***MEGATON*** EA just bought BioWare and Pandemic

So I guess EA's games just got a lot better...

News is trickling in that this is legit.

However, you need to get a link up. Fast.

Yep. It's legit.

Wow, megaton indeed. Now prepare to have to buy all your ammo in Mercenaries via microtransaction.

I sold my EA stock last month. Why? Why? Ever since then they have been bringing out better games and now this.

Yeah, link would be good.

:shock:

I was going to post the LOL wut pear, but this is more of a "WTF?" moment.

Elevation Partners, not EA.

Edit: hmm, seems that was an old story when ricatello had left, or was leaving EA. Strange.

My only Reaction...

This is how the world ends.

Or not, lol. I just googled it, most media outlets have nothing yet on this info.

I actually heard EA's president speak after BioWare and Pandemic merged, and he doesn't think as much of Pandemic as he does BioWare.

He absolutely salivated over BioWare.

I actually heard EA's president speak after BioWare and Pandemic merged, and he doesn't think as much of Pandemic as he does BioWare.

He absolutely salivated over BioWare.

appleater

wow all the bioware fans will riot

Hmmm....it'll be interesting to see how it effects their projects.

If anything, it might be beneficial to Dragon Age on PC, since now the project will have a major publisher backing it and publishing it.

With the Mass Effect supposedly set to be a trilogy trilogy, EA will probably see to it that they publish any future installments instead of MS.

Wow. Definitely a bold move here...

Pandemic I could see easily, but Bioware? I think this just ramped up the quality of EA...

Wow. Definitely a bold move here...

Pandemic I could see easily, but Bioware? I think this just ramped up the quality of EA...

Darth_Homer

Definitely. And it's cool that more people will get to play Bioware's games.

But I have a horrible feeling that EA is going to ruin both of these awesome studios.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

NOT BIOWARE

Kolomo

My thoughts exactly, followed by WHY OH WHYYYYYYY??? I really don't like these news

Baldur's Gate III exclusively for the Wii.

;)

. . . and BioWare was never able to make a good game again.Robio_basic

Money talks. BioWare and Pandemic seems to support this move and feel positive about it.

Well, I did want Mass Effect for the PC, so this just means that it will probably come to the PC a little sooner because knowing EA they'll go multi-platform with everything.

This could mean more sales for BioWare games.

. . . and BioWare was never able to make a good game again.Robio_basic

Yes...because HL2: Orange Box, Battlefield 2, Command & Conquer 3, and the Burnout series are just sooo horrible and games like Spore and Crysis haven't gotten any positive previews, right?...:roll:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

NOT BIOWARE

Kolomo

If I have to choose over a publisher buying out a highly acclaimed developer....I will gladly take EA over MS any day.

Gamespot is reporting that EA spent 775 million in this acquisition. If true, then EA just got bent over.

Here's hoping that EA won't split those respective teams... :?

EA is now one more step towards the monopoly of gaming.foxhound_fox

Don't worry they're still #2, Nintendo still retains the #1 publisher in the world. :)

But I know what you mean I hate seeing big publishers get more and more devs leaving smaller publishers in the dust.

Well, It sounds like the first MAss Effect will still be a 360 and PC...the problem is the trilogly issue. Will it contuine? Then again. the company MS seems the closest with is EA.

Also Shame...Funny enough...Some made the excat same joke on Neogaf just now lol

Anyways what I want to say, I think we need a bit more time before the overreacting lol. If you haven't notice. EA really seems to be improving a bit more. We have stuff like Crysis, Rock Band and Skate all finally comming out. Thier quality on Wii...really was quite impressive. For the first time in a while they seem to be making solid new IPs. Burnout and other goodies. Not to mention CnC 3 really being quite good. Im more in the wait and see pool. If they still let them work at thier own rate and everything...I don't think I will mind to much. Most people crying are bring up stuff like Westwood...Origin...That was last Decade. Yea EA still makes alot of **** but they seem like they are improving a bit now.

To be honest...What do you think this is putting to even more? An EA brand consule. Personally I think it is all lining up. EA has no hardware department really...about all they can do is games. And who now seems to be not caring to much about lost development support. MS...EA and MS consule? MS wouldn't have to be taking the hit they have now...and EA then can jump in out it and make even more profits.

Gamespot is reporting that EA spent 775 million in this acquisition. If true, then EA just got bent over.

Shame-usBlackley

Well, It sounds like the first MAss Effect will still be a 360 and PC...the problem is the trilogly issue. Will it contuine? Then again. the company MS seems the closest with is EA.

Shinoto

Honestly, with EA publishing the Mass Effect trilogy the trilogy would probably remain 360 and PC anyway unless Sony can really pull up the marketshare of PS3, especially with the Wii being too underpowered to handle ME anyway.....at least now, the chances of Mass Effect coming to PC sooner, like possibly 6 months after release on console, are brighter....and I'm perfectly happy with that.

If anything, BioWare may actually start making games for Nintendo on DS or Wii......oh wait a second, BioWare was already making a DS game for Nintendo, and I'm perfectly happy with them making a game for the Wii if that happens since it'll probably be very different from their games on the other platforms yet still have that BioWare touch.

Like I said, I will gladly take EA holding the publishing rights of BioWare games over MS any day of the week.

Yep. It's legit.

Wow, megaton indeed. Now prepare to have to buy all your ammo in Mercenaries via microtransaction.

Shame-usBlackley

What now, Mass Effect on the PS3 with less quality than the 360 version?

EA now has sports, action, adventure, RPGs, what's next....stealth games?

BioWare merged with Pandemic to avoid EA. The Borg wanted BioWare all along.

Things change. Who knows.

Yes...because HL2: Orange Box, Battlefield 2, Command & Conquer 3, and the Burnout series are just sooo horrible and games like Spore and Crysis haven't gotten any positive previews, right?...:roll:Robnyc22

My biggest issue here is that this could effect KOTOR and Star Wars Battlefront. Bioware and Pandemic made those series what they are, and I don't want to see them fall by the wayside.rragnaar

Well, It sounds like the first MAss Effect will still be a 360 and PC...the problem is the trilogly issue. Will it contuine? Then again. the company MS seems the closest with is EA.

Also Shame...Funny enough...Some made the excat same joke on Neogaf just now lol

Anyways what I want to say, I think we need a bit more time before the overreacting lol. If you haven't notice. EA really seems to be improving a bit more. We have stuff like Crysis, Rock Band and Skate all finally comming out. Thier quality on Wii...really was quite impressive. For the first time in a while they seem to be making solid new IPs. Burnout and other goodies. Not to mention CnC 3 really being quite good. Im more in the wait and see pool. If they still let them work at thier own rate and everything...I don't think I will mind to much. Most people crying are bring up stuff like Westwood...Origin...That was last Decade. Yea EA still makes alot of **** but they seem like they are improving a bit now.

To be honest...What do you think this is putting to even more? An EA brand consule. Personally I think it is all lining up. EA has no hardware department really...about all they can do is games. And who now seems to be not caring to much about lost development support. MS...EA and MS consule? MS wouldn't have to be taking the hit they have now...and EA then can jump in out it and make even more profits.

Shinoto

Hmmm, what is the name of this wise fellow? :)

But yeah, I have zero problem with more people getting to play Bioware's games. What I do have a problem with is what those games might turn into, especially now that we know what EA is paying for the two companies. Companies like EA don't spend 3/4 of a billion dollars for one or two games a generation. Bioware is going to feel EA's spurs digging into their sides relentlessly, and for that amount of money, they should.

And I reeaally can't fault Bioware/Pandemic for this. I mean, is there anyone of sound mind on this forum who would turn down 3/4 of a billion dollars?

This is a bittersweet announcement because it means more people will get to play these games, but due to the nature of the publisher, those games are probably going to get diluted from what they would've been. Still, you gotta give props to EA for knowing how to pick 'em - they have quite possibly the best names in western development under their umbrella. I just pray to God that they don't wreck them.

My biggest issue here is that this could effect KOTOR and Star Wars Battlefront. Bioware and Pandemic made those series what they are, and I don't want to see them fall by the wayside.rragnaar

BioWare wasn't going to do another KOTOR regardless nor did they have any plans to do another KOTOR....they've been very clear about this.....BioWare has specifically said that going forward for their major projects they are more interested in developing their own franchises.

At a time when one historically independent developer cuts its reins from Microsoft, another one becomes acquired by EA. Crazy times!

Now where were the rumors about this?

Like I said, I will gladly take EA holding the publishing rights of BioWare games over MS any day of the week.

Robnyc22

Im sorry, This I can not agree with. MS is probably one of the best companies to work for. If you look at 360 and Xbox...You can tell they really took time into helping developers with thier already hard job. Online Networking, Set up, etc...just the entire programming thing. It looks like they really took the time to see what developers wanted more then anything else.

Not to mention...Unlike Sony or Nintendo...They still seem to love thier games on PC. Just one or the other exculsive first. And yet unlike Activision or EA or try to rush out ports on all system. They seem to hold it back till it is good. Not to mention MS themselves have already been publishing games on GBA and DS for a bit now.

And most importantly...Talking to a company who has proper funding and doesn't seem to rush too much. Not have to get that annual release out with horrible buggy online.

I so would of rather have them with MS then EA. MS is a safe bet. Good funding, Not to big on rushing, Actually understands software support better then pretty much every other one, etc.

EA on the other hand...It seems more like if you remain profitable. You won't have your legs cut. But the minute you start to fade...Your in the blender.

At a time when one historically independent developer cuts its reins from Microsoft, another one becomes acquired by EA. Crazy times!

Now where were the rumors about this?

m0zart

It didn't involve Microsoft directly thus there were no leaks. If it had, I'm sure it would've been leaked a week ago. :lol:

[QUOTE="Robnyc22"]

Like I said, I will gladly take EA holding the publishing rights of BioWare games over MS any day of the week.

Shinoto

Not to mention...Unlike Sony or Nintendo...They still seem to love thier games on PC. Just one or the other exculsive first. And yet unlike Activision or EA or try to rush out ports on all system. They seem to hold it back till it is good. Not to mention MS themselves have already been publishing games on GBA and DS for a bit now.

OK so Nintendo and Sony are selfish and cruel for not releasing their games on Windows. With this same reasoning you should expect them to release their games on the XBox