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EA buys BioWare, Pandemic
The Mass Effect and Mercenaries developers change hands for more than $800 million.
by Ryan Geddes
US, October 11, 2007 - Electronic Arts announced today that it has purchased the holding company that owns BioWare and Pandemic Studios.
The acquisition will cost EA about $775 million, which includes a $650 million cash payment to the stockholders of VG Holding Corp., which directly owns the two developers, and an additional $155 million in equity to select VG employees.
As part of the agreement, EA said it plans to lend up to $35 million to the company through the closing of the deal, expected in January. EA will also assume outstanding VG Holding Corp. stock options.
VG Holding is owned by Elevation Partners, which invested $300 million in BioWare and Pandemic in November 2005, creating one of the world's best-funded and largest independent game development houses.
Elevation Partners (which includes U2 front-man Bono) was formerly headed by John Riccitello, who left EA in 2004 to form the company. Riccitello re-joined EA as chief operating officer in April.
"We are truly excited by John Riccitiello's new vision for EA," said Ray Muzyka, Co-founder and CEO of BioWare Corp. in a news release Thursday. "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."
Pandemic Studios is led by Andrew Goldman, Josh Resnick and Greg Borrud. BioWare Corp. is jointly led by Greg Zeschuk and Muzyka. Those teams will join the EA Games Label run by Frank Gibeau, President of EA Games.
BioWare's upcoming RPG Mass Effect is scheduled for a November 20 release. Pandemic Studios is currently working on Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, expected to be released in April.
业界发行商巨头EA昨日宣布将收购VG Holding Corp.——意味着EA将成为BioWare（博德之门、质量效应）和Pandemic（全方位战士、星战前线）的新主人。
BioWare在是业界数一数二的RPG开发厂商，曾经制作过著名的《博德之门》系列和《旧共和国武士》；而Pandemic在制作动作游戏方面也有很高水平。EA此举为加强其开发商阵容是可以理解的。
收购将在2008年1月完成。EA需要向VG Holding Corp.的股东支付6.2亿美元，同时向“部分雇员”支付1.55亿美元。同时EA同意借出3500万美元作为周转资金。BioWare创办人和CEO Ray Muzyka认为考虑到BioWare制作游戏的高水平，这些钱花的值得，他说，“我们可以进一步发展我们有热情、有创意、努力奋斗的BioWare工作小组。”
EA随后与BiaWare和Pandemic进行了电话会议，其中谈到Xbox 360的独占游戏《质量效应》。本来游戏是由微软游戏工作室发行的，但由于游戏版权现在已经属于EA所有，所以Gamasutra认为“极有可能将由EA发行”。
众所周知EA一向贯彻全平台发展。所以在将来看到PS3或者PC上的《质量效应》将是意料中的事情。
[ 本帖最后由 紫晶情缘 于 2007-10-13 13:34 编辑 ] |
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发表于 2007-10-12 16:54:41
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