EA to BioWare: "You will be assimilated."

wtf....

No more good games ever apparently. Mass effect had better be amazing, as itll be the last good game produced out of that studio now
 
Cliff note it since I can't browse Kotaku at work.

I'm assuming it's either a rumor or confirmation that EA is (trying) buying BioWare?
 
Why is good news so rare in this industry?

Sorry BioWare, Pandemic.
 
Apparently EA is buying the holding company that owns both BioWare and Pandemic Studios. (The total deal is apparently going to be worth upwards of $800M.) It is oddly Borg-efficient of them, I have to admit...
 
Heres the article:

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Electronic Arts just announced that they have "acquired" both BioWare and Pandemic Studios. EA cut a deal with Elevation Partners to buy up VG Holding Corp, which owns both companies.
"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 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 paid up to $620 million in cash to the stockholders of VG Holding to get their hands on the companies, They also gave $155 million in equity to "certain employees of VG Holding" and is lending the company up to $35 million.
I suppose this news isn't exactly shocking since John Riccitello headed up Elevation Partners, along with Apple's Fred Anderson and Bono.
Sure Riccitiello likened VG Holdings to Pixar, saying that the company would have the ability to cut bigger deals with the likes of... EA, but I guess they made an offer too good to refuse.

EA To Acquire BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios
Leaders in RPG, Action and Adventure Genres; Ten Franchises in Development - Six Wholly Owned
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) 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.
Transaction and Financial Information
* The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
* The transaction is expected to close in January 2008.
* On a GAAP basis, the acquisition is expected to be dilutive to EA's fiscal 2008 results by approximately $0.30 to $0.40 due to non-recurring acquisition-related charges, stock-based compensation and amortization of intangible assets. This amount is a preliminary estimate based on currently-available information and is subject to change.
* On a non-GAAP basis, the acquisition is expected to be dilutive to EA's fiscal 2008 fourth quarter results by approximately $0.05. This amount is a preliminary estimate based on currently-available information and is subject to change.
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:(
 
We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile....
 
It will be fine.

Just look at how they handled Westwood, Origin, Maxis, Bullfrog, DICE,and Kesmai turned out once EA took control.

With EA, at least you know you'll be getting Planescape Torment 2008,2009, 2010, Baldurs Gate 2008, 2009, and 2010, as well as multiple other shoddy games which they can milk and destroy.
 
Fucking EA. I hope the other two games in the Mass Effect Trilogy are done before EA gets theres hands on the planning stage and ruins them. Mass Effect looks and probably be one hell of a game.

EA this has gone way to far now, I hope you go kill yourself and burn in hell for all eternity. Not even that punishment can do justice for what you done.
 
i hate EA as much as the next person, but you have to admit they aren't stupid about this whole "gaming as entertainment" that is taking off right now..

even PC games are a huge market (i'm still trying to figure out how PC gaming is dying) and EA, i think, realizes that gaming as an industry is only going to get better (already having surpased movies in gross income)..

i hate EA's policies sometimes but in business sense they are pretty smart.. (and well positioned as a company)
 
Blast EA and their success! Grrrr! Fight the power! Power to the people! It's a lie perpetrated by the man to hold me down! Make games not war! Peace to all inhabitants of the earth!

I'm still stuck in the courts system waiting for justice against EA for eating my baby sister. :(
 
if by business sense you mean destroying other companies that gamers loved then you are correct

this is horrible news
:mad:
 
H-street said:
i hate EA as much as the next person, but you have to admit they aren't stupid about this whole "gaming as entertainment" that is taking off right now..

even PC games are a huge market (i'm still trying to figure out how PC gaming is dying) and EA, i think, realizes that gaming as an industry is only going to get better (already having surpased movies in gross income)..

i hate EA's policies sometimes but in business sense they are pretty smart.. (and well positioned as a company)
Click to expand...

Business sense yeah they are extremely smart. There is no doubt that the gaming industry is starting to make some good money now. They really know how to acquire studios, buy out the competition and milk games for every penny and get away with it.

But they need to stop rushing and ruining what should be great games. Im sorry, but there games are complete shit for the most part. This is my opinion remember, but I have yet to see them release a game that I would go out and recommend it or just talk about how good it is on here even. Not only that there graphics really never push the limits in there games. They use yesterday engines so they can just develop the game faster.

Mass Effect is no doubt going to sell great this holiday season and EA sees this. Good business sense here. Now Mass Effect been in development for how long now(3-4 years?)? I can only see EA making them push out the next Mass Effect in under 1.5 years where it should take 2-3 years to develop(this is if its not in development already). Mass Effect, if it lives up to its hype, is going to have a very deep story and I can only see EA ruining this. I have very high hopes for Mass Effect and im sure its going to live up to them as its only looking better and better and im sure im not the only one here who agrees to how good Mass Effect looks. EA is only going to ruin it in the long run and a good studio at that.

Sorry to see you go Bioware. May you RIP:(

Only way EA is going to learn/stop is if the gamers stand up to them and stop buying there shitty games. But the people who really care are a minority sadly and this will never happen in the near future. Essentially EA is just a bunch of guys in business suits that know how to make money but doesnt listen to the community and what we as gamers want.

This are my opinions remember but I just absolutely hate EA and there practices.
 
Hey! Pandemic getting eaten is sad too! :( BioWare more so though. :(

Even then, I think EA has smartened slightly...the personnel at both those companies will just start getting paychecks with a different name on them, and EA gets to eat the profits they generate while only partially mangling the games they put out.

And from a business, economic standpoint EA is the fucking juggernaut, bitch.
 
Seelenlos said:
Oh it gets better

"He noted that the two firms will bring 10 franchises to market in the next 6 years, and more expansion into the MMO space was planned. Overall, he stressed, it was "an important step for us in driving growth and profitability"."

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=15833
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I'm a little confused on what he means by that. Which franchises will they bring? Would Planescape:Torment be considered one?

I just hope they don't remake or add sequels ro Planescape:Torment which in my opinion is the greatest RPG ever. If they did, they would probably find some way to ruin it.
 
In related News:

Bioware to be renamed "EA <Name of City where HQ is>".

Primary creative talents to leave and join or form new companied.

"New" versions of all previous games to be released annually, with very minor changes and increasing levels of bugs in each one, until everybody gets bored of the dead horse being flogged and EA buys a new company/set of IP, rinse, repeat...


To the "EA can't be bad, they make loads of money" people, true, but then, McDonalds and Kmart also make lots of money and I don't associate them with quality either.
 
EA is like Walmart now. Just keeps buying and expanding until all the little companies get run into bankruptcy or just give in. Sooner or later i think the courts will make them split up like microsoft :). A bunch of my friends buy their games but i rarelly ever do because of their crappy buggy quality.
 
"New" versions of all previous games to be released annually, with very minor changes and increasing levels of bugs in each one, until everybody gets bored of the dead horse being flogged
Click to expand...

Aint that the truth.
 
Let's at least hope that if there's not some miracle that allows Bioware to keep making great games under EA, that there'll be a spiritual successor to Bioware formed by former employees.
 
Ever since i bought tiger woods 2007 for the pc i will never ever buy another game from them. It was a complete pos. Stripped of all the fun that the 360 one had and I couldn't even game on my native resolution. And also the other ones scaled like shit. The one for 360 kicked ass which just pissed me off.

EA=Evil imperialistic Assholes.
 
No no NO!!! My hopes for the remainder of the Mass Effect trilogy are destroyed. :(
 
MartinX said:
..."New" versions of all previous games to be released annually, with very minor changes and increasing levels of bugs in each one, until everybody gets bored of the dead horse being flogged and EA buys a new company/set of IP, rinse, repeat....
Click to expand...

Anyone up for KOTOR 3 followed by:
KOTOR 3: Hilts pack :$15
KOTOR 3: Bonus Saber Colors pack : $15
KOTOR 3: Robes pack : $15
KOTOR 3: Secret Force Powers pack : $15

6 months later and no patches:
KOTOR 3 Expansion EA (Empire of Assholes): $40

KOTOR 3 EA: Hilts pack :$15
KOTOR 3 EA: Bonus Saber Colors pack : $15
KOTOR 3 EA: Robes pack : $15
KOTOR 3 EA: Secret Force Powers pack : $15

12 months later and still no bug fixes:
KOTOR 4 Announced for Summer 2011 --> **!!Pre-Order NOW!!** (followed by impact messages like: "The Galaxy's fate is at YOUR hand", "Feel the movie's epic experience on YOUR desktop.")

Summer 2011: KOTOR 4 Launched. Same plot but a few years later with characters that look the same but have different textures and names, rinse and repeat.

YAY..............
 
crap. i can see it now: Battlefield Jade Empire. or Jade Empire 2, takes place during ancient North America. :( i can go on with more metaphors, just pick something that doesnt make the slightest sense, and i'm sure thats what EA will do.

good games are already pretty hard to find these past years, now it's going to be almost impossible for more to come.

even though i say this now: i will never buy another EA game from this day on; i'm pretty sure i'll buy a game owned by EA by mistake eventually. shoot blindly many times, and you'll eventually hit something.
 
GG to developing & publishing decent games.
I guess we can expect plenty of utter trash though.
 
Wow...about 10 minutes before I've heard this, I was anticipating for the mysterious Bioware MMORPG.. Good fucking game..

Another good company down the drain, but it's bound to happen to all of 'em.


R.I.P Bioware; say hello to Westwood for me up there..
 
Ouch. I wonder if EA will muck up any future Neverwinter Nights titles. I wonder if EA will ruin Dragonage too. :( This is sad. I've been a Bioware fan since Planescape: Torment and Baldur's gate I
 
If Mass Effect goes well, say hello to Mass Effect 2, 3, and its in between shitty episodic content. Thats what I can see coming.
 
Can't wait for Mass Effect 2008! It'll have EA Traxxxxxxxxxxxxx so you can listen to some shit band you didn't give two shits about. Wooot!!!
 
It's not the end of the world, although I would love to see EA burnt to the ground. There's still other good dev's out there. Atleast now we know what franchises to avoid now.
 
trick_m0nkey said:
We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile....
Click to expand...

Should read:

We are EA. Lower your lawyers and surrender your software. We will add your developer distinctiveness to our own. Your development process will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile!
 
I can see EA releasing it on their download client and disabling all the games after 1 year and requiring you to pay for additional downloads and upgrades and make you pay for an updated version for 2008 full price. Madden style lol

Every game company that EA took over was ruined thats for sure. Desertcombat people worked on battlefield 2 and that wasn't even as good as desert combat. They are in too far for the money and not for the people. Has to be a balance or else you get EA's tactics and shotty games.;)
 
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