EA acquires Bioware and Pandemic

Akherousin · 10-11-2007, 10:37 PM

Quote:

lectronic Arts has announced an agreement with Elevation Partners to acquire VG Holding Corp., the owner of both BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios.

"These are two of the most respected studios in the industry and I'm glad to be working with them again," said EA CEO John Riccitiello.

"They'll make a strong contribution to our strategic growth initiatives on quality, online gaming and developing new intellectual properties. We also expect this will drive long-term value for our shareholders."

Riccitiello formed Elevation Partners in 2004, shortly after leaving EA. In 2005, his new company made a bid for Eidos, which it later withdrew.

Riccitiello returned to Electronic Arts as its CEO in early 2007.

EA will pay up to USD 620 million in cash to the stockholders of VG Holding Corp. and will issue up to an additional USD 155 million in equity to certain employees of VG Holding Corp., subject to time-based or performance-based vesting criteria.

EA will also assume outstanding VG Holding Corp. stock options and has agreed to lend VG Holding Corp. up to USD 35 million through the closing of the acquisition.

The Pandemic and BioWare teams will join the EA Games label currently run by Frank Gibeau.

BioWare is currently developing Mass Effect, which will be published by Microsoft for the Xbox 360 in November, and is in the early development stages of a massively multiplayer online game. Pandemic Studios is developing the upcoming Mercenaries 2: World in Flames and Saboteur.

The two developers employ roughly 800 people across four studios located in Edmonton, Canada; Los Angeles; Austin, Texas; and Brisbane, Australia.

RIP good games from Bioware. Prepare for Neverwinter Nights 2008, 2009, ...

Warlok · 10-11-2007, 11:25 PM

Get ready for the announcement that multiple core people from Bioware are leaving to form their own company...

KamisoriX · 10-11-2007, 11:53 PM

it seems to be a trend nowadays that big comps buy of small well known comps and then everyone leaves and create a new comp. it's like selling the name rather than the people. Atari holds the right for NWN as far as i know and Obsidian made NWN2 so i guess NWN is safe. Bioshock 5: Vangeance of the Underwater base

AKADeadly · 10-12-2007, 02:53 AM

Fuck no... Fuck no EA... ruin my favorite company! GOD DAMN IT

atleast they dont have the KoToR or Neverwinter series...... but so long my beautiful Mass Effect

GMtm · 10-12-2007, 08:25 AM

Da Da... Dum, Dum, Dum...

... Another one bites the dust!

KamisoriX · 10-12-2007, 02:57 PM

come on baby one more time

KingDazza · 10-15-2007, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AKADeadly@Oct 12 2007, 03:53 AM
Fuck no... Fuck no EA... ruin my favorite company! GOD DAMN IT

atleast they dont have the KoToR or Neverwinter series...... but so long my beautiful Mass Effect

I had understood that Mass Effect was quite far on in its development so I would hope that this wouldnt damage it too much at this stage - of course I could be totally wrong

KamisoriX · 10-15-2007, 10:01 PM

doesn't matter how far you are in development...EA can still and probably will say take all the good stuff out so we can add piece for piece in each sequell

AKADeadly · 10-16-2007, 12:50 AM

Yep, its supposed to be a trilogy

I can see it now, roaming around the vastness of space and seeing an "EA Sports" or "EA Big" fricken billboard

KingDazza · 10-16-2007, 07:10 AM

lol I have to be perfectly honest here, but, the advertising you get in BF2142 didnt really bother me as I didnt really notice it... having said that I wonder how long it will be before you can stop at a checkpoint in a game and you're suddenly connected to a real online store? Nah, I'm just being paranoid...hmmm

10-11-2007, 11:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
Warlok is on the 2nd circle: Lust Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 55 Hellbux: 23	Get ready for the announcement that multiple core people from Bioware are leaving to form their own company... __________________ Scott Hunter Creative Designer/Tyrant Dominus Animae Dominus Animae

10-12-2007, 02:53 AM	#4 (permalink)
AKADeadly is on the 6th circle: Heresy Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Norman, OK, USA Posts: 2,395 Hellbux: 13,057 akadeadly	Fuck no... Fuck no EA... ruin my favorite company! GOD DAMN IT atleast they dont have the KoToR or Neverwinter series...... but so long my beautiful Mass Effect __________________ Intel Core 2 Duo 6600 @ 2.40GHz \| BFG NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI \| NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS BFG OC CORSAIR XMS2 DOMINATOR 4GB (4 x 1GB) \| Gateway FPD2275W 22\" Widescreen \| X-FI Audio \| Vistax64 \|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\| Classic

10-12-2007, 08:25 AM	#5 (permalink)
GMtm Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Theale, Berkshire, UK. Posts: 651 Hellbux: 13,998	Da Da... Dum, Dum, Dum... ... Another one bites the dust! __________________ All hail the great GMtm! !

10-16-2007, 12:50 AM	#9 (permalink)
AKADeadly is on the 6th circle: Heresy Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Norman, OK, USA Posts: 2,395 Hellbux: 13,057 akadeadly	Yep, its supposed to be a trilogy I can see it now, roaming around the vastness of space and seeing an "EA Sports" or "EA Big" fricken billboard __________________ Intel Core 2 Duo 6600 @ 2.40GHz \| BFG NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI \| NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS BFG OC CORSAIR XMS2 DOMINATOR 4GB (4 x 1GB) \| Gateway FPD2275W 22\" Widescreen \| X-FI Audio \| Vistax64 \|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\| Classic

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10-11-2007, 11:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
KamisoriX is a certified SPAM DEMON. Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Sexyman Island Posts: 10,044 Hellbux: 169,387	it seems to be a trend nowadays that big comps buy of small well known comps and then everyone leaves and create a new comp. it's like selling the name rather than the people. Atari holds the right for NWN as far as i know and Obsidian made NWN2 so i guess NWN is safe. Bioshock 5: Vangeance of the Underwater base

10-12-2007, 02:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
KamisoriX is a certified SPAM DEMON. Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Sexyman Island Posts: 10,044 Hellbux: 169,387	come on baby one more time

10-15-2007, 10:01 PM	#8 (permalink)
KamisoriX is a certified SPAM DEMON. Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Sexyman Island Posts: 10,044 Hellbux: 169,387	doesn't matter how far you are in development...EA can still and probably will say take all the good stuff out so we can add piece for piece in each sequell

10-16-2007, 07:10 AM	#10 (permalink)
KingDazza is on the 1st circle: Limbo Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 14 Hellbux: 10	lol I have to be perfectly honest here, but, the advertising you get in BF2142 didnt really bother me as I didnt really notice it... having said that I wonder how long it will be before you can stop at a checkpoint in a game and you're suddenly connected to a real online store? Nah, I'm just being paranoid...hmmm