EA Doing Away With Game Manuals

This new greener initiative means you're responsible for killing trees if you'd like a printed manual.

By Brad Nicholson | March 23, 2011

The game manual has been shrinking over the last couple of years. Now, Electronic Arts is going one step further by doing away with the bothersome paper contraptions entirely for all of its upcoming retail-based games.

The reason has nothing to do with money, according to EA. No, the manual is getting canned for the fate of the world, as EA “goes green.” This is a similar excuse used by Ubisoft earlier in April 2010 when it announced that it was doing away with its own paper manuals.

Mass Effect 2 (PS3) and Fight Night Champion were the first two games to ship without a manual under this new initiative.

The catch here is that you’ll still be able to get access to an EA manual if you really need it. All manuals from this point forward will be included on EA games' discs. Additionally, you’ll also be able to download the manual on the official EA Web site and then print it out if you so desire (you tree-killer, you).

According to a press release, EA will also start using those reduced-material DVD style cases that we all love. The publisher estimates that it's reducing the amount of material in its packaging by around 40 percent overall. That's a savings everyone can feel good about!

267 Comments

RosTon March 23, 2011 at 11:26 a.m.

yay!

edit: what a day, first quest plus my lincoln force shirt arrived today!

UKSamwiseon March 23, 2011 at 11:27 a.m.

Man, the case is going to feel empty if it's just a disc in there... Oh wait there will be a scrap of paper with that dreaded EA online pass on it.

msavoon March 23, 2011 at 11:27 a.m.

WOO

Yummyleeon March 23, 2011 at 11:28 a.m.

Well, there's barely anything in them anyway, these days, so not much of a loss. Admittedly, though, DA2's was vital to get a better understanding of all the emoticons, even though most where self explanatory.

DonChipotle is online on March 23, 2011 at 11:28 a.m.

I love manuals. I read them cover to cover. Oh well...

OwnlyUzinWonHanon March 23, 2011 at 11:28 a.m.

I'm sure their savings will be passed on to the consumers!

...Right?

MayorFeedbackon March 23, 2011 at 11:28 a.m.

One step closer to an all digital future, I suppose.

nintendoeats is online on March 23, 2011 at 11:30 a.m.

I'm cool with this, though it is infuriating when you actually need a manual. On-disc ones aren't really as useful, because you can't refer to them while playing.

That could actually be a really useful system level feature. a manual-while-playing thing. Of course, that would probably turn into monetized walkthrough-while-playing thing.

mustachioeugeneon March 23, 2011 at 11:30 a.m.

they should just use a smartphone barcode so people can download a pdf directly to their mobiles. Of course, I could see them monitizing it, and it would only be available to EA accounts that have activated their online pass.

Maybe we shouldn't be giving them ideas....

"What does this green bar on the screen represent? Better check the EA pass enabled manual..."

For just $10, get 12 months access to our Online Pause Menu™ and find out what the buttons on the controller actually do! Subscribe today!

ChrisTaranon March 23, 2011 at 11:30 a.m.

Greener, aka save the company money and using marketing bullshit to make it look like a positive move.

ssj4raditzon March 23, 2011 at 11:31 a.m.

I never read the manuals, so whatever...

Twiggy199on March 23, 2011 at 11:31 a.m.

i only read em on the way home from buying the game

RockmanBionicson March 23, 2011 at 11:31 a.m.

I'm fine with manuals disappearing altogether.

ThrdDegreeBurnson March 23, 2011 at 11:32 a.m.

wolo

BasketSnakeon March 23, 2011 at 11:32 a.m.

I love the smell of fresh manual in the morning.

Seraphim84on March 23, 2011 at 11:33 a.m.

I'm gonna love the stories of the old hard-headed folk who want their damn manuals and will go so far as to print out these online versions.

Cronoon March 23, 2011 at 11:33 a.m.

I'm sure a majority of people never even look at a game manual anyway so this is all for the better, really.

wolf_blitzer85on March 23, 2011 at 11:33 a.m.

Meh whatever. I never really look at the manual anymore as games just tend to hold your hand the first few steps, so I'll just roll with that.

Now PC RPG's however, are not exempt from this. Their boxes and the contents within should take approximately seven trees and the contents within to create. I'm still in love with my Witcher retail box.

Brendan is online on March 23, 2011 at 11:33 a.m.

Whatever.

CountYourBlessingson March 23, 2011 at 11:33 a.m.

Finally, the ability to find manuals on eBay all you avid collectors out there! Colour manuals will now be worth a fortune.

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