7139408
story
Comments: 161 +- Games: EA Shuts Down Pandemic Studios, Cuts 200 Jobs on Friday November 20, @12:01AM
background: url(//a.fsdn.com/sd/topics/topicbusiness.gif); width:64px; height:54px;
business
background: url(//a.fsdn.com/sd/topics/topicgames.gif); width:68px; height:77px;
games
lbalbalba writes "Electronic Arts is shutting down its Westwood-based game developer Pandemic Studios just two years after acquiring it, putting nearly 200 people out of work. 'The struggling video game publisher informed employees Tuesday morning that it was closing the studio as part of a recently announced plan to eliminate 1,500 jobs, or 16% of its global workforce. Pandemic has about 220 employees, but an EA spokesman said that a core team, estimated by two people close to the studio to be about 25, will be integrated into the publisher's other Los Angeles studio, in Playa Vista.' An ex-developer for Pandemic attributed the studio's struggles to poor decisions from the management."
Related Stories
Necessity is a mother.
All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the Poster. The Rest © 1997-2010 Geeknet, Inc.
Hmmmm. (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I can't imagine there's a ton of VC floating around right now, and even less so for folks coming out of an unsuccessful (as of late) studio.
Not to say that has anything to do with the developers, mind you.
EA (Score:5, Insightful)
EA destroys and corrupts whatever it touches. A developer being bought by EA is the kiss of death for all their franchises, IMO. The classic example is Westwood Studios and a series that was very dear to me, Command & Conquer.
At least we'll always have new versions of Madden!
Re: (Score:2)
EA destroys and corrupts whatever it touches. A developer being bought by EA is the kiss of death
But I thought that they bring out the whips and chains first??
Re: (Score:2)
I agree. The C&C series are what made me love RTS type games. C&C, Red Alert etc and the classics of a game studio who just do it right. Sadly, that was killed by EA and nobody has really stepped up to fill the gap :(
Re:EA (Score:5, Interesting)
In particular co-op RTSs seem to be non-existent and most that do support it seem like it was added at the last moment on a whim. If you're interested in a game that has more focus on the S part of RTS, and excellent co-op opportunities, i recommend AI War: Fleet Command [arcengames.com]. It's an indy game written by a developer who actually cares about it's playerbase(No i'm not that developer, but I do play the game), and makes free DLC available almost every week with bug fixes, gameplay improvements, new units, etc. The gameplay is very asymmetrical. The enemy has already taken over the galaxy and is now distracted with other pursuits. The more planets you capture and the more structures you destroy the more annoyed the enemy becomes, sending larger and more powerful fleets against you. You can't go recklessly taking over every planet you encounter because the enemy would soon be mighty pissed and send everything it has against you.
It's not for everyone, however you should at least check it out if you're finding the RTS platform has been lacking as of late.
Parent
Re:EA (Score:4, Insightful)
One word:
BULLFROG.
Parent
Re:EA (Score:5, Insightful)
I wonder what will happen to their next game, The Saboteur, which is due out in 3 weeks. It is worth noting that they have no other projects announced recently, perhaps this was long on the horizon.
Parent
Re: (Score:2)
For the most part the game is done. Any necessary patches, etc. are being handled by the 25.
Re: (Score:3)
Yup...I miss the old Westwood so much. Command & Conquer was such a great series before EA got their hands on it. I was actually recently playing over the original again after downloading it from an abandonware site*, and it's still far better than most of the recent ones. Generals isn't bad, though the whole 'generals abilities' thing and unlimited cashflow buildings take a lot out of the game. But C&C3 and RA3 are both complete garbage. Such a huge loss...
I still remember playing on...what the hel
Re: (Score:2)
I keep hearing "RA3 and TW are so horrible!" but nobody ever states a good reason. Is it because they're so polished? Having "big name" actors in the cutscenes? What is it?
I've been playing C&C games since Tiberian Sun, and I like Tiberium Wars and Red Alert 3 better than the previous games. Plus, come on, Tim Curry! TIM CURRY!
Re: (Score:2)
The balance for one. They're too easy. I beat TW in under a week. Yet I've played the original countless times and I still don't think I've ever actually beaten it without taking advantage of game bugs ('sandbag trick' anyone?). It's actually a _challenge_. TW and RA3 are just a grind. Sure, the missions had a bit more depth to them - a few more objectives and larger enemy bases, but in the end it all boiled down to building a shitload of one unit and storming the enemy with it. What fun is that? That shit
Re: (Score:2)
Interestingly one of my pet peeves with the original C&C as well as most RTS games is that they are way too easy for about 80% of the game and painfully hard for the remaining 20%, nothing like getting stuck halfway through a game because you just can't get past some ridiculously hard level (bonus points if it's one of those C&C trademark "fuck this strategy shit, let's just give the player two engineers and a commando" levels that are basically squad tactics and involve no large-scale strategy what
Re: (Score:2)
Joke aside, I've yet to find strategy games that are actually balanced and fun. Total Annihilation came close, and is one of my all ever favorites. Still I'd like some strategy game which is based on what a war could actually be.
Most of the mission on every RST out there could be lose by the player in the first two seconds if the AI was truly playing a competitive game. I mean, i
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
That's a bit trite. Given the vast tech tree and weapon-vs-target modifiers in Warzone 2100, "most powerful" is largely subjective. What's more "powerful", super-heavy tracked bodies with heavy cannons, packs of light-bodied VTOLS with tank-killer missiles, or swarms of cyborgs with lasers? And how about the decision whether to build mobile units, or to go hog wild on building long ranged fixed artillery and the
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Westwood and Origin both hung themselves with the rope that EA gave them. Pandemic did the same, as the second link in this story makes clear. All this shows is that when you give people a bigger budget, the problems don't go away, they get bigger too. It has nothing to do with EA buying the studio; having EA around to bankroll the studio just makes the death spiral that much more spectacular.
Re: (Score:2)
Yep. In recent times also Mercenairies 2 was one of the best coop games I've ever played, if not the best, the free world with so many vehicles and toys to play with just opened so many doors to play around- just doing fun stuff like sticking the cruise missile target beacon onto the side of your friends helicopter and watch him fly around with a cruise missile chasing him was pretty funny. Attacking the enemy base by stealing a large enemy helicopter then slowly dismantling their base by airlifting all the
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
I think the worst example is Origin, instantly after EA bought Origin things went down the gutters, I will never forgive EA for killing Ultima the game series which is the grandfather of all western rpgs.
Without Ultima 7 there neither would be any Gothic or anything from Bethestha.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
so true....
I was almost thinking Sims 3 might bring them back into quality...
Then I found out about them releasing a half finished empty game that micro transactioned you into the ground...
First sims game I actually bought - and it will be the last.
Spore was a great idea - that EA management managed to butcher because their 'user groups' felt were too intelligent for the masses.
Simcity Societies ... what? !
I realised then, whatever was left of maxis was gone.
I dont really think the problem is that hard to f
Re: (Score:2)
I do. I'm hoping they could "reform" and be out from EA's thumb. Great company, and being bought up by EA was the worst thing that could happen.
Unfortunately if this happens, they loose much of the IP I would really consider to be theirs in the first place.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Except that the Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights IP is tied to the D&D license - from Hasbro.
Knights of the Old Republic? LucasArts and Hasbro.
They'd lose Dragon Age, Mass Effect and Jade Empire - and bunch of technology, naturally.
Re:EA (Score:4, Interesting)
What's interesting is that Bioware merged with Pandemic before being bought by EA. Seemed odd that an RPG developer would get together with an FPS developer like that. Also seems strange that if Pandemic was so poorly managed as indicated in other comments that an amazingly well-run company like Bioware would merge with it. Another oddity here is that Riticello, the current CEO of EA, was one of the people who orchestrated with Bioware/Pandemic merger before EA acquired them and he became CEO.
Given all these facts the closure of Pandemic could be a deep betrayal or someone getting their freedom after a big payout. Ah, the world of game business.
At any rate, I keep reminding people that Bioware is now owned by EA. Other studios manage to put out a few good games before they're killed off by EA, too. So, keep hoping the streak lasts.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I have long boycotted EA - anything they make I won't buy, period. They mistreat their workforce, they use business practices that are borderline illegal to illegal (not paying aged football players for their rights and going around them), to just plain evil - like buying the exclusive rights to just about every kind of american football, and to the ESPN name just so they wouldn't have to compete with Visual Concepts/TakeTwo on Madden, after a sound trouncing from NFL2K5, then having the gall to have a sha
The 25 employees who remain ... (Score:3, Informative)
Obligitory (Score:2)
They are NOT hurting for funding (Score:5, Insightful)
This makes sense. EA is strapped for cash. It's not like they just designed, developed, leased, furnished, and staffed a couple of storefronts on prime real estate to advertise one game to a limited audience [kotaku.com].
Companies don't know how to manage money anymore. Long term gains (like a productive group with experience working together) are traded for short term gains (advertising gimmicks) so often that nowadays it's just the expected mode of operation.
I don't know too much about Pandemic Studios in particular, but I've been hearing about a LOT of layoffs at EA, and at the same time it's almost like they are throwing money away on brand placement. No company ever thinks to improve their bottom line by steadily generating quality product anymore. The money that goes into solid development is always the dregs of money first given to analysts and marketers.
I'm normally not a foaming-at-the-mouth anti-establishment labor-theory humanist, but things like this (especially with the oft-cited 'global economy') really and truly make me sick.
Re:They are NOT hurting for funding (Score:4, Insightful)
Parent
Re: (Score:2)
No company ever thinks to improve their bottom line by steadily generating quality product anymore. The money that goes into solid development is always the dregs of money first given to analysts and marketers.
I'm normally not a foaming-at-the-mouth anti-establishment labor-theory humanist, but things like this (especially with the oft-cited 'global economy') really and truly make me sick.
Blizzard... but they are the major exception to the rule (the Pixar of games?)
Other than that I agree completely about the 'global economy' bs. Not every job is 'cog' job despite management's wet dream fantasies to make it so....
Re: (Score:2)
Blizzard is more than the WoW MMOG crack market that is their most recent creation... Starcraft, Diablo, Warcraft etc...
Re:They are NOT hurting for funding (Score:4, Insightful)
I don't disagree with your stance on EA, but I don't think that EA spending this money on the storefronts in the article is really a big waste.
It's a marketing test bed, basically. Some junior executive somewhere "synergized" the apple store concept and made a couple stores to test out EA Active on their target market, namely moms whose kids have Wiis (I have no doubt these stores were in malls), and to get some feedback on the product. The market for that is gigantic and right now there's only Wii Fit and a handful of others to tap into it.
I don't think a 6 months worth of rent and cheap labor at two locations is more expensive than a large focus study to improve your product or a massive blanket ad campaign that your market won't identify with, each costing millions. Plus their results will be more real and targeted.
And I think 6 months is a good estimate; they won't be around long, I'm sure. Note the decor from the pic in the Kotaku article. Note the lack of permanent fixtures. Stylishly minimalist, yes. Moves out easily, too.
EA has to keep trying things like this. It is a giant lumbering beast, borne of an economic boom and grown under those times of plenty. It consumed its kin and grew more massive still, and now it is a large, unwieldy thing and times are getting slim. It must feed on new cash crops, or limbs begin to wither and fall away. So you'll likely see more gimmick attempts to make a signature brand or one-up breakout successes, any attempt to sustain the creature. I don't think they'll succeed. EA doesn't make games anymore, they just buy people who do.
Parent
Sustainability? (Score:2)
Is this model sustainable? With the number of expansions, absorbed companies and conquest, it looks like EA is turning into the GM of gaming. they may be healthy now but what about in a year? 5 years? 10 years? It's like cutting off your pinky to lose weight. It's gone, and never coming back.
Move along nothing to see (Score:2)
I've lost count of how many studios EA has chewed up and spit out.
This isn't news, it's just more of the same.
Gamasutra job listings (Score:2)
I assume one of the bad management decisions was seemingly spending all their money on Gamasutra job postings? When I was looking around for a new job a couple of years ago it seemed like every other posting was for a position at Pandemic.
Conflict of interest? (Score:4, Interesting)
The interesting part of this is that the CEO had EA purchase his old company for a high amount of $$$ and only two years later shut it down while he personally pocketed several million.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/96237-Analyst-Chews-Out-EA-CEO-Over-Pandemic-Closure [escapistmagazine.com]
From an ex-Pandemite (Score:5, Informative)
I'm an ex-Pandemite.
For me, the turning point was around 2006, with the new hardware generation. There were lots of really passionate people here, but the development and design methodologies that worked well in the previous gen simply did not scale up with the larger projects, and things got confusing and out of hand. This was compounded by each internal team having their own unique technology and tools. The amount of redundancy, knowledge lost and effort wasted between projects was quite substantial, not to mention a somewhat lack of ownership or accountability. I was hoping that Sab would be the turning point, but it looks like it is not to be (good news is that last I heard, all SKUs are golden). I hope that many will be able to enjoy it.
What really irks me is that this was a really passionate and talented bunch with so much potential. Definitely the best group I've had the honor to be with, and possibly ever will be.
Cheers to the 16, 18, and 19.
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
The Star Wars Battlefront PC games were pretty good. The console ports were decent too.
Re:Good (Score:5, Insightful)
Pandemic studios never made anything worth having
I beg to differ. Battlezone 2 was and still is one of the best games ever made, easily one of the most immersive games around, one that never gets stale, which is maybe why it still has a loyal following. What other game from 10 years ago still has new mods coming out, to say nothing of substantial revisions to the original game done by some of the original programmers working on their own time?
Parent
Re:Good (Score:4, Informative)
What other game from 10 years ago still has new mods coming out, to say nothing of substantial revisions to the original game done by some of the original programmers working on their own time?
4x4 Evo2 http://vales.com/evo2/default.asp [vales.com]
And yes, I know you were being rhetorical, but you did ask.
Parent
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
You...are...so...wrong
Destroy All Humans 1 & 2 is damn good game series.
Mercenaries 1 & 2 is also a good games.
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Star Wars Battlefront I has shit play control and crap camera behavior (not to mention generally shitty graphics.) Star Wars Battlefront II eliminated everything good about the first game (huge maps, more vehicles) but gave great play control and much better camera behavior. It's hard to say either of them is really a fantastic game; if you put the two of them together, you'd have one fantastic title. I have both, can no longer bring myself to play SWBF I as I always feel like it's cheaped me to death, but
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Yeah, that's basically my experience with them. I still install & play the first one sometimes, mostly to play single-player with bots and do Hoth over and over, or to play the galactic conquest mode or whatever it's called. It's not a great game, but come on, Hoth!
II was terrible, though. Maybe it's better multiplayer?
Re: (Score:2)
Unfortunately, it seemed like they may have actually been getting better as they made more games.
Re:Damn it, EA... (Score:5, Insightful)
EA really is the touch of death.
They suck up a company and intellectual property, they cut the budgets, take over management of the game, and demand a copy be on the shelves six months from three months ago, whether it's ready to go or not. They'll release an alpha build if that's what it takes, then they'll take it out of the ass of the company they bought when the game fails. They never take responsibility for their actions.
I pray EA never comes out with a Wing Commander game. The Command and Conquer days have long since been over, the dream has been killed off. I don't want that to happen to Wing Commander. From my experiences with the SNES Wing Commanders and the Privateer games, I hold those sacred in my heart. EA doesn't need to fuck those up, either, but neither will they sell the IP in fears that it might conflict with Madden games.
Parent
Re: (Score:2)
The galling part is that EA will rush to a fire sale and gobble up any IP they can get their hands on and then go out and produce 5 or 6 new series that are similar to the IPs that they just threw hundreds of thousands at. Its like someone there confused patent with trademark.
Re: (Score:2)
Wing Commander 4 and Ultima 8 already were developed fully under EA influence, so go figure...
Wing Commander 4 sucked, Ultima 8 while not bad per se was branded as Super Mario Avatar!
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Citation Needed.
Please provide one example of where EA released an alpha build. Or one example of where EA purchased a game already in development and then immediately diverted funds.
As much as you would like EA to be the big bad wolf knocking over studios left and right, the facts are that almost every studio that has gone down in flames under EA's ownership has done so due to its own people dropping the ball.
If you read any of the ex-Pandemic posts you will see that it was local mismanagement which led t
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Tried to play the SNES version one day, it was not that bad it mostly was a 1:1 port of the PC version, Wing Commander 1 was a very basic game to begin with limited by the machines of that time. Wing Commander 2 was the one which gave the series its good name and Wing Commander 3 was the one which made it famous. (And Wing 4 killed it thanks to EAs heavy influence which you can contribute to everything which sucked at part 4)
Re: (Score:2)
Huh. I was expecting an Ultima whine.