EA Killed Our Fan-game (Plants vs. Zombies 3: What Could Have Been)

PopCap and EA have been under heavy stress recently when they made the decision to ask "Plants vs. Zombies 3: What Could Have Been" to stop development. I was the Lead Writer on that team, and this video aims to inform everyone what happened from the perspective of someone on the team, and to clear up any questions regarding what happened. This video does not speak for the PvZ3: WCHB team and are just MY personal opinions.

0:00 - Intro
0:56 - What Was PvZ3: What Could Have Been?
3:00 - EA / PopCap's Communication With The Team
9:49 - Criticizing PopCap's Response
12:32 - Questions & Answers
15:35 - Takeaway
17:16 - Outro

Thank you Kendal, Meeps, and Spunky for assisting me!
Kendal drew the border
Meeps voiced the Community Lead & helped with writing
Spunky composed two original PvZ1 themed songs!

Music Used:
Nightly Disapproval - Spunky Tunky (Made for this video, unreleased currently)
Dusty Plants - Spunky Tunky (Made for this video, unreleased currently)
Volcano - Dinolol1304 (Couldn't find a YouTube upload of it, it was made for WCHB though)

Keep up with me!

[HeymJay]

I didn't mention this in the video, but yes, we are still working on a game. It's a brand new IP, not PvZ related but nonetheless we are still working. We don't have anything to share currently, but always check the WCHB socials for updates.

[insertherealotofeyeemojis]

i thought regular pvz3 got cancelled, then got severely dissapointed

[knuxchux]

Hi, 3D artist for PvZ3: WCHB here. I’d like to share my theory with the viewers that PopCap shot us down out of fear because they genuinely thought we could do better based on what the game promised (aka beyond the bare minimum of having game mechanics). With that in mind, we’ve decided to do better anyway; this time, with a new IP so they can’t touch us. Be on the lookout for what we do next!

[saturnwitch]

"See? Now you respect me, because im a threat."

[FanniSarosi]

EA: I can't let them make an independent PVZ project! It's my "IP" to sit on and DO nothing with!

[emaboxe]

PopCap cares more about shouting down a fan game than get rid of a sexual offender. It's so embarrassing, i can't belive this is happening at all

[SheerDruid]

It’s funny how Popcap is trying to save there image with that tweet of “YoU cAn NoW cHoSe YoUr PlAnTs In PvZ3” even though it’s one of the bare fucking minimums for a pvz game and it’s not gonna make us forget that they shutdown PvZ3 wchb and have sexual harassment issues going on around the studio. What a shit show of a company

[adventurepeashooter]

EA were afraid that PvZ3 WCHB would be more loved by fans than their PvZ Gardenscapes.
It's a shame that this fan game was closed 😔.
If EA doesn't want fans to make PvZ fan games they should at least listen to what the PvZ community wants for the future of the franchise but they don't care at all, they just disappoint us more and more.

[pea-c]

They should make PvZ 3 What Could Have Been: What Could Have been
😂

[stitchesplush]

"I don't even know where to begin roasting this."
But seriously, it's really funny how scared they were from this fangame because they are aware how bad PvZ3 is.

[pokeli]

I miss the good ol days when triple A studios were praised for their revolutionary games, now adays though, they're hated for pumping out basic, unpolished, and just bad games, and honestly it feels like smaller studios are the ones giving us good games cause they listen to their communities and actively work to improve their games despite having a way smaller team. Just embarrassing seeing EA doing this.

[ChomperInTheGrave]

Im very shocked that PopCap actually released a tweet saying YOO GUYS GES WHAT?? YIP PICK A PLANT SISHJS-
Like I thought they are doing right for there fans but no this was all a lie they just did that so people wont play YOUR team's fan game, like i have seen many fangames, mods using pvz3 characters i never thought popcap JUST HAD TO TALK TO this specific fangame insted of others.I was very hyped for this game but we all have to face a reality...

[Ferby-ogyl]

The only reason I could possibly think of why they striked this fangame down but not others is because of how peak the quality is, like broo it's just Vander's art and they dropped their balls lmaoo. You know what's worst? One employee of EA planned to use AI to do the job.

[CoralReaper]

EA/Popcap seems to respect fangames even less than they respect women. That's just depressing...

[josephefb]

These Popcap responses sounds like something a AI would provide.

[The_viruskiller]

“Don’t use our characters” their characters: **sunflower with eyes** like bro you can’t be serious 💀💀💀

[MrGreenBean]

This whole entire ordeal is so god damn ridiculous.

[МаксимВарзарь-щп]

Pop Cap wants your team to do unique pvz game without zombies, peashooters, sunflowers, Crazy Dave ?! What ?! Have they gone insane ? PvZ game without them is no longer pvz fan game ...

[elinogales]

You see, you aren’t the only ones actually, PVZ Fangames on Roblox have all been taken down for use of the IP, and while historically, the IP has been allowed to have fangames using its characters and even style (stuff like eclipse just rips the assist and the like), or mods to the existing games.

However, the old Roblox games such as “Garden Problem”, “PVZ: THE LAWN”, and “SUPER PVZ” to name a few, have all been taken down by demand of EA and PopCap, of which, they have since rebranded themselves away from using the PopCap assist and IP, now being allowed to flourish.

I do not know when or why this has been changed, but I do believe that it does begin with the Roblox games, and I’m certain your fangame can co-exists if it chooses to design entirely unique plants than the ones PopCap had already made.

A more darker thought could be that your fangame is direct competition to theirs, and so that’s why they were targeted, yet I don’t believe that the case since these Roblox games were very underground and had small communities, never all that popular except for the ones who wanted PVZ games in Roblox, have been taken down at some point in time, so it could be that they really did just changed that thought process.

[poemtea]

And now Popcap/EA team just added basic CYS function, “Hey y’all see we are getting better.”
Even if they have the legal right, the way they used it is just so unprofessional and awful even when considering from profit level. They didn’t even ask for your team’s artworks to be used in their game or else but they insist on shutting down your team’s development instead. So ridiculous. Good video!