Who should get credit for a game that's been made by dozens -- or hundreds -- of people? Maybe no one? Read more...

Brushing off complaints from an anonymous developer who complained about a lack of credit for working on "Warhammer Online," the game's lead designer wants the ex-employee to stand up and let the world know who he/she is.

"If you really think that we're doing something wrong, at least have the balls to stand up and go 'Hi, my name is so-and-so,'" said Mark Jacobs, VP of EA-owned Mythic Entertainment.

He and I were talking about the recent Shacknews report that at least one ex-developer wants to sue EA for lack of credit. "[Leaving the person out of the credits] could be a mistake. I'm not saying it's not happening. I just don't know who the heck this person is. So come out, stop hiding behind the anonymity of the internet and the legal shield of 'I'm going to sue EA.'"

Jacobs and I discussed this during a longer conversation about just how creators of an MMO should and should not get credit. Read more...

Should game developers and designers have their names on the boxes of the games they make?

We posed this question recently to EA CEO John Riccitiello, who explained why Steven Spielberg's name should be on a game box and why Will Wright's shouldn't.

We've read discussions from gamers arguing for and against the idea. Those against say there's too many people to name, that manuals and the end credits are enough and that's it not fair to single certain people out. Those for having names on boxes, including one David Jaffe, say that games should give credit like movies do because the creative and technical folks behind the project really make the game, and the name recognition allows game makers to have the credibility and leverage while making their way through this booming industry.

You can expand the "Boom Blox" images above to test our first example.

Now let's see what what the boxes of "Super Mario Galaxy," "God of War," "Halo 3" and "Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution" would look like if their creators were given credit... Read more...

David Jaffe, who politely refers to me as "Mr. Totilo," has posted his commentary about my interview with EA CEO John Riccitiello regarding crediting individual game developers. Read the whole thing, though if you want to know just how strongly he feels, this excerpt will do:

(Curses cleaned in the following excerpt to meet MTV's language standards, Mr. Jaffe): Read more...

If you were a game publisher, how would you give credit to the game developers you employ?

Would you put their names on the boxes of their games? Maybe a photo on the back?

Or would you keep their names off and push your own publishing brand?

Maybe you'd put the name of the movie director who helped conceive the game on the box and no one else's?

Would you ever put Will Wright's name on a box? Because, you know, all the big actors and authors and musicians get their names on the stuff they help make.

I asked EA CEO John Riccitiello back at E3 what he thinks the best approach would be...

Read more...