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BioWare Corp and Pandemic Studios Join EA

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Electronic Arts Inc. today announced an agreement with Elevation Partners to acquire VG Holding Corp. - the owner of both BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios. This acquisition gives EA a strong competitive position in key genres in interactive entertainment: action, adventure and role-playing games. The two studios have been recognized for creating some of the highest-quality games in the industry.


BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios have ten franchises under development, including six wholly owned games. BioWare Corp. is currently developing the highly anticipated Mass Effect, which will be published by Microsoft in November, and is in the early development stages of a massively multiplayer online game. Pandemic Studios is redefining open-world games with its upcoming Mercenaries 2: World in Flames and Saboteur, in addition to several unannounced projects.

Pandemic Studios and BioWare Corp. employ roughly 800 people across four studios located in Edmonton, Canada; Los Angeles; Austin; and Brisbane, Australia.

"These are two of the most respected studios in the industry and I'm glad to be working with them again. They'll make a strong contribution to our strategic growth initiatives on quality, online gaming and developing new intellectual properties," said John Riccitiello, EA's Chief Executive Officer. "We also expect this will drive long-term value for our shareholders."

Pandemic Studios is led by Andrew Goldman, Josh Resnick and Greg Borrud. BioWare Corp. is jointly led by Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka. These teams will join the EA Games Label run by Frank Gibeau, President of EA Games.

"Pandemic Studios remains focused on attracting the best talent and creating blockbuster action games," said Josh Resnick, President and Co-founder of Pandemic Studios. "As a worldwide publishing leader, EA represents the ideal partner to bring our titles to market as global entertainment events."

"We are truly excited by John Riccitiello's new vision for EA," said Ray Muzyka, Co-founder and CEO of BioWare Corp. "This vision is consistent with BioWare's focus on crafting the highest quality story-driven games in the world. It will enable us to further the careers of the passionate, creative and hard working teams at BioWare Edmonton and BioWare Austin."

EA will pay up to $620 million in cash to the stockholders of VG Holding Corp. and will issue up to an additional $155 million in equity to certain employees of VG Holding Corp., which will be subject to time-based or performance-based vesting criteria. EA will also assume outstanding VG Holding Corp. stock options. In addition, EA has agreed to lend VG Holding Corp. up to $35 million through the closing of the acquisition.

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Great...EA's going to ruin yet another company -_-
 

DaMulta

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I want my Knights of the Old Republic 3 BioWare:)

I can see this as a good thing.
 

Bob The Fish

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Great...EA's going to ruin yet another company -_-


Could not of said it better myself, O well. Good buy to there head office in Edmonton, now i have to go see it befor its gone.
 

Frick

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It can be a good thing. EA has cash, and they say they want to make GREAT games. I mean, if it helps Bioware develop their games, it's good. I see it as a good thing. :)
 

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At least most EA games are working to a degree. mebey not perfect. But better than the shit Atardi releases upon us. Test Drive Lemon anyone?
 
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At least most EA games are working to a degree. mebey not perfect. But better than the shit Atardi releases upon us. Test Drive Lemon anyone?

I don't like spending 49.99$ on a game that works to a degree. ;)
 

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I don't like spending 49.99$ on a game that works to a degree. ;)

At least they put out some of the coolest games on the market:cool:
 
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At least they put out some of the coolest games on the market:cool:

No they just market them and give developers deadlines. These deadlines are what make the games buggy.
 
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i have to admit i dont like the way they push developers with very tight deadlines which often results in very buggy code but they do have a lot of money to throw about which can help
 

WarEagleAU

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I see this as a great opportunity for Bioware and Pandemic. EA has huge resources available and this will most definitely help Bioware while also streamlining projects, more money for projects and newer projects more often. This is good news. MAS BUENO.
 

effmaster

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I see this as a great opportunity for Bioware and Pandemic. EA has huge resources available and this will most definitely help Bioware while also streamlining projects, more money for projects and newer projects more often. This is good news. MAS BUENO.

What more resources would you need with 800 employees?

Pllus even if they could provide more resources whose to say they (EA) wouldnt set deadlines for future games such as Mass Effect 2 for example, the game sould be done when its done or at least very close to done in my eyes. This is purely another EA aquisition on their way to controlling the world.

Seriously what other North American development studios are there outside of a handful that dont work for EA that still exist, (Its only a matter of time for it to be Bungies turn im afraid:shadedshu:shadedshu:shadedshu:shadedshu0
 
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Wasnt the second KOTOR by obsidian?, plus anything star wars is lucasarts, and they usually publish their own games
 

ktr

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No they just market them and give developers deadlines. These deadlines are what make the games buggy.

At least we get the game on time, not like the other guys that we have to wait months to years in delay. :laugh::laugh::cry::cry:
 
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At least we get the game on time, not like the other guys that we have to wait months to years in delay. :laugh::laugh::cry::cry:

Wait, how many times has Crysis been delayed? Not to mention countless other games...
 

ktr

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Wait, how many times has Crysis been delayed? Not to mention countless other games...

exactly...

so...

Having a rushed game on time...verses...Having a polished game delayed...

Such a hard choice :banghead:
 

effmaster

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exactly...

so...

Having a rushed game on time...verses...Having a polished game delayed...

Such a hard choice :banghead:

Who doesnt want a SMOOTH EXPERIENCE in their game so I think the answer is obvious
 
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exactly...

so...

Having a rushed game on time...verses...Having a polished game delayed...

Such a hard choice :banghead:

This is the case with Crysis though, they are expecting large sales from this game so the delay the game to make sure it is a more perfect game. Many games that EA has produced they have not delayed but instead kept at the launch date despite the bugs and poor game performance. With that being said, it is clear that EA really only cares about the games they are going to be making the most money off of. Lets hope that EA considers the NWN franchise an important franchise.
 

effmaster

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This is the case with Crysis though, they are expecting large sales from this game so the delay the game to make sure it is a more perfect game. Many games that EA has produced they have not delayed but instead kept at the launch date despite the bugs and poor game performance. With that being said, it is clear that EA really only cares about the games they are going to be making the most money off of. Lets hope that EA considers the NWN franchise an important franchise.

better yet lets dream that they consider every franchise important:laugh::laugh:
 
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