Electronic Arts said today in a press release that it has
successfully completed the acquisition of VG Holding Corp. and has officially
welcomed BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios to the EA Games family.
The addition of the two studios to EA’s stable brings ten
new franchises to EA, based on six wholly-owned intellectual properties.
“BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios are two world-class
studios and bring strong, highly compatible cultures of creative excellence to
the EA Games Label,” said Frank Gibeau, president of the EA Games Label, who will
oversee the two studios within the organization. “Their strengths in the RPG,
action and adventure genres further broadens EA’s portfolio, and reinforces our
commitment to creating the world’s greatest interactive entertainment.”
The two doctor heads of BioWare, Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk,
along with Pandemic Studios’ Andrew Goldman and Josh Resnick have each been
named as Vice Presidents of EA and Co-General Managers of their former
companies.
“EA has shown great respect for the creative integrity of
our studios and BioWare’s core values of quality in our workplace, quality in
our products, and entrepreneurship,” said Muzyka. “Operating as a city-state
within the larger EA studio family, our talented teams at BioWare Edmonton and
BioWare Austin are empowered to continue delivering powerful emotional
experiences through our story-driven games.”
“Our new EA partnership is already proving to be both
positive and productive,” added Resnick. “Pandemic Studios prides itself upon
its creative independence while being the best place for top industry talent to
work. These values continue to be upheld by all levels of EA and we couldn’t be
more excited about the future of our studio and our games.”
EA’s plan to acquire BioWare and Pandemic was announced
on October 11, 2007 in a deal worth $860 million.