Plants vs Zombies: The Story of George Fan

You asked for it, so here it: by popular demand, the origin of Plants vs Zombies.
Honestly, we never expected to do a PvZ video. But we asked you guys to suggest the topic for our next video, and you overwhelmingly voted in favour of covering George Fan's indie darling turned Pop Cap casual tower defense title.
This game is a weird one. There aren't many that occupy a space in the hearts of both casual players and more serious gamers.
One time, when I was talking to a kid I know (he was probably about eight) he told me with excitement that the pea shooter from Plants vs Zombies was in Wreck-it-Ralph. Turns out he meant Q-Bert. You can't deny; PvZ certainly has brand recognition!
Honestly, I've only ever played Plants vs Zombies once. It's definitely a fun game, but tower defense just isn't my jam. I'm sorry for not being more into it.
What I will say is that the There's a Zombie On Your Lawn song from Laura Shigihara is basically the greatest musical composition of all time. I love that. I used to watch the KZbin video for the song over and over and over when I was at university.
Speaking of Laura Shigihara, I have a secret for you. Most people don't read this far down the video description, so I expect that our secret is safe with you. We've actually been in contact with Laura about doing an interview. She's really, rreally lovely, and so we should have something coming in the near future where we'll talk about not just her work on Plants vs Zombies, but also her song for Deltarune, and her work on her own game, Rakuen, which was one of the most beautiful indie titles of 2017. Seriously, go check it out!
Anyway, it's late and we're tired. We've had a long week - BretonStripes was working in two different cities, and Kotor and Baby Gamer have been having adventures at home together. We're all a bit wiped.
See you next week, when we should be covering Axiom Verge.
Lots of love,
BretonStripes ( / bretonstriped and Kotor ( / kotorcomics )
Title music by Tee Lopes ( / teelopesmusic )
Incidental music: Concentration by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Sources for this video:
www.pcgamer.com/uk/making-of-...
arstechnica.com/gaming/2010/0...
www.gamezebo.com/2009/05/22/i...
www.escapistmagazine.com/arti...

[@s23charlie]

I used to be so obsessed with this series

[@Jays_Den]

I still am obsessed :/

[@mori7602]

But the EA nation attacked.

[@boyzilla78productions]

Same

[@BadBoyBird]

@@mori7602 EA ruined my childhood

[@sambalekouy7298]

Same

[@NSXTypeRGTRLM]

I don't think George Fan ever expected EA to take over PopCap and completely undo everything he did for PvZ. Case in point- you can't play PvZ on mobile without microtransactions. They completely removed the option even to buy the game outright to remove microtransactions. Such an EA thing to do.

[@wintermelon6390]

Just like the sims dungeon keeper :( Owh dead space

[@emmbeesea]

The road to the most endearing things in life are almost never easy; they take dedication, grit, and determination. PvZ also has a bangin' soundtrack.

[@kaydenchan7093]

@@whynerusketchbookermonbreakdow well, I prefer PvZ 1’s soundtrack, but that’s my opinion.

[@ChristopherMoom]

Photosynthesis has never been so deadly before

[@s23charlie]

Christopher Moon Jesus Christ you are quick as frick

[@misteroof]

Photodeadliness

[@ee5142]

Christopher Moon begone

[@storr7535]

Christopher Moon Photosynthesis has never been so toxic before

[@OriginalSuper]

Hmm

[@ObnoxiousArtist]

*And then EA buys PopCap and fired him :/*

[@rojus2622]

They fired him because he wanted pvz2 to be a pay to win game.

[@ObnoxiousArtist]

@@rojus2622 You got that the other way around. He may have been fired because he is opposed to the Pay2Win strategy that EA is pushing.

[@rojus2622]

creator George Fan had reportedly been fired byEA because of his objections to pay-to-win models, a new report suggests EA let Fan go for unrelated reasons. Kotaku reports Fan was let go as part of a 50-person layoff at the development studio in 2012, according to two unnamed sources.20 Nov 2017 That's what I found on Google. Sorry if I'm wrong

[@leaf5524]

Didn't he leave cause he wanted plants vs zombies to be free but EA said they needed to be greedy so he left?

[@aicy5170]

He left be4 they get to fire him

[@Hikaria-]

George Fan an absolute legend he literally shaped my childhood and i honor him so much :'')

[@hellokakaidkwhyimabaka1686]

Popcap originally made it I think?

[@hathy8]

Great job! This game introduced me to the indie genre :) Remember playing the flash version multiple times until my parents bought me the actual game lol

[@KadenzJade6447]

Hkgold2000 they had a flash version?

[@hathy8]

Yep I believe so but it was only a demo for the first two chapters or whatever (day levels and night levels)

[@SnazzyRoserade]

Dude, PvZ is literally my life. I absolutely love everything about it ❤️

[@ethanotoroculus1060]

Hn, good to see you here!

[@Namadu7]

Fun fact: in order to get the sound effect of butter hitting a zombie's head, Laura Shigihara threw butter at George Fan's head. It worked.

[@Mordoras1379]

And then pvz2 happened...

[@Gunlegs_Mcgee2077]

Panagiotis Doxopoulos pvz2 was somthing but pvz3 is gonna fail badly

[@withoutname9575]

@@Gunlegs_Mcgee2077 yea2 EA FAN

[@Gunlegs_Mcgee2077]

Without Name dude you can pass the game without spending money I haven’t spend a single dollar on the game and I still completed the whole game. And I do hate EA becouse they turn the fun stuff into bad stuff like battle for Neighborville. Just shut up and stop trying to be mad.

[@thecoolercactus8346]

@@Gunlegs_Mcgee2077 isnt the game still in beta

[@60secondgaming21]

@@Gunlegs_Mcgee2077 owh really? How about now 2020? If you are love EA just fck with them and drinking their balls

[@veljkovasiljevic9454]

The moral of the story EA stole pvz from george and they don't include his name in the credits

[@60secondgaming21]

Honestly he quit from popcap along side with Laura and some sane pop cap team and few deranged popcap still join EA until this day... PVZ3 is happening

[@bluepikman7851]

George Fan stated in an interview that he barely had any involvement with PvZ2, if any.

[@fammy1783]

And then EA fired alot of PopCap employees including George Fan

[@RetroCroww]

YES! this is one of my favourite games, thank you for doing a video on it!

[@LazarheaD]

The guy is a genius and deserves all the help to bring us great casual well ballanced games.

[@60secondgaming21]

Yep 👍

[@Navigator2905]

I loved insaneinqurim. I dont understand why they never released a mobile version like plants vs zombies

[@withoutname9575]

Ya you know EA

[@Navigator2905]

@Faathir Arsa on iOS and Android? When did it come out?

[@rottinstien7629]

I always loved this video game ever since i was a tiny kid

[@DrMrProfessorPatrick]

His new(ish) game Octogeddon is great too.

[@sleepydogz1022]

I want a true plant vz zombies sequal

[@microwavedsteak]

Landon Wallington Dont we all? *Sigh*

[@creepexxkidsxxxxanimationx6836]

Landon Wallington as long as Ea exist the micro transactions won’t be removed

[@enderallygolem]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYOoe5-dpLV5kKM

[@bastilashan2256]

@@enderallygolem thanks so much

[@withoutname9575]

Never bro PVZ2 PVZ3 I hope you have PVZ in PC/PS3

[@admiral_m_10k35]

It's so endearing to hear the story behind one of the staple games from my childhood. Amazing video

[@Lukz243]

I still feel weird of not finding yet a place where I belong :(

[@jaxoncarter2electricboogal921]

Can we get a f in the chat for PopCap?

[@aRandomwacko]

F

[@MrQuinnzard]

More like pay $5 to pay respects

[@oosha2000]

F

[@EpikBirb]

The history of *WHY DID U NEVER UPLOAD UNTIL THIS DAY*

[@tjmixmasta]

The moral-of-the-story/takeaway segment of these videos tend to be really long... which is really effective. It really drives home the point. Thanks for everything y'all do!

[@alphaamoeba]

Ive always enjoyed PvZ2 and i've never spent a dime on it

[@anthonypritchard2798]

Yeah nor have I, because I had to hack the game on mobile and go trough ads in order to play the game. Something I didn't have to do in PvZ1. EA bought Pop Cap filled the game with microtransactions, and fired those who didn't comply with their ideas, one these people who got fired was george.

[@cellP8]

George is a legend, thank you for making PvZ1 and 2. Just to remind you people that George worked a lot on Pvz 2 and after the launch trailer, EA fired him because he was against inserting microtransactions into the game.

[@rabeast1991]

I love your voice. Very soothing and relax, I never get lost when listening to you. Its like your reading me a lullaby. Thank you for the touching story.

[@mrwatch1396]

I always wanted to find out how he made pvz

[@depp657]

im not working in dev, even tho i would love to. but your vids give me so much courage to aim for something bigger in other parts of my life.. love the narrators voice aswell. keep up the good work! much love

[@megalul4141]

This channel deserves more attention and love

[@BenjiPvZ]

This is a great story :D, I was searching this for a long time... New Sub!

[@Jays_Den]

Video game story time, AKA beloved game creator backstory. still amazing as always!

[@zowemama7921]

Me and my dad used to play this I was scared of it for some reason then I was brave enough to play it one day and I had nightmares of a zombie chasing me around the house and I had no suns.

[@DavidJames-mr6rd]

George Fan. So he's the reason why when I was in high school I made my own personal plants versus zombie two zombies and plants. My infactly say would be perfect in the plants versus zombies universe

[@cumuluscloud4022]

Top notch content! Subscribed!

[@OriginalSuper]

Thanks goodness I get to live in the timeline where he existed.

[@60secondgaming21]

Yep 👍

[@cellP8]

saddly EA also exists in this timeline

[@ystevegameramarelo2593]

Moral of the story: EA ARRUINED THE LIFE OF GEORGE FAN

[@60secondgaming21]

Of course

[@thejbirdtm3331]

I love PvZ so much its a great game

[@zomdiax5]

Great videos that i listen to while i scream at blocks "y my cube wont walk?".

[@GameTimeJam]

Plants vs Zombies was so great back then... I loved it when I was young (about 8). I play it only on road trips now. However, the game Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 was even better version of it. I never spent any extra money on it and I’m doing pretty good. Too bad George Fan didn’t stay to make the game this way. I wish PopCap stayed it’s own way... Very good video though! You should do a video on the history of the whole PvZ not just PvZ HD.

[@pangoprime8674]

This explains why Battle for Neighbourville stunk. EA version of PvZ with no soul.

[@60secondgaming21]

Pvz2, Pvz3, GW1, GW2, BFN they are soulless walking corpse...

[@satoshiketchump]

I LOVED this game ♥️ Knock off Bellsprout Vs Zombies ♥️

[@toast1ngton]

Sunflora and bellsprout Vs phantump

[@ZunkoZeek22]

George fan made my childhood awesome

[@60secondgaming21]

Of course he is 😂 If he didn't creating this..., my school would be boring in the past

[@anonymousplayer8174]

This game was my childhood

[@gameboytdu9688]

This is my favourite mobile game ever.Also video idea, maybe make a video on Minecraft since its 10 year anniversary is coming up very shortly.Just and idea.

[@nicolecastanheira1954]

I don't know exactly if it's worthy to be read, or on how I don't want to search around for the origins, but I'd be very grateful for something from Guerrilla Games or behind the story of Horizon Zero Dawn. This game gave me the ultimate boost for game direction + art direction along with Kojima and Tajiri's life stories.

[@GabrielleZ]

Great story! :D

[@KoolTimYT]

PvZ, my childhood game.

[@60secondgaming21]

Hahaha funny joke Why do I have to laughing like this ain't funny

[@PaoloMunoz]

Funny... I just bought this on Steam. It's like you are reading my mind, guys. :)

[@glitchesdun3338]

Scratch is our new world of pvz

[@mrman6407]

Pvz may have died but george fan never dies

[@60secondgaming21]

He won't and Laura too

[@overall_great816]

I loved this one🙏❤️❤️❤️ did you guys make a Mario 64 one?

[@alphaamoeba]

Fun Fact: Laura Shigihara also collaborated with famous Minecraft KZbin Animator Slamacow

[@NonJohns]

AND toby fox the creator of Deltarune

[@withoutname9575]

@@NonJohns well my reason is getting closer to kill all of them... My Ness was sang pvz1 song Zombies in your lawn

[@donovansilva63]

Insaniquarium is the best

[@thetacoman8234]

One of the first games i played

[@knightjedi666]

Yaaaay! New Video Game Storytime!

[@garthchouteau1983]

Re: the comment about PvZ 'coming full circle,' it did so in more ways than one... as the head of communications for PopCap, branding/licensing inquiries were forwarded to me before we hired a brand manager. One such inquiry, in 2010 or '11 (after PvZ blew up), came from George Romero's holding company... they were putting out yet another mediocre sequel to NoTLD, and wanted to know if we'd be interested in some sort of promotional partnership. I had the extreme pleasure of calling the folks at Romero's company and telling them that they had ignored our pleas of several years prior (contrary to this vid, they didn't even send a 'rejection letter' in response to our earlier overtures), and they had thus missed their chance to have any ties to PvZ :)

[@andrewcostanzo5684]

I love plants verses zombies. Oh and can you do a video on the touhou project games and on zun?

[@danielmattes6139]

MY GOODNESS PVZ WAS ORIGINALLY FOR THE DS

[@danielmattes6139]

@xaivo 'sonic hero' watch the f-ing video

[@egorence2149]

i mean that's why the ds version was cooler

[@thesupermonkey7983]

Glad to see peoples with george fan ;)

[@LittleLexi24]

I want Plant Vs Zombies: Garden Warfare on Nintendo Switch

[@MrQuinnzard]

Oh yeah. Hell yeah

[@kukukachu]

Plants vs Zombies 1 was great, after that.....it was all down hill....

[@justvisit]

*Plants are the second thing I love because of this*

[@pyotr493]

I play pvz since 2011

[@Realgamingguy]

George fan vs butter

[@runeblade099]

The zombie voice of Jpn version of "zombie on my lawn" is he, George Fan

[@a77ackeranimations20]

Wait, really?

[@minishthe2nd563]

Yes

[@takgameryt]

The most terrifying plant the pea shooter

[@janusiers]

I have a lot of nostaliga for this game it was the first one i ever played

[@Noobie785]

"ooga booga ea bad popcap good ooga booga"

[@mojoplayer8915]

Your voice is so sweet

[@lolbaconplays1862]

I miss The old Pvz2 and pvz when It wasnt that EA

[@JavaCake]

In my opinion the only good thing to come out of EA buying PopCap were the Garden Warfare games.

[@60secondgaming21]

🤦‍♂️

[@rhysc1892]

"Popcap are more...Simple games." -Garden Warfare 2-

[@MD-kb7nw]

and the EA happened ..

[@kabbyopaul2266]

at least EA didn't own mojang

[@tokyoboyz4391]

Am i the only one that thought that george consumed drugs to get the idea of pvz?

[@xtdycxtfuv9353]

then EA swoops in to consume their souls

[@60secondgaming21]

And then make few popcap team turn into deranged mindless

[@kaydenchan7093]

I wish PvZ 1 would get new content again 😭😭😭

[@spadedonkey7917]

And then came Garden Warfare-

[@specialnewb9821]

No lie. I've been a fan of Supershigi for a loooong ti.e

[@melon3719]

EA BAD You may laugh now

[@storr7535]

Now that we have pvz 3 In the works they need to rehire george

[@60secondgaming21]

Sorry tho he won't And again PVZ IS DEAD Please get it in your mind

[@60secondgaming21]

And yep i know already since 2 month ago 😂 No reply it is ok since i digging their information

[@Shojiki64]

Do one on angry birds

[@Knight9508]

What EA will do if we buy the Company

[@Averagenahhhh]

I love pvz in childhood so much But EA just ruined my childhood by making it pay to win

[@gitgud4737]

Or worse

[@wuuuuuuut6799]

The only EA games about PvZ that they produced were good was GW and GW2 and heroes. GW and GW2 are self explanatory, it’s godlike it was amazing tbh and I never expected that PvZ will become a 3D shooter game and tbh it was really successful. Heroes was the first PvZ game that was very casual but fun in the same time, although micro transaction heavily affects the gameplay of unfair advantage its pretty good with the campaign. BFN could have been a amazing game but in the end, EA killed it with micro transactions

[@EliWargo]

I’ve actually been trying to beat this game pvz garden warfare 2

[@sogman1946]

And it was only downhill from there

[@codyandreidelvalle370]

But everything changed when EA attacked

[@sprakleec5404]

I like PVZ1 and 2

[@bettybetty9476]

Your secret is safe with me!

[@humphreyhackerson1182]

George Fan Temmie Chang There’s a zombie on your lawn There’s a light inside your soul The same person sang both parts What

[@KadenzJade6447]

We don’t want lightners in our kingdom

[@angelplayz02]

This has always been one of my favorite games of all time Too bad EA kind of ruined it

[@a77ackeranimations20]

Not really. The only really bad games were pvz 3, and bfn.

[@bluebomber875]

Which deltarune song did he make?

[@60secondgaming21]

No it was Laura 😂

[@bluebomber875]

@@60secondgaming21 Yeah I’m not sure what I was thinking when I wrote that lol

[@toxicmctoxer7800]

Number 25

[@Numberblock-ge9eq]

Two Words *A* *W* *AW* *i played plants vs zombies*

[@ayseusluoglu6234]

Plants vs Zombies is the BEST game EVER

[@60secondgaming21]

Spore fan was said it long time ago how can be this is connecting with your comment 😂 Probably EA 😒🤬

[@zojirushi1]

It’s a shame that EA FIRED him, George Fan, the creator of PVZ because he did not agree with EA’s p2w tactics and we never fully got the best sequel, PVZ2 we could’ve gotten. :/

[@quangnguyenphu8831]

Man EA has gone 2 far. They'll pay for this

[@LittleLexi24]

What about pvz: Garden Warfare?

[@NecroUndine559]

Still made by EA

[@7.62x38mmR]

@@NecroUndine559 doesn't mean it's bad

[@60secondgaming21]

It is abomination from FORTNITE, PUBG and I forgot one game again from EA PUBG from EA? Hah! It can be say agreement between creator of PUBG and EA because PUBG was started created around 2013 before garden warfare 2014 i know some people aren't believe or believe but i realized that EA has influenced everycorner earth...