EA won’t let American McGee make another Alice game

American McGee's attempt to develop a third instalment in his fan-favourite Alice series "is at an end".

In a public statement posted to McGee's Patreon, the developer said he had "exhausted every option for getting a new Alice game made" after IP holder Electronic Arts reportedly "decided to pass on the project based on an internal analysis of the IP, market conditions, and details of the production proposal".

Shortly after the completion of the Design Bible, I resumed talks with Electronic Arts regarding our efforts to get a new game made," McGee explains. "They were presented with the Design Bible and a Production Plan (produced in collaboration with Virtuos Games) outlining the schedule, budget, team, and design for the new game's production.

"After several weeks of review, EA has come back with a response regarding funding and/or licensing for Alice: Asylum. On the question of funding, they have ultimately decided to pass on the project based on an internal analysis of the IP, market conditions, and details of the production proposal."

Despite passing on the project, though, it seems that EA wasn't willing to part with the license, either.

"On the question of licensing, they replied that Alice is an important part of EA’s overall game catalogue, and selling or licensing it isn’t something they’re prepared to do right now," McGee added. "At this point, we have exhausted every option for getting a new Alice game made. With those answers from EA, there is no other way forward with the project."

McGee finishes by stating he has "no other ideas or energy left to apply towards getting a nice Alice game made", and confirmed that he has "no control over the Alice IP and no ability to make a new game happen". He also thanked the artists and designers who'd worked on the project thus far, who were "funded through Patreon".

"Lastly, I want to extend a bittersweet Thank You to our Patreon supporters," McGee said. "I know this is not the outcome we hoped for. And I feel a mix of emotions that leaves me sick at the idea of all the money, hope, ideas, and love you've poured into this effort over the years. We knew going into this adventure that failure was a possibility. But we wanted to believe impossible things - and we had fun doing that up to the moment when reality forced itself into our Wonderland.

"It's often said that when one door closes, another opens. Trite but true. And I hope that for all of you, this closure will bring life to other adventures and dreams."

American McGee unveiled the full story of Alice: Asylum, the third instalment of Mysterious Studios' fantastically grim take on Alice in Wonderland, back in August 2021.

Succeeding 2011's Alice: Madness Returns, Alice: Asylum was part of McGee's unique "crowd design process" and had been drawn up in consultation with his 3000+ Patreon backers.

As Wes summarised a few years back, McGee was the creative director of the EA-published 2000 title American McGee's Alice. It gained cult status and was followed up by Alice: Madness Returns in 2011. Fans have wondered - and continually questioned McGee - about a third Alice game ever since.

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• Source: https://www.eurogamer.net/ea-wont-let-american-mcgee-make-another-alice-game