DICE LA, the co-developer of Battlefield 2042, one of the most hotly anticipated first-person shooter games of the year, is undergoing a name change. The company will now be known as Ripple Effect Studios. According to a blog post from the studio, the new name is based on the idea that the “smallest idea can change the world.”
Ripple Effect has an interesting lineage, being born from the ashes of Danger Close Games, which had originally been called EA Los Angeles before eventually becoming DICE LA due to the heavy involvement and support the studio had with DICE’s Battlefield series.
Ripple Effect will be benefiting from the management skills of Respawn head honcho Vince Zampella, who is doubling up on his duties between both studios. He will be aided by General Manager Christian Grass, a veteran of the Battlefield series, as they continue to put their efforts into EA’s tentpole shooter.
While a simple name change might appear like a small issue, moments like these can be a big deal for companies, a chance to mentally begin again and move toward a whole new horizon. “We’re so proud of our work as DICE LA and the DICE team will forever be a part of our DNA, but over the past eight years, we’ve developed our own culture and our own way of doing things,” Grass said. “We’re excited to look towards the future, expand the team, and establish our own identity.”
The studio’s first game under the name of Ripple Effect is shaping up to be a huge affair, as the hype train is real for Battlefield 2042. The game will be bringing 128 players matches for the first time ever, and a return to the near-future setting that propelled Battlefield 3 and 4 to massive success. They will even be making welcome changes like allowing all players to carry health and ammo packs if they wish, welcome news for veterans of the series.
