BioWare, Pandemic creating 10 new franchises for EA

by Jason Dobson { Jan 7th 2008 at 12:00PM }

Electronic Arts has dropped a cold, emotionless reminder of its late-2007 acquisition of both BioWare and Pandemic Studios, announcing that the pair have now been officially digested by the EA collective. While we remain cynical of the whole affair – it is, after all, what we do – EA has announced that the pair has been tapped to create a whopping ten new franchises for EA, based on six different "wholly-owned" properties. 10? Seriously? BioWare alone hasn't touched that much code in nearly a decade, though to be fair EA hasn't laid out a time line for how often these games will emerge.

Both BioWare and Pandemic will be overseen by EA Games' top cheese Locutus...erm, Frank Gibeau, and according to the executive the acquisition will broaden EA's game portfolio in the RPG, action and adventure genres. A cloud of mystery continues to hang over the bulk of these new projects, though EA has confirmed that BioWare remains hard at work on Dragon Age and the DS Sonic RPG, while Pandemic is chugging along developing Mercenaries 2: World in Flames and Saboteur. At least it seems as though the assimilation hasn't freed the developers of independent thought, though granted it does take some time before the implants take hold.

Tags: bioware, Dragon-Age, DragonAge, ea, Electronic-Arts, ElectronicArts, Frank-Gibeau, FrankGibeau, mercenaries-2, mercenaries2, pandemic, saboteur, Sonic-RPG, SonicRpg

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

paragraph @ Jan 7th 2008 12:04PM

The Borg Refernces are Annoying....

however, i do agree that EA is eating whatever they can, i think the next time you should use Hungry Hungry Hippos instead.

Looks like i'll have to wait and see how i feel about this one, EA does have SOME good games, and this could mean MORE good games, meaning EA isn't totally SUCK.

Trickob @ Jan 7th 2008 2:45PM

"We are the EA. Lower your expectations and surrender your cash. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your development company will adapt to service us."

"Resistance is futile."

Deck @ Jan 7th 2008 12:06PM

The Death of my beloved studio Bioware, begins.

God damnit EA... don't you get it??! Bioware is the prime RPG maker, let them make their games at their own pace! I'm sorry if it doesn't fit your damn budget, but, they make the best games around and actually care about their fans and the games they make instead of ONLY the money.

Please, please don't ruin that for us.

Matt @ Jan 7th 2008 12:55PM

Yep, I agree. We all knew this would happen. Unfortunately, now it's all about quantity as opposed to quality.
At least we have Bethesda.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Jan 7th 2008 1:10PM

woah calm down. There never was a time limit for when these games have to be made.

Pimliconite @ Jan 7th 2008 1:15PM

Quality? Bethesda?
Anyway, they're owned by Zenimax and are quite beholden to their corporate overlords.

No, at least we have Obsidian and CD Projekt...tick tick tick...

rv @ Jan 7th 2008 1:33PM

Yup yup now these games wont have any heart, polish, or effort just because some casual gamers see "Star wars knights 5" and eat it up even though its garbage. IF everyone took the time to find out if the game was good before buying them, we wouldn't have this shovelware problem. It makes me sad. Bioware rpgs were the best. I guess I can only hope for mass effect 2 and 3 from them and then they will head downhill.

Korova @ Jan 7th 2008 12:07PM

And we all know what comes out when something has been digested.

paragraph @ Jan 7th 2008 12:08PM

Another Sims Port for the DS?

Fullmetal Salchemist @ Jan 7th 2008 1:20PM

Madden 2009: Closed Caption for the Hearing Impaired Championship Hall of Fame Edition with Extra Pickles?

Admiral_Mike @ Jan 7th 2008 12:09PM

Ah, I see the prototype for nintendo's next controller is coming along nicely.

rv @ Jan 7th 2008 1:34PM

No thats just virtualboy 2.

Guybrush Threepwood (Sega Defense Force - Infallibility Ring) @ Jan 7th 2008 12:11PM

I know people are going to blame EA for this bombshell, and I agree they do deserve to be criticized...

...but isn't this really BioWare's CEO's fault for agreeing to sell the company to EA in the first place?

rv @ Jan 7th 2008 1:36PM

Yes, but how many people will turn down 840 million?

Deck @ Jan 7th 2008 9:15PM

No. And this is why.

Bioware and Pandemic were owned by a parent company, VG Holdings. VG Holdings sold Bioware and Pandemic to EA for 860 million dollars. It was not Bioware's or Pandemic's choice to be sold to EA.

There is the answer, no, it was not Biowares' CEO's fault.

Batzarro @ Jan 7th 2008 12:21PM

10 Games over the next 100 years sounds about right... I mean, exempting work on the Lucasart thing, Jade Empire 2, Mass Effect sequels/episodic content, Sonic Rush Adv,...

Marty @ Jan 7th 2008 12:22PM

I usually defend EA, because despite their tendency to buy out every company that even hopes to compete with them, they do occasionally deliver some decent games.

I have to say though, every time I am reminded about the Bioware buyout thing, it makes me sad. EA really ought to stop absorbing studios, and just work on "signing" them. Leave them as they be, albeit with a new EA oversight on their work... don't take the collective talents of studios and gut them.

mcatrage @ Jan 7th 2008 12:34PM

I thought EA released a bunch of good new games in 2007 so I'm going to hope that trend continues. If it gets some good Mass Effect DLC out soon I'm all for it.

Morte @ Jan 7th 2008 12:58PM

Can we PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE has a KotOR III now?

bigsofty @ Jan 7th 2008 1:08PM

EA = I wont buy.

LuckyEMS @ Jan 7th 2008 1:21PM

10 new ones?

BioWare should be working on Mass Effect 2

Fullmetal Salchemist @ Jan 7th 2008 1:22PM

Thanks to EA's acquisition, you can expect KotOR's 3-15, released once per year, each version sporting marginally improved graphics, and one minor gameplay tweak.

Fullmetal Salchemist @ Jan 7th 2008 1:23PM

That was to Morte, but the reply system is broken.

Will @ Jan 7th 2008 1:46PM

Ha ha. ONCE per year? More like twice...
I was really looking forward to KOTOR III -- but ever since EA gobbled up BioWare, well...not so much. I'm afraid that they're going to ruin the franchise by porting it to EVRY console and trying to make as many KOTOR sequels and spin-offs as possible...

License to ill @ Jan 7th 2008 2:05PM

Madden RPG?

{SHIVERS}

FSK405K @ Jan 7th 2008 2:37PM

Great borg photo, guys. Great.

Project Ekim @ Jan 7th 2008 2:45PM

I need my mass effect 2

mattclarkie @ Jan 7th 2008 3:01PM

After spending 6 hours playing Blacksite, which I know is Midway, I just hope that EA don't create 10 games with potential, only for them to be ruined by numerous glitches, poor coding, and did I mention glitches? because they are rushed to market.

Cyro @ Jan 7th 2008 3:43PM

Hey guys I just wanted to ask you if you are having trouble looking at the pictures today? I am at work but this was never a problem, none of the pics on this website are working or at least less than half. Not even the avatars. I hope its not some new security thing here. I would hate not to be able to see pictures anymore here.

BTW: I also need my Mass Effect 2.

willmore2000 @ Jan 7th 2008 3:45PM

I can almost guarantee that one of the game will be a LOTR RPG, since EA cancelled their previous attempt at it, they probably feel that having an experienced RPG crew on it can create a blockbuster ... and they're probably right. As for the rest, Maybe Bard's Tale V, Ultima XXI, C&C IX, Cyberia III?

Korova @ Jan 7th 2008 3:46PM

Am I understanding this right:

Property = original title

Franchise = sequel, prequel or sideshoot

Game = port

Therefore, six original games will get 10 sequels ("franchises") which will be ported to every gaming platform in the universe.

If I am right, this is just more EA stockmarket speak for the same old. Gamer beware!, EA Bioware.