MOTIVE Studio Update from Patrick Klaus

Hello everyone,

Since I joined Electronic Arts as the General Manager for Motive, so much has happened and changed in the world, and I wanted to start off by saying I hope everyone is staying safe and well during these times. 

These past 18 months at Motive have been the most inspiring period of my career in games, so I felt it was time for me to share some news and thoughts. During that time, we've welcomed some passionate new leaders and team members to the studio. We also just launched Star Wars™: Squadrons last week and I’m so proud of the team. I want to congratulate them for shipping our first full standalone game, especially in times as challenging as these. It was a true passion project and wasn’t easy, but it was an honor to see us pull together and deliver a game that fans and critics are enjoying, with Polygon saying, "Star Wars: Squadrons is every inch the spaceflight simulation that fans have been dreaming of for a generation."

But that’s just the start. In the days leading up to the release of Star Wars™: Squadrons, you may have seen our refreshed brand logo and that’s what I’m here to talk more about. We've established a new mission at Motive - To empower players to create, experiment, live and share their own unique stories.

To reach this goal, we're encouraging innovation and calculated risk-taking in our approach to game development. We put significant emphasis on creating a safe space through our practices and culture to offer our teams the freedom, autonomy, and time to innovate where it matters. Watch our new team video.

In addition to Star Wars™: Squadrons, we’re also working on several unannounced projects. Innovation is tough, but it’s also exciting and energizing. With our new mission, we're trying a lot of things and testing many ideas which you can’t get attached to, as iteration and experimentation are healthy and a key to finding something great. The team is super talented and we’re all striving to make aspirational games that push the boundaries of what players expect now and into the future.

Behind the games, there are our artists - diverse, passionate, and incredibly talented human beings working together and aiming to do the best work of their careers creating entertainment. I strongly believe happy and engaged creators make better games, so nurturing a healthy culture is fundamental for us. The journey is just as important as the destination. 

Who we hire, how we work and interact with one another plays a massive role in what sets us apart and will help us succeed as a games studio. There are no superstar creators with big egos at Motive, we know a team that works well together, focused on the same objective, is far more powerful. This is one of our strengths and we intend to nurture it by investing in diversity and inclusion to push boundaries, and continue to get better every day.

Make no mistake, we’re not perfect. We must course correct occasionally, we have a lot to learn and a lot to prove- and that’s ok. We need to be humble and embrace this. We are ONE team, always, through the good days and the bad days. We'll never compromise on this.

On a personal note, I’m thrilled to be back at Electronic Arts! The company has changed so much since my first stint. There are many inspiring projects, strong leaders and amazing people that deeply care about the studio members and are simply focused on making great games. Because that’s what it’s all about.

We’re always on the look-out for like-minded game makers of all levels to join us. We encourage diverse applications because that’s what makes us stronger! For senior specialists, we’re also considering remote working. We’re a tight knit group at Motive and look forward to being back in the studio - but only when it’s safe for our teams to do so. Working from home is a challenge, and we're adapting - just like all of our fellow developers are around the world - but our culture remains strong. 

We’re building great momentum and I couldn’t be any more excited about our future. Stay tuned for more! In the meantime, check out our CAREERS PAGE.

Patrick