American McGee has been in a particularly chatty mood lately. Just a few days after sharing a tale about drawing inspiration from a Valve demo while working on Quake 2 at id Software, he shared another story regarding Alice: Madness Returns. The update offers a wild glimpse into game development financing, "dildo snails," and why EA may have decided not to move forward with a third entry in the series.

The "Dildo Snail" Incident

According to McGee, there was a significant disconnect between his creative vision and what EA Marketing wanted for Alice: Madness Returns. On X (formerly Twitter), McGee noted that the marketing team believed a hard M-rated title focused on gore, horror, and a "psychotic" Alice would resonate best with audiences.

However, McGee had different ideas, particularly regarding requests to make the game more "sexy." To push back against these demands, he utilized a rather memorable tactic:

  • The Request: EA Marketing requested more "sexy" elements in the character design.
  • The Response: McGee pasted dildos onto the head of a giant snail and emailed it to the marketing team.
  • The Result: The requests for "sexy" content stopped immediately.

McGee later noted that while he tried to find the original image in his emails, he was unsuccessful. His attempt to Google the image resulted in a recommendation against doing so, as the content was likely not safe for work.

The Secret Behind the Alice: Madness Returns Creative Freedom

The reason McGee was able to successfully refuse EA's demands came down to how the project was funded. Rather than being directly funded by EA, the development of Alice: Madness Returns was handled via a "bond finance" deal through a bank in Los Angeles.

This arrangement allowed his Shanghai-based studio, Spicy Horse, to maintain significant creative control. As long as the studio stayed on schedule and within budget, they could bypass EA's interference. McGee explained that the team never missed a milestone, which allowed them to say "no" to various requests or demands from EA.

In his view, the project achieved several historical milestones:

  • It was the first AAA game fully developed by a Chinese team.
  • It was the first game to be bond-financed in China.
  • It was the first team ever to tell EA "gfy" (or "gyf," as typed) and essentially get away with it.

The End of the Era and a New Beginning

The era of creative independence was not without its consequences. McGee noted that the arrangement "was fantastic until it wasn't." When the game required an additional 30–60 days for polishing and edits, EA—perhaps out of spite—refused the request.

"And so, we delivered the game precisely on budget and schedule without interference from EA. But also without the ability to request and receive a final month or two of editing," McGee concluded.

While some may wonder if EA declined Alice 3 because of this grudge, it is more likely a matter of business. However, it remains amusing to imagine a scenario where industry executives are still holding onto old professional friction.

For fans of the creator, there is a glimmer of hope. McGee is currently working on a spiritual successor based on his Plushie Dreadfuls toys, utilizing a small team of trusted collaborators he has worked with for years.