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Bioware and Pandemic Merging

Posted by Zonk on from the superdeveloper dept.

deadtroll writes "Gamespot is reporting that Bioware is teaming up with Pandemic and Elevation to create a mighty tri-continental juggernaut of supercoolness." From the article: "Now it has become clear the Elevation isn't done with games--not by a long shot. On Thursday, the company will announce it is backing the alliance of two major independent developers, Pandemic Studios and BioWare, into a new super-developer. Canada-based BioWare is a celebrated developer of role-playing games stretching from 1997's Baldur's Gate to the forthcoming Mass Effect for the Xbox 360. Pandemic is a much newer shop, but has enjoyed success with a string of hit action titles, including Full Spectrum Warrior, Mercenaries, and Destroy All Humans!"

27 comments

  1. That name isn't going piss of Homeland Security by antifoidulus · · Score: 4, Funny

    ElevatedBiowarePandemic, perfect!

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    Monstar L
    1. Re:That name isn't going piss of Homeland Security by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      how about VaPaWare

  2. Bird Flu by metalhed77 · · Score: 1

    Am I the only one who read the headline and thought: "Oh shit, bird flu is here and now!".

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    Photos.
    1. Re:Bird Flu by booch · · Score: 1

      I was thinking that now is a VERY good time to stop using the name "Pandemic".

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      Software sucks. Open Source sucks less.
  3. Their new name? "Avian Flu" by elrous0 · · Score: 1

    'nuff said. -Eric

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    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  4. Yes by Fr05t · · Score: 1

    You are alone, because everyone at /. RTFP + RTFA

    1. Re:Yes by Goldsmith · · Score: 1

      It may be me, but I usually read the headlines before TFP or TFA, and I had that same initial reaction.

    2. Re:Yes by Fr05t · · Score: 1

      Sorry, I was just attempting to whore some +funny karma. ;)

    3. Re:Yes by Goldsmith · · Score: 1

      Good effort, but you can be funnier next time. :)

  5. My hope for the merger by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe someone at Bioware will teach the Pandemic guys how to design a user interface. I haven't played a Bioware game that I can recall, but they certainly can't be any worse. I just bought Battlefront II, and changing the controls is an exercise in frustration the likes of which I haven't experienced since the last time I bought a Pandemic-developed game.

    1. Re:My hope for the merger by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They're obviously subscribers to the "Our way or the highway" school of thought.

      School of Controls-thought? School of thought-control?

  6. KOTOR, anyone? by zarthrag · · Score: 1

    Or maybe even FINISH kotor 2

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    Why can't all fpga/microcontroller manufacturers just release free optimizing compilers???
    1. Re:KOTOR, anyone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      BioWare wrote the original KOTOR, but were not responsible for KOTOR 2. All they contributed to that game was the KOTOR engine. Obsidian Entertainment developed the actual game.

    2. Re:KOTOR, anyone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Also, Obsidian had half-written a much better ending to KOTOR2 (google around) but LucasArts demanded an Xmas release date and the ending got nerfed.

      Had Obsidian been bigger with more of a rep' they could have stood up to LucasArts, but as is, thye are too small and too dependent to put up a fight.
      So, the blame resides with LucasArts not Obsidian.

  7. Wow, Pandemic... by kisrael · · Score: 1

    I just finished "Mercenaries"...I didn't realize the same company did "Clone Wars". Both were very enjoyable "arcadey" type military games with a lot of asplodin' action. I think now I'm definately going to check out "Destroy All Humans"...

    What's this Elevated thing? Just some kind of holding company?

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    SO YOU'RE GOING TO DIE: The Comic for Dealing with Death
    1. Re:Wow, Pandemic... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Elevation: Private equity company - i.e. a major cash infusion. Plus, they bring John Ricitello, former EA boss.

  8. Pandemic's Age by MichaelKVance · · Score: 3, Informative

    Pandemic was founded in 1998, BioWare 1995. Pandemic isn't a young company, they were spun off from ATVI long ago. Their original games were PC titles like Dark Reign and Battlezone.

    m.

    --
    "Sebastian you're in a mess. They called you King of all the Hipsters, is it true or are you still the Queen?" -- B
  9. "merging"... that's not what I wrote by deadtroll · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Ok, this is the first time I actually managed to get a story posted on Slashdot, but it ISN'T WHAT I POSTED! What the hoo ha? Bioware and Pandemic aren't merging, they're working together on a project. Plus they (Zonk I guess) cut my joke!
    What the hell? I mean, go ahead and reject my postings, but don't completely rewrite the damn things!
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    "Immature Artists borrow. Mature Artists steal."
    Wes Borg

    --
    "Immature artists borrow. Mature artists steal."
    Wes Borg
    1. Re:"merging"... that's not what I wrote by Surye · · Score: 1

      Wait wait wait..... they edit these things?

    2. Re:"merging"... that's not what I wrote by simtel · · Score: 1

      Can you imagine? A Pandemic NeverWinter Nights - Mercenaries style? I get chills just thinking about it.

    3. Re:"merging"... that's not what I wrote by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They're not actually working together on a project, they've got joint financing and will be working together. The post was mysteriously edited to reflect reality.

    4. Re:"merging"... that's not what I wrote by deadtroll · · Score: 1

      Oh come on. Ok, they're "working together"... not on "a project", just "working together". My point is that I didn't write "merged", and my post turned into a giant quote from GameSpot instead of what I wrote, which was annotated and hyperlinked up the wazoo, and had at least 2 half-decent jokes.

      --
      "Immature artists borrow. Mature artists steal."
      Wes Borg
    5. Re:"merging"... that's not what I wrote by Elshar · · Score: 1


      It's not wrong... It's just that, well... It's not correct. I'm sorry. :(

  10. How about "BioPandemic Ware"? by deadtroll · · Score: 1

    It would get people's attention.

    --
    "Immature artists borrow. Mature artists steal."
    Wes Borg
  11. Official Website by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://bioware.pandemicstudios.com/

  12. Looks like their webpage is up by deadtroll · · Score: 1

    http://bioware.pandemicstudios.com/ Oooooh.
    I just hope they're hirin'.
    --
    "Immature Artists borrow. Mature Artists steal."
    Wes Borg

    --
    "Immature artists borrow. Mature artists steal."
    Wes Borg
    1. Re:Looks like their webpage is up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I guess they are... --> http://bioware.pandemicstudios.com/jobs.html