BioWare and Pandemic bought, combined

by Vladimir Cole { Nov 3rd 2005 at 7:36AM }

Merge Edmonton, Canada-based developers BioWare and Westwood, California-based developers Pandemic have been purchased by a media-and-entertainment-focused private equity fund that counts Bono of rock group U2 as a partner, according to this morning's Wall Street Journal.

The fund's managers believe that intellectual property owned by BioWare and Pandemic will prove to be very valuable over the course of the PS3-Xbox 360-Revolution-Vista console war now underway. They also believe that the funds and management advice that they provide to these two game development studios will help make them make more successful games.

BioWare developed Jade Empire, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Baldur's Gate, MDK2, and is developing "Action RPG" Mass Effect for the Xbox 360 and Dragon Age for the PC. Pandemic is known for Full Spectrum Warrior, Star Wars Battlefront, Clone Wars, Battlezone II, Army Men RTS, Destroy All Humans, and one or more unannounced next-gen titles.

[Thanks, Brandon]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

The1 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

On paper this may look like a great merger. However, I think the game quality of these two companies will fall. You have former EA people running the show and they do not believe that "Quality should go in a game before the game ever goes out."

Dylan A. Nickels @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

Oh God No. Bioware makes my favorite games ever. Greatest RPGs ever made, by my estimation. They're being merged with the same people who made Army Men and Destroy all humans? Life is bad. I just hope that whoever bought them doesn't make them stop doing great RPGs. Let's all pray for Mass Effect.

jc @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

I am a huge fan of Bioware and Pandemic, however they are both very different companies... and sometimes things don't mix well (ever try drinking Pepsi and milk?).

I hope this turns out to be a great combination, but have a feeling ^The1's point will be what will happen.

ps, thank you Pandemic for SWBattlefront2... it rocks!

eugaet @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

Gamasutra has some extra info. Doesn't sound as bad as I initially thought...but I'm still worried.

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=7053

delerious @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

Goodness, why couldn't Bioware stay by themselves. They did so well....now they're screwed with a stupid decision...and Bono.

Tim @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

Merger in name.

Example: Ubisoft Montreal made excellent Rainbow Six titles. Then they gave the franchise to the California Office and they made it garbage.

Example: Blizzard North made awesome games (not that Blizzard didn't, but they didn't appeal to me nearly as much.) And until they were literally closed down, they pretty much worked on their own.

And Bioware will still be Bioware. Bono has no business in the video game industry, but at least investment groups know what they're doing. They won't screw around.

TBD @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM

"They also believe that the funds and management advice that they provide to these two game development studios will help make them make more successful games."

because money managers know how to make better games than game developers..

that pretty much seals the deal. everything produced form this point on from these two teams is likely to get worse and worse as the investors try to squeeze blood from oranges and the games and programmers will suffer.