Analyst Chews Out EA CEO Over Pandemic Closure

Andy Chalk

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Nov 12, 2002
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Analyst Chews Out EA CEO Over Pandemic Closure


At least one industry analyst is incensed over Electronic Arts' decision to close down Pandemic Studios [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/96185-Pandemic-Studios-Shuts-Down], saying CEO John Riccitiello should consider resigning over the debacle.

EA's announced its decision to close Market Rap [http://www.pandemicstudios.com/] is calling shenanigans, suggesting that Riccitiello made a ton of money on the deal and may have helped line the pockets of his former partners while EA shareholders are paying for it through stock value that has declined drastically since the acquisition took place.

EA announced its Firaxis [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/77860-EA-Acquires-Bioware-and-Pandemic] in 2006 for $27 million. Particularly troubling for Rod is the fact that Riccitiello was one of the founders of Elevation and made the deal only eight months after returning to EA to assume the role of chief executive.

"It would be a sad statement for shareholder activism and shareholder rights if Mr. Riccitello were to continue his tenure as CEO of Electronic Arts without a challenge. If a high profile chief executive essentially buys his own company, a deal like that should be put to the highest of standards. These results are the lowest of lows," Rod wrote. "There has not been a single developer in the video game industry that has been purchased for anywhere near this deal's 840 million dollar price tag, but the fact that it blew up in this way only two years later is what is especially outrageous. Mr. Riccitello ought to consider resigning his position for committing such a blatant act of self serving greed at the expense of EA's shareholders."

Ironically, his complaint comes on the same day that a NeoGAF user claiming to be a former Pandemic employee said the decision to close the studio was probably the right one. "Pandemic cost a lot to upkeep and, quite frankly, the last few products weren't up to snuff," he wrote [http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=379899&page=7]. He also noted that "it probably doesn't look good for JR considering he made a cool 5 mil off of the sale of Pandemic/Bioware."




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Sibbo

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Furburt said:
What games did they actually make again?
Starwars Battlefront 1 and 2
Destroy All Humans! 1 and 2
Full Spectrum Warrior
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction
The Lord of the Rings: Conquest
There are more, which can be found here [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandemic_Studios#Completed_games/].
 

funguy2121

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I could probably go without losing any sleep if all of EA disappeared tomorrow. I know, they did really well with SOME of the Call of Duty games, but that's about it. Unless I'm misinformed, EA was the first company to pull the ***** move of surprising the gamer with no local multiplayer support, stating later that they feared if you went over your friend's house to play the game you wouldn't buy it for yourself.

For that, they deserve a fate worse than Saddam.
 

fix-the-spade

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Feb 25, 2008
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This maybe a dumb question, but where does the mess leave The Saboteur?

That one looked vaguely interesting, are Pandemic going to finish it or is on the cutting room floor along with their jobs?
 

Jaqen Hghar

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fix-the-spade said:
This maybe a dumb question, but where does the mess leave The Saboteur?

That one looked vaguely interesting, are Pandemic going to finish it or is on the cutting room floor along with their jobs?
Was just going to ask this myself. I hadn't even heard of the game until I saw a video on GiantBomb last week. Looked pretty nifty. Like a WW2 Assassins Creed with a chainsmoking Irishman. Gameplay looked wicked fun as well.
 

Captain Pancake

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what? But I wasted so many hours with battlefront and the original mercenaries... let me tell you, those were hours well wasted.
 

scotth266

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Jan 10, 2009
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Is there any word whether Saboteur will be saved? I want to get my hands on Pandemic's last game... especially since the main character is an Irishman.
 

A Weary Exile

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Aug 24, 2009
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Sibbo said:
Furburt said:
What games did they actually make again?
Starwars Battlefront 1 and 2
Destroy All Humans! 1 and 2
Full Spectrum Warrior
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction
The Lord of the Rings: Conquest
There are more, which can be found here [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandemic_Studios#Completed_games/].
'Tis truly a sad day for gamers the world over.

*Removes hat in respect*
 

A Weary Exile

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scotth266 said:
Is there any word whether Saboteur will be saved? I want to get my hands on Pandemic's last game... especially since the main character is an Irishman.
Which game are you talking about?
 

squid5580

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Feb 20, 2008
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Mercs 2 and LOTR Conquest weren't up to snuff. And why did they let go of Destroy all Humans? Path of the Furon was horrible.
 

Caliostro

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Jan 23, 2008
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Sibbo said:
Furburt said:
What games did they actually make again?
Starwars Battlefront 1 and 2
Destroy All Humans! 1 and 2
Full Spectrum Warrior
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction
The Lord of the Rings: Conquest
There are more, which can be found here [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandemic_Studios#Completed_games/].
And nothing of value was lost...


That said, my take on this is Riccitiello scammed EA out of money for himself on the purchase (800 million? REALLY?) but this closure wasn't part of it, just shrapnel from the "EA Massacre" basically.
 

ma55ter_fett

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Oct 6, 2009
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Sibbo said:
Furburt said:
What games did they actually make again?
Starwars Battlefront 1 and 2
Destroy All Humans! 1 and 2
Full Spectrum Warrior
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction
The Lord of the Rings: Conquest
There are more, which can be found here [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandemic_Studios#Completed_games/].
Battlefront?

Shit, now I am sorely depressed. I was hopeing that a battlefront 3 would come out on the 360. Now it will never happen. =(