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Mercenaries 3 unmasked

EA CEO proclaims long-term support for Pandemic's franchise, says original IPs won't be sequelized on annual basis.

Four days after it teased sequels to Dead Space, Army of Two, and Battlefield: Bad Company, EA has confirmed that another follow-up is being planned. During a post-earnings conference call this afternoon, EA CEO John Riccitiello revealed that his company is planning a third installment in the Mercenaries series, developed by its Pandemic Studio.

Mattias will be back for another payday. (In this economy, why not?)

Mattias will be back for another payday. (In this economy, why not?)

"There will be a Mercenaries 3 and, if I have anything to do with it, there will be a Mercenaries 10," declared the outspoken executive. The proclamation was a brief bright spot in an otherwise dour afternoon in which EA revealed it was laying off 6 percent of its workforce and reported a loss of $310 million for the July-September quarter.

Riccitiello's ardent support may surprise some, given the occasional thumping Mercenaries 2: World in Flames received from critics. However, despite mixed reviews, the game has been a commercial hit. As of September 30, the oft-delayed title had sold 1.9 million copies internationally--as many units as Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 and nearly as many as Spore.

322 Comments

  • Tny115

    Posted Sep 6, 2011 12:15 pm GMT

    I think the game was cancelled and pandemics dead and gone.

  • DeadrisingX1

    Posted Jun 6, 2011 3:55 am GMT

    Mercs 2 was great... well, for the PC anyway.

  • DeadrisingX1

    Posted Jun 6, 2011 3:52 am GMT

    I loved Mercs 2, hopefully this one might have a chance at coming to the PC.

  • bryan9247

    Posted Apr 9, 2011 7:14 am GMT

    i think they are going to make some changes in this " hopefully "

  • rotting_savior

    Posted Mar 9, 2011 9:24 am GMT

    Also needs a Red Dead Redemption-style multiplayer...

  • rotting_savior

    Posted Mar 9, 2011 9:22 am GMT

    Mercs 2 would've been the best game EVER made if they just put in smarter AI for the enemies & they put in an option to play the game in first person. It would practically be a sandbox Battlefield game. If they make these little adjustments for part 3, I'll never have to buy another game.

  • davytiger

    Posted Jan 3, 2011 4:11 am GMT

    For Mercs' 2, all they really needed to do was do Mercenaries (1) in HD for the next gen consoles, and changed a few things! Then they could have sold loads more copies of Mercs' 2 then Mercs' 3 would be more of an investment!

  • dunl12496

    Posted Nov 2, 2010 5:54 pm GMT

    Come onnnnn.... at least some news!!

  • Nilsonn

    Posted Oct 9, 2010 6:56 am GMT

    IN WHICH IS RELEASED DARN IT !

  • pimpofdoom

    Posted Oct 3, 2010 4:38 pm GMT

    I know that Pandemic is history but at the slim chance that someone who has any control over the Mercs IP sees this comment. Fans of Mercenaries still want to see a Mercs 3! Just put some effort into it and it will sell well. Heck get DICE to do it, they know their destruction effects!

  • suberbard

    Posted Sep 20, 2010 2:32 pm GMT

    multiplayer russian mafia better story line thats what it needs

  • JeWiShCoWbOy77

    Posted Aug 9, 2010 6:19 pm GMT

    i hope they make it more like the 1st (more like actual mercs in a possible war,maybe Europe, and cheat codes) and keep cheat codes. They definitely need to add blood and gore and maybe a cheat to make everyone a zombie.

  • Caboose365

    Posted Jul 25, 2010 4:12 pm GMT

    Would definatly get it if it does release

  • PinkyFingarNail

    Posted Jun 19, 2010 9:21 am GMT

    I like mercs, but I dont think there ever will be a number 3, I mean, most of pandemic just got laid off, and EA has better selling franchises.

  • razzledazzle666

    Posted Jun 8, 2010 10:53 am GMT

    @dunl12496.. you say where's the explosions when cars flip over then later you say vehicles don't always have to blow up.. bit contradictory me thinks! .. anyway.. i thought Mercs 2 was pretty good! not amazing.. it could have done with more missions and better AI but it wasn't a disaster! Mercs 3 should have bigger map, more missions, better AI, and tougher tanks.

  • gamer1396

    Posted Jun 1, 2010 6:44 pm GMT

    I hope this one has customizable weapons

  • mastergodslayer

    Posted May 28, 2010 4:25 am GMT

    Both of the game were great cant wait for the third one.

  • Dragon101lord

    Posted Apr 22, 2010 7:59 pm GMT

    i liked both of the games.

  • matchpenalty11

    Posted Feb 22, 2010 5:35 pm GMT

    Mercenaries 2 was a game that had all the potential in the world, and yet somehow not only failed to reach that potential, but actually become worse than the original. Hopefully they don't make the same mistake twice.

  • killersrike

    Posted Feb 20, 2010 5:15 am GMT

    WHEN DOS IT COME OUT, marcenaries 2 realy need more gun,bomes, and beater online gameplay.right i hop this game is going to be 10 times beater than mercenaroes 2.

  • wwefan45

    Posted Feb 11, 2010 10:48 am GMT

    i love the 2nd one cant wait for the third

  • Jamesey11

    Posted Jan 9, 2010 7:03 pm GMT

    is this game gonna be t or m?

  • Jamesey11

    Posted Jan 9, 2010 7:02 pm GMT

    i loved the second why did everyone hate it

  • alexr3000

    Posted Nov 26, 2009 3:43 am GMT

    i hope its not borring like the other one

  • Madcatz_1

    Posted Nov 19, 2009 10:52 pm GMT

    I thought both of them were awesome but i hope that it remains on the PS3

  • moe472

    Posted Nov 9, 2009 4:05 pm GMT

    wow i really hope this one does better than the2nd

  • GermanFizzle08

    Posted Nov 7, 2009 4:09 am GMT

    I really hope this game is better than the second. I loved the first one, not so much the second.

  • dunl12496

    Posted Oct 29, 2009 1:44 pm GMT

    Ugh... how much longer................

  • galace

    Posted Oct 23, 2009 9:06 pm GMT

    Mercenaries 2: WIF was lacking in two things that I find important. Soundtrack and atmosphere, granted Mercenaries 2 was more realistic but I liked the war-torn dark mountains of North Korea, it added a great feeling moving around seeing the change in the cities (granted how small they were). Michael Giacchino and Chris Tilton's music in Mercenaries POD was phenomenal, probably one of the best thematic anthems I have heard come out of a video game. World In Flames I feel lacked both of these qualities, although If the location is Latin America I can't blame them for choosing the soundtrack they used but I was dissappointed with the lack of Michael Giacchino. I felt the music made the game very...toned down and mellow, not like the gripping explosive soundtrack in Playground Of Destruction. I just hope that the next Mercenaries features these aspects and more...

  • dunl12496

    Posted Oct 10, 2009 11:55 am GMT

    Where is it? Isn't it supposed to come out in 2009?!

  • PMCN7

    Posted Sep 29, 2009 3:16 am GMT

    the 1st mercs was good at it's time and the 2nd i didn't play YET and it seems to be good and i hope the 3rd will have planes and more weapons and vehicles!

  • um_i_love_games

    Posted Sep 24, 2009 6:10 pm GMT

    I hope it's better than the 1st one.

  • warleader11

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 6:00 pm GMT

    i liked the 1st mercenaries game. but the 2nd was ok. i hope the 3rd is excellent! i hope there is more missions in the 3rd one and the AI isint as stupid i can go through the entire game w/o dieing.

  • CBforever

    Posted Aug 29, 2009 1:01 pm GMT

    I think Mercs 2 was great just as mercs 1 sure it needed a few extras but I'm sure Mercs 3 will be better and give us what we're missing.

  • KYLONI

    Posted Aug 23, 2009 5:22 am GMT

    i would realy want 2 know when the trailer comes out imeen its coming out nearly on the same day as modern worfare 2 if anyone knows please say. the game comes out in early november.

  • KYLONI

    Posted Aug 22, 2009 6:01 pm GMT

    i actuly thought Mercenaries 2 was quite good the only thing was that it didnt have enough helicopters but if iwas going to put in more i would have these=AH-64 Apache. MI-28 Havoc. Mi-24 Hind. MI-28 Havoc. CV-22. AH-1Z Super Cobra. WZ-10. Z-9WAs. Z-8A. Mi-17. and if thers one tank i woud realy like it would be the challanger tank from the UK and i would realy want to pilot planes like the A-10 warthog and iwould like the new map to be bigger and it would be cool if there was an aircraft carier out in the sea that moved quite slow so that you could have a chance to land on top of it with a heli or a plane and if ther are going to be planes you could store them on the top maximum would be 3 planes are watever and 4 helis and there would be one for every faction and you can buy the ships and go inside it as well make there no limits outside the map ships on pda for excample: AN ship moves outside the map ship icon

  • gamerdude092

    Posted Aug 13, 2009 9:48 am GMT

    I agree with you 100% monkhead55. My best friend and i were playing recently and we earned about 50 Million dollars in about 30-45 min. Then a group of about 5 or 6 civillan cars drove into an enemy tank that was on fire and blew up. We lost about 65 million in about 4-5 seconds.

  • monkhead55

    Posted Aug 1, 2009 8:28 am GMT

    i never played the first mercenaries but i have the 2nd one for the 360 and its outstanding. the freadom of the game and being able to destroy any and every thing. the thing that worries me is.... what made mercenaries 2 so so so good was that it was about revenge!. they cant make another revenge game but im sure the story with be awsome. im also afraid it will be rated M. THAT WOULD BE SO BAD! one thing i hope they'll change is the charge for hurting people. if i shoot some one i the head go ahead and charge me. if i blow up a car or destroy a bridge and people fall or hit some one with my car DONT GIVE A FINE.

  • pmo5010

    Posted Jul 31, 2009 3:21 pm GMT

    i've always envisioned a soldier of fortune/mercenaries hybrid. a realistically violent first-person shooter that sets you in a conflict zone and letting you choose your clients and having your character grow and affect events in the main story, along with a fully explorable world. that's way too much for a mercs 3 game but hopefully it'll be a lot better than mercs 2.

  • Peacesells92

    Posted Jul 28, 2009 10:55 am GMT

    As long as they take out how much you rely on oil, i hated searching for some just for an airstrike

  • sanjosebart

    Posted Jul 26, 2009 4:28 pm GMT

    seriously, Mercs three will rock. Only complaint I have about Mercs 2 was that every bad guy had an RPG. Seriously? what was up with that? But I loved working for the VZ guerrillas and UP. Loved the dialog. Jamaican pirates and U.N. californians=funny. just don't dissapoint

  • dunl12496

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 6:08 am GMT

    Suggestions for Mercenaries 3:

    1. More vehicles to drive. I really liked the sports bike and helicopters.

    2. More guns. Oh yeah! They should add lots more.

    3. Larger Map. They should expand the length and how far it goes.

    4. Timers are a no no. NO TIMERS EVERYONE HATES THOSE!! THEY RUIN THE STINKING GAME!!!

    5. More custom vehicles. I loved the Panzercycle but wished the gun would turn.

    6. Please be teen. Some kids can't play M but will let them play T.

    7. It should be set in Japan. It would be cool to blow up stuff and have samurai battles.

    8. No explosions when the vehicles flip over. What the heck is up with that?

    9. Getting hurt for stupid stuff. Like hitting something with your gun. I died doing that.

    10. Invincibility and Unlimited ammo. Everyone loves it. But don't make us have Xbox live for it. Alot of people can't afford that.

    11. No charging us for killing civilians, I love doing that.

    12. Wider selection of vehicles.

    13. It would be really cool if you could use stuff like swords and pick up wrenches and misc. stuff.

    14. How about creating your own character? That would be really cool.

    15. Less easier destroyed vehicles. And they don't always have to blow up.

    16. It would be nice if it had stun guns. Heh heh.

    17. Maybe set in the future. If it's present times it's not as cool.

    18. C4 related missions. Oh yeah.

    I think that's it.

  • JackG101

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 5:06 am GMT

    They should make a third and end it at a third. The second was dissapointing and if there gonna rush this one aswell I very much doubt the third will be even more of a dissapointment. It will be India, and if they keep to this dictatorship and AN invasion theme, it will get boring awful quick and will ruin realism. They should steer away from several factions and having a coup-military theme, they should make a few factions with many jobs, not 6 factions that makes the games story, well, terrible.

    The glitches on the second were unacceptable, and if the third is rushed like this one was, I very much doubt more money will be made.

  • DRIV3R24

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 1:20 pm GMT

    in the last cutscene of mercs 2 fiona asked the player what they thought about India, so i bet the next game is gonna be there.

  • jake659

    Posted Jul 6, 2009 2:08 pm GMT

    snowmobiles and planes that you could use would be cool.

  • Karmazyn

    Posted Jun 29, 2009 10:31 am GMT

    Mercs 2 was one of the best third person action games I have ever played. I loved it and I do not understand bad reviews that Mercs 2 got. I can not wait for the first instalment. Pandemic 4 Life !!!

  • monkeygamer2112

    Posted Jun 28, 2009 11:53 am GMT

    i played mercs 2 and thought they could improve on some things. hopefully they will fix the bugs, AI and add more 1 liners in this one.

  • RazerBlade13

    Posted Jun 25, 2009 8:37 pm GMT

    Mercs 1 was really fun. Mercs 2 I avoided because of reviews but a third might be good.

  • batmanboy11

    Posted Jun 25, 2009 4:29 pm GMT

    I'm a big fan of Mercs 1 but never played the second, however a third could be a good idea.

  • ahm85

    Posted Jun 25, 2009 1:13 pm GMT

    I want this game on PC .. my favorite platform

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