Popular Gaming company EA’s Chief Design Officer Patrick Soderlund has left the company even after being the highest paid executive in the company with over Rs 340 crore annual salary. Patrick has been working at EA for nearly two decades and wants to begin ‘a new chapter’, CEO Andrew Wilson said. Recently in June, Patrick had received a ₹140-crore bonus for his contribution to the success of company.
Before EA acquired DICE in 2006, Patrick was the CEO of DICE. After the acquisition, he was made the VP and general manager of EA Dice. He has played a key role in developing the Battlefield and Star Wars Battlefront franchises and is credited for the Frostbite engine, which is still used in many of EA games.
Soderlund’s departure from EA signals some issues within the company, according to the EA CEO Andrew Wilson. “As an integral part of the management team for many years – including as head of Worldwide Studios and, most recently, Chief Design Officer – he’s been an agent of change and transformation. From his early vision for Frostbite, which has now become a cornerstone for our technology strategy, to being a champion for Players First experiences, Patrick has always ensured we put creative at the center of everything we do. He has also been unwavering in his commitment to building our pipeline of amazing new games to come, and his fingerprints will be on the experiences that we bring to players well into the future.” Wilson wrote in a letter to employees regarding Patrick leaving the company.
EA has done very good business in the recent past and Wilson wishes to continue the success by focussing on new technology-based games. “We’re now accelerating into a year where we are delivering some of the most impressive games our studios have ever created, with even more amazing projects in the pipeline. We’re pushing forward to offer access to more great games and content through our industry-leading subscription services. Our competitive gaming program is coming off one record-setting season and heading straight into the next with even higher aspirations. As a company, our culture of creativity and pioneering for our players is powering every step we take.” his note read.
