DICE (company)

Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox company EA Digital Illusions CE AB (trade name: DICE) is a Swedish video game developer based in Stockholm. The company was founded in 1992 and has been a subsidiary of Electronic Arts since 2006. Its releases include the Battlefield, Mirror's Edge and Star Wars: Battlefront series. Through their Frostbite Labs division, the company also develops the Frostbite game engine.

History

Foundation and early years (1992–2000)

Digital Illusions was founded in May 1992 by Olof "Olle" Gustafsson, Markus Nyström, Fredrik Liljegren and Andreas Axelsson, four friends and former members of The Silents, a demogroup that developed for Amiga systems.<ref name="Hype.se">Template:Cite web</ref> The four studied at Växjö University, thus DICE was established in Växjö.<ref name="Hype.se" />

Expansion (2000–2004)

In 2000, DICE acquired developer Refraction Games (developers of Codename Eagle).<ref name="Pelit">Template:Cite web</ref> From the acquisition, DICE inherited the in-development Battlefield 1942.<ref name="Pelit" /> Patrick Söderlund, who had founded Refraction Games in 1997, subsequently joined DICE as chief executive officer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This was followed with the merger of Sandbox Studios in April 2001.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sandbox Studios added 50 employees to DICE's staff, amounting to 150 total employees, with the studio being renamed as Digital Illusions Canada.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In September 2004, DICE also merged with Trauma Studios in New York City.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Trauma Studios employed nine people at the time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Acquisition by Electronic Arts (2006–present)

In November 2004, Electronic Arts (EA) announced their intent to purchase all outstanding shares in DICE at a price of Template:SEK per share, with the deal's closing deadline scheduled for 27 December.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the time, EA owned 18.9% in DICE.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Initially, the offer was rejected by shareholders representing 28% of DICE's ownership on 15 December,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> after which EA adjusted its offer on 20 December, intending to only purchase 44.5% at the same price per share, extending the offer deadline to 20 January 2005.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 25 January 2005, shareholders agreed to the acquisition, and EA raised their ownership in DICE to 59.8%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In March 2006, EA announced a new plan to acquire all outstanding shares in DICE for Template:SEK per share.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The acquisition was completed on 2 October, with 2.6 million shares in DICE transferred to EA in exchange for a total of Template:SEK.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Shortly following the acquisition, on 5 October, EA closed Digital Illusions Canada, DICE's Ontario-based studio.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The 25 employees working at the studio at the time were given the option to transfer to DICE's headquarters in Stockholm or any other EA studio.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> DICE co-founder Liljegren announced on 16 October that he established RedJade as a successor to Digital Illusions Canada.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In May 2013, EA opened a new Los Angeles-based division for DICE known as DICE LA, helmed by former senior staff of EA's previously closed studio Danger Close Games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> DICE LA had generally been involved with support of DICE and other EA games and had not generated any title on their own. Vince Zampella of Respawn Entertainment (another EA studio) was named as the studio's new lead in January 2020. Zampella had indicated at this time that they would likely become separate from DICE, and change their name to reflect this.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> DICE LA announced their new name, Ripple Effect Studios, in July 2021, but otherwise under management by Zampella, and while they will finish work on Battlefield 2042, will move in a new direction following its release.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 2 December 2021, Electronic Arts announced that Vince Zampella, co-founder of Respawn Entertainment and head of Ripple Effect Studios, will oversee the Battlefield series going forward, with Ripple Effect leading the way in developing the franchise's "new experiences", instead of DICE.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Along with the announcement, it was reported that DICE General Manager Oskar Gabrielson would be leaving EA, with Rebecka Coutaz, formerly Managing Director of Ubisoft Annecy, taking his place in the role.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Games developed

Year	Title	Platform(s)
1992	Pinball Dreams	Amiga
	Pinball Fantasies	Amiga, Amiga CD32
1993	Amiganoid	Amiga
1994	Benefactor	Amiga, Amiga CD32
1995	Pinball Illusions	Amiga, Amiga CD32, MS-DOS
1997	True Pinball	PlayStation, Sega Saturn
	S40 Racing	Microsoft Windows
1998	Motorhead	Microsoft Windows, PlayStation
1999	Swedish Touring Car Championship	Microsoft Windows
2000	Swedish Touring Car Championship 2
	Riding Champion: Legacy of Rosemond Hill
	Michelin Rally Masters: Race of Champions	Microsoft Windows, PlayStation
	NASCAR Heat	PlayStation
2002	RalliSport Challenge	Microsoft Windows, Xbox
	Battlefield 1942	macOS, Microsoft Windows
	V8 Challenge	Microsoft Windows
2003	Battlefield 1942: The Road to Rome	macOS, Microsoft Windows
	Midtown Madness 3	Xbox
	Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII	macOS, Microsoft Windows
2004	RalliSport Challenge 2	Xbox
2005	Battlefield 2	Microsoft Windows
	Battlefield 2: Modern Combat	PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360
2006	Battlefield 2142	macOS, Microsoft Windows
2008	Battlefield: Bad Company	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
	Mirror's Edge	Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
2009	Battlefield HeroesTemplate:Ref	Microsoft Windows
	Battlefield 1943	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
2010	Battlefield: Bad Company 2	iOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
	Need for Speed: Hot PursuitTemplate:Ref	Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii, Windows Phone, Xbox 360
	Battlefield OnlineTemplate:Ref	Microsoft Windows
	Medal of HonorTemplate:Ref	Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
2011	Battlefield Play4Free	Microsoft Windows
	Battlefield 3	iOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
2013	Battlefield 4	Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
2015	Battlefield: HardlineTemplate:Ref
	Star Wars Battlefront	Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
2016	Mirror's Edge Catalyst
	Battlefield 1
2017	Star Wars Battlefront II
2018	Battlefield V
2019	UltracoreTemplate:Ref	Mega Sg, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita,Template:Ref Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
2021	Battlefield 2042	Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
2025	Battlefield 6	Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Notes

1. Template:NoteCo-developed with Easy Studios
2. Template:NoteCo-developed with Criterion Games
3. Template:NoteCo-developed with Neowiz Games
4. Template:NoteCo-developed with Danger Close Games
5. Template:NoteCo-developed with Visceral Games
6. Template:NoteCancelled in 1994 but eventually revived by Strictly Limited Games and released in 2019

External links

• Template:Official website