Gaming Signal: Bioware / Pandemic sold to EA

Bioware / Pandemic sold to EA

Thursday, Electronic Arts announced it was buying the holding company that owns Bioware and Pandemic from Evolution Partners (the company that bought both of them previously) for $855 million. EA's stock was up 5% on Friday as a result. While this will result in a lot of money for the owners of Bioware and Pandemic (who all were owners of Evolution Partners) I have to wonder how good this will be ultimately. EA isn't exactly known for innovative games and I fear this will put pressure on the studios to churn out sequel after sequel rather than innovate. Put it this way - Mass Effect might not have gotten made in favor of a bunch of formula KOTOR and Battlefront rehash. Time will tell - I hope that Bioware has enough overall success to keep itself independent. But if you start to see Drs Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk taking a much reduced role in the company, look out.

The odd thing is that I have often heard that not all Bioware creates is gold. I know that you did not necessarily think that Jade Empire was very good. I would also propose that we wait and see how this really turns out. EA tends to be the industry punching bag but very few studios are doing many unique games since it is the copies and the rehashes that sell very well. I will also say that this might be a better thing for gamers as we will hopefully see more cross platform titles and less exclusivity. Wouldn't you rather see Mass Effect be available on the PC and the 360? Then it becomes your choice versus the publisher where you play the game...

EA is definitely trying to do new things but game production is still a business. I find it interesting you list Battlefront since they really do sports titles every year. I will agree and question the need for Battlefield 3, but they do have more on the table than that...

Posted by Tim on Sunday October 14, 2007 at 12:17 AM

Sure Bioware isn't perfect, nobody is. But I like the fact that they aren't afraid of trying new things. Pandemic too. But I aree Tim, it ultimately does come down to the gamers (consumers) who buy the games. If they didn't buy those sequels they wouldn't get made.

And while less exclusivity is good, does the publisher make that decision? I honestly don't know who decides that sort of thing. I sort of thought it was the developer who had engineers capable of writing for the different platforms, but maybe not?

I mentioned Battlefront since that's a Pandemic title.

Posted by scottsh on Sunday October 14, 2007 at 12:25 PM

Come on guys, aren't you looking forward to:
MASS EFFECT: STREET
or
JADE EMPIRE: NEED FOR SPEED
or
MADDEN: BATTLEFIELD 3

DO NOT WANT!!!!

Posted by tditto on Monday October 15, 2007 at 11:23 AM