EA to close Saboteur developer Pandemic Studios

The bad news from EA continues this week, as the publisher has confirmed the closure of Pandemic Studios today, after acquiring the developer along with Bioware in 2007. A representative from EA responded to our request for comment with the following:

The Pandemic properties will continue to live on at Playa Vista. Though the Westwood facility will be closed, a core IP team of Pandemic developers will work on Pandemic titles from the EALA campus in Playa Vista, with a focus on quality, cost management and schedule integrity.

While news of more layoffs at a developer is always disappointing, Pandemic has been rumored to be on the chopping block for some time. Their biggest recent release, Mercenaries 2, received a generally positive critical reception but underperformed at retail, and the cancellation of their over-budget Dark Knight title last year prompted the closure of their Brisbane offices. We'll update as further information becomes available.

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