EA closes the door on Pandemic Studios
- Posted November 17th, 2009 at 19:59 EDT by Adam Dolge
- 47 Comments
It appears Electronic Arts has shut the doors of Pandemic, and in doing so, some 200 employees have lost their jobs. Kotaku reports that an internal memo from EA has confirmed the studio was shut down today with a “core IP team” being relocated to Electronic Arts’ Los Angeles office.
"I want to make it clear that the Pandemic brand and franchises will live on," Nick Earl, EA games label senior vice president, wrote in the memo. "In the months ahead, we will announce plans for new games based on Pandemic franchises.
"This type of change can be difficult. But the situation calls for us to act decisively, to take control of our destiny and to run a stronger, more focused development operation. That's how we will continue to make great games in our LA studios."
Key employees were laid off, including former CEO Andrew Goldman, former president Josh Resnick, and form VP of product development Greg Borrud. The studio started in 1998 and was purchased by EA in 2007 after successful releases of Full Spectrum Warrior, Star Wars: Battlefront, and Mercenaries.
Pandemic was working on the World War II era sandbox title The Saboteur, with a 2010 release date on multiple platforms. It’s unclear at this time how the closure will impact the game’s release.
Email
Related Content
Comments
-
SolidSnakeUS
- 3:00pm EST - November 17th, 2009
- 1
Wow, I'm going to miss them actually. They've had a great history of games. Even if it will live on, the name won't be there... just like Westwood Studios. God do I miss Westwood Studios.
-
-
-
alrightiwill333
- 3:06pm EST - November 17th, 2009
- 4
and the recession-proof gaming industry takes another casuality :'( loved the mercs games
-
-
-
-
-
Dave-The-Rave |
Dave-The-Rave- 3:14pm EST - November 17th, 2009
- 9
WTF!? The Saboteur is one of my Christmas titles !! It better still come out on its release date !!
-
residentevilrocks91
- 3:17pm EST - November 17th, 2009
- 10
Every game I tried from them sucked. Mercenaries 2 and The Lord of the Rings the conquest or whatever also sucked.
-
-
-
-
-
darthrazorback
- 3:35pm EST - November 17th, 2009
- 15
One of the truly innovative groups in the industry. I usually don't care when they close down studios but this one... well, seems messed up.
-
-
spawn of stumpy
- 3:45pm EST - November 17th, 2009
- 17
this is typical of big companies buying up small developers. They buy them, thus gaining the rights to the good franchises, then either strip the company to the bone laying off jobs, or shut down the company blaming recession laying off tonnes of staff. Then the remaining (good) franchises now belong to the big company are finished, released & they get all the credit & earnings that the hard working folk from the small developer should of been entitled to. end result - Hard working folk trying to make their small company suceed are screwed whilst the the big company rakes in the money. i say - BOYCOTT EA. support the underdog
-
XAversionX
- 3:50pm EST - November 17th, 2009
- 18
@1
I miss Westwood too, EA imo hasnt made a great CC game yet.
-
-
This will permanently ban this user and delete all associated comments. This action is irreversible, are you SURE you want to do this?!
