View Full Version : EA to Publish Mercenaries 2
FriskyTanuki
02-01-2007, 07:46 PM
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6165144.html
Today, though, BioWare/Pandemic revealed it has struck a deal with one of the most traditional publishers of all, Electronic Arts. The agreement will see EA distribute, sell, and market Mercenaries 2 worldwide through its EA Partners program much like it does Valve Software's hit shooter Half-Life 2. According to a press release from the publisher, the game is set for a holiday 2007 release, and is still exclusive to the PS3.
Edit: http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4682&Itemid=2
He adds, “Part of the business as a developer is constantly talking to different potential publishers, but the deal with EA lets us maintain control of the development and the IP, which is really important to us.”
There you have it. It goes multiplatform when Pandemic says so.
Roufuss
02-01-2007, 07:47 PM
Now that it's in EA's hands, it's a definite this is gonna get ported to the 360.
FriskyTanuki
02-01-2007, 08:05 PM
Now that it's in EA's hands, it's a definite this is gonna get ported to the 360.
How is EA going to force Pandemic/Bioware to port it? They're just publishing it.
whoknows
02-01-2007, 08:07 PM
Sony really should have taken the opportunity to publish it themselves....
panasonic
02-01-2007, 08:12 PM
Glad to hear still PS3 exclusive
dpatel
02-01-2007, 08:55 PM
It could still stay exclusive. I believe EA published Oddworld on the Xbox, and that remained exclusive.
elmyra
02-01-2007, 10:30 PM
Glad to hear still PS3 exclusive
Why?
seanr1221
02-02-2007, 04:42 AM
I could of sworn I read in a Game Informer this was also coming to 360.
How is EA going to force Pandemic/Bioware to port it? They're just publishing it.
Agree. Just like they could not get Oddworld Inhabitants to port Oddworld Stranger's Wrath on PS2
Sporadic
02-02-2007, 04:53 AM
It could still stay exclusive. I believe EA published Oddworld on the Xbox, and that remained exclusive.
The only reason that happened is because they had no choice in the matter. It was either delay the game for 5+ months or just release it on the Xbox.
IGN learned the PlayStation 2 version was much farther behind in development than the lead Xbox version, and EA decided it didn't want to ship them in staggered fashion. The fundamental architecture of the Xbox game's code required that the development team working on the PS2 version would have needed another five months or more to get up to speed with the Xbox version. Oddworld Stranger was originally designed for the Xbox, and apparently, it will remain exclusively for the Xbox.
dpatel
02-02-2007, 03:22 PM
The only reason that happened is because they had no choice in the matter. It was either delay the game for 5+ months or just release it on the Xbox.
How is that different from any other port? All ports are going to add development time.
dallow
02-02-2007, 04:00 PM
Thought it was going to 360 as well, but I really don't care either way.
ryanbph
02-02-2007, 04:18 PM
I don't think it had been announced at a 360 game yet, but there were 2 things...shortly after e3 when they were answering ?, they used the same phrase ubisoft did with assains creed..."exclusive to the ps3 at this time" It lead many to believe it was going to be ported, espically after the assains creed switch. They other thing a couple months back there was some developers journal or something to that nature talking about the progress of the game...all the pictures posted had the xbox 360 on display, and i believe one of the pictures had one of the developers holding the 360 controller. If it was a ps3 exclusive and they haven't announced another game they are working on it didn't make sense for the 360 to be in the office never mind being used. I would assume it is just a matter of time before the studio announces something, and I would assume it is mercaneries 2, but it could be another game. Even if it stays ps3 exclusive, imo this game won't be the one that makes people want a ps3. The original was fun, but far from a great game and it is far removed from being a system seller.
ArthurDigbySellers
02-02-2007, 04:46 PM
True 3rd party exclusives are dead. This will be a time-based exclusive like everything else on the 360 and PS3. For as much money as it costs to make games nowadays, it is almost a foregone conclusion that a game will be released across as many platforms as possible.
It could still stay exclusive. I believe EA published Oddworld on the Xbox, and that remained exclusive.
It was going to PS2 but techinical restictions (read: the PS2 was underpowered compared to the Xbox) prevented them from porting the Xbox version to the PS2 like they planned, so they just chalked it up as an Xbox exclusive. This isn't the case here.
dpatel
02-02-2007, 06:06 PM
It was going to PS2 but techinical restictions (read: the PS2 was underpowered compared to the Xbox) prevented them from porting the Xbox version to the PS2 like they planned, so they just chalked it up as an Xbox exclusive. This isn't the case here.
I'm sure they could've done it though. PS2 was always getting downgraded ports.
heybtbm
02-02-2007, 07:41 PM
Mercenaries 2 will be on the 360. Anyone thinking (or saying) otherwise is a fanboy or just plain naive.
Kaijufan
02-02-2007, 09:14 PM
I have to agree with you heybtbm.
depascal22
02-02-2007, 09:25 PM
The last two Oddworlds were Xbox exclusives and the developer went belly up. I think EA will "influence" the developer to port the game to the 360. It would be financial suicide to keep it a PS3 exclusive. Odds are it will be half assed port but it'll get a 360 release nonetheless.
EA DOES have alot of control over ports and whatnot. Burnout 3 was planned to be released on all three platforms but when EA became the publisher they canned the 'Cube version.
As for Stranger's Wrath, the developers respected its artistic merits and did not want to dumb it down for the PS2.
FriskyTanuki
02-02-2007, 10:36 PM
EA DOES have alot of control over ports and whatnot. Burnout 3 was planned to be released on all three platforms but when EA became the publisher they canned the 'Cube version.
Because EA bought Criterion while they were developing it. At that point, they have the control to cancel whatever versions that they wanted to cancel.
sononkyo
02-02-2007, 11:42 PM
Good, with EA publishing it, the weight of meeting Wall St. quarterly results will minimize delays. Blizzard I extend the "when it's done, it's done rope" because of its track record and also because it's PC patch city but no other console game house deserves to linger on because of "tuning up". Push it out. If it sucks now, it sucks now 8 months later.
uncle5555
02-03-2007, 11:39 AM
Even if it stays ps3 exclusive, imo this game won't be the one that makes people want a ps3. The original was fun, but far from a great game and it is far removed from being a system seller.
Maybe it WON'T be a system seller, but it's one I've been eagerly awaiting for.
And I take offense to you saying it was "fun", but not a great game.
I enjoyed Mercs 10X more than any GTA game I've played in the past few years, the characters had "character" you had tons of things to trash and do, it had nice gfx, plenty of different ways to destroy stuff, and varied missions (including "main" missions that weren't run of the mill stuff like during the normal game) That plus choppers were actually useful in this game compared to GTA.
And before you diss Pandemic, their two Star Wars titles were massive sellers, and Mercs is probably their second best series behind Battlefront, with Destroy all Humans bringing up the back.
Frankly anyone who likes good games will give this a chance and all the GTA loving fanboys who own PS3's will probably pick it up as well.
Sporadic
02-03-2007, 11:57 AM
I'm sure they could've done it though. PS2 was always getting downgraded ports.
Like I posted though, EA wanted to release them at the same time and it would have taken 5 months for the PS2 team to catch up to the Xbox version.
FriskyTanuki
02-07-2007, 01:23 AM
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4682&Itemid=2
He adds, “Part of the business as a developer is constantly talking to different potential publishers, but the deal with EA lets us maintain control of the development and the IP, which is really important to us.”
There you have it. It goes multiplatform when Pandemic says so.
The Crotch
02-07-2007, 01:44 AM
Maybe it WON'T be a system seller, but it's one I've been eagerly awaiting for.
And I take offense to you saying it was "fun", but not a great game.
I enjoyed Mercs 10X more than any GTA game I've played in the past few years, the characters had "character" you had tons of things to trash and do, it had nice gfx, plenty of different ways to destroy stuff, and varied missions (including "main" missions that weren't run of the mill stuff like during the normal game) That plus choppers were actually useful in this game compared to GTA.
And before you diss Pandemic, their two Star Wars titles were massive sellers, and Mercs is probably their second best series behind Battlefront, with Destroy all Humans bringing up the back.
Frankly anyone who likes good games will give this a chance and all the GTA loving fanboys who own PS3's will probably pick it up as well.
Emphasis mine.
As much as I loved Mercenaries, this post scares me. If you get offended because someone thinks "your game" was merely "fun", I don't think you're cut out for the internet. Perhaps a bubble would be more to your liking?
Anyway, Mercenaries and MGS4 are really the PS3 games that I'm looking forward to. Mercenaries' original had very few real significant flaws. If anything convinces me to get a PS3, this will probably be it.
uncle5555
02-07-2007, 01:27 PM
Emphasis mine.
As much as I loved Mercenaries, this post scares me. If you get offended because someone thinks "your game" was merely "fun", I don't think you're cut out for the internet. Perhaps a bubble would be more to your liking?
Anyway, Mercenaries and MGS4 are really the PS3 games that I'm looking forward to. Mercenaries' original had very few real significant flaws. If anything convinces me to get a PS3, this will probably be it.
And your post scares ME if you're one of the people who love GTA or The Godfather more than Mercs. If you aren't then I aplogize, but I read that people say it was a lame attempt at cashing in on GTA, when in fact it is 10x better than any GTA game I've ever played, and I'm not saying I hate GTA either, but I'd play Mercs before GTA in a heart beat. Just because it does a similar thing only better.
And I've been online for quite a long time (over 5 years) so if you think I'm overbearing in my educated opinions (I don't do humble ones) then so be it. I don't ask someone's permission to say what I think or feel. (I'm not PC, in any regard and I don't agree to be on the bandwagon with others) I base my comments off of what I've researched and make said educated opinions of, not out of an ignorant fanboyish opinion that I read way too much on the net.
Maybe I phrased my comment incorrectly, but it still doesn't belay my comment to the majority of comments I read (here and elsewhere) belittleing the quality of Mercs. (your's withstanding or not)