

-Even when it does make games, Blueprint won't be focused on $20 million events. "We want to find a new way to make games with smaller teams," Young explained. The Facebook game mentioned by Gametap is probably one example of that.

-EA Blueprint is part of the EA Games division. Young reports to Frank Gibeau.

This is a fascinating play for EA, but one that makes sense as the publishing behometh tries to find ways to create new intellectual property within a company structured around major franchises like "Madden NFL" and "The Sims," along with Hollywood licenses. If Blueprint works, it's a way for EA to take much less expensive risks that, if they work, can then permeate throughout the company.

Those familiar with Hollywood will recognize this model. It sounds a lot like an independent film division at a major studio. Just like Blueprint, labels like Fox Searchlight and Disney's Miramax have the freedom to invest in riskier, more cutting edge ideas so long as they keep budgets tight. And every once in a while, they create something like "Juno" or "Scream" that blows up and becomes a major property for its parent company.

It also looks like Blueprint may be a way for EA to work with talent from other media, including Hollywood. That would explain why the Spielberg team at EALA is in the division, and it makes sense that Young, who's as well connected in Hollywood as anyone at EA thanks to his tenure in LA, would be in charge.

Lots more to come in the story of Blueprint as we start learning what exactly it's working on soon, no doubt.