Bioware MMOG Fucked, EA BUYOUTS Bioware & Pandemic Studios

Holy shit, I’m reeling. I’m fucking sick to my stomach, which is even more jacked up. Afk a bit, while this sinks in. I mean, EA. It was alright with Mythic, but my baby Bioware. Jesus. Make fun of me in the comments. SOE is no longer the evil empire.

Update: Alright, alright. I enhanced my calm the John Spartan way. Don’t blog when high on emotions or crack cocaine. EA has been expanding their online gaming division (we want us some mmog money hats, dawg) for the last few years or longer, but pushing more aggressively since World of Warcraft stormed onto the scene. I’m disappointed to see this large evil blob conglomerate suck their way in and employ burgeoning development strategies destroy what is already a fantastic studio that doesn’t need any EA influence. In the coming months expect major damage control by the pr mouth pieces flapping in the wind sounds off familiar statements: “This partnership will make our games better - Match made it heaven - I got a new Porsche - Life is grand and our games Rock with EA!” We met on Ehar(mmo)ny, we knew we were perfect for each other when EA combed his hair to the side and shoved 800 million dollars in my g-string.

Electronic Arts Inc. said Thursday it agreed to acquire VG Holding Corp. — which owns both BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios — from Elevation Partners in a deal valued at $860 million.

Redwood City-based EA (NASDAQ:ERTS) said the acquisition gives it a “strong competitive position in key genres in interactive entertainment: action, adventure and role-playing games.”

The deal with Elevation Partners, which has an office in Menlo Park, includes $620 million in cash to stockholders and another $155 million in equity to employees. EA has also agreed to assume about $50 million in outstanding VG stock options.

BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios have 10 franchises under development, including six wholly owned games. BioWare Corp. is currently developing Mass Effect, which will be published by Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) in November, and is in the early development stages of a massively multiplayer online game.

The two companies employ about 800 people across four studios located in Canada, Los Angeles, Austin, and Australia.

EA said it also agreed to lend VG Holding Corp. up to $35 million through the closing of the acquisition.

Source.