Eurogamer
...apart from some cool explosive effects and solid controls, Mercenaries 2 is utterly mediocre in almost every sense that matters. From the initial sorties onwards it's bogged down by the worst kind of brain-dead cannon fodder enemies, lead-you-by-the-hand level design, arbitrary boundaries, and some technical howlers. It lacks challenge, excitement, personality and any real verve whatsoever.

Videogamer.com
One of the fundamental problems is the AI of enemies. We've seen plenty of action games with dumb enemies, but those in Mercs 2 rank very near the bottom of the list. They show almost no signs of intelligence other than raising alarms or occasionally moving to a vacated gun emplacement. We regularly saw enemies stood motionless between buildings, firing RPGs at us from touching distance and driving into each other

IGN
Mercenaries 2 seems balanced for two players more so than one. Especially since, in co-op, your teammate can revive you if you die. They just have to get near you, hit the proper button, and you're back on your feet. In single-player, death kills you, so to speak. It helps to communicate, as one man's explosion can often be his friend's untimely demise. With two people calling in air strikes, these can get pretty crazy on screen. There's something eerily poetic about laying a hail of bullets on an enemy as your face is awash in the glow of a nuclear detonation. Co-op is a powder keg of goodness.

Gameplayer
There’s also the occasional odd visual glitch or letdown. Scooting about in a chopper, at one point, we were engulfed in the thickest fog of war seen this side of an RTS. Other glitches saw the AI spot our position even though we were obscured from view, and our support chopper got stuck on the environment on more than one occasion. That said, these aren’t deal breakers. For a virtual world that spans 8 square kilometres we guess this sort of stuff is, at times, unavoidable.

Variety
But what makes the game a true standout is how streamlined its design is — the controls are extremely approachable and players are trained slowly in their use. Rather than inserting endless fill-in dialogue, "Mercenaries 2" makes in-depth data on characters, locations and story elements available for optional reading through an intuitive menu interface. The overall effect is that players can concentrate on everything there is to do in the game world without getting stuck in an overburdened story or overcomplicated controls.

Things aren't always simple in the world of mercenary game critics.

Mercenaries 2 Giving Away Free Gas in L.A. Tomorrow [1UP]

Why so serious Pandemic? [Australian Gamer, via Kotaku AU]

Mercenaries 2 Co-Op Hands-On [IGN]

Firstly, our source confirms Pandemic as the developers behind the title, though we pretty much knew that already. Secondly, a good portion of the game is set in a GTA-style rendition of Gotham City, which plays a lot like Spiderman 2 as Batman zips around (he even gets a grappling hook for swingy-swingy when not using the Batmobile) attending to crimes. And thirdly? As was first raised last week, it's not in the best shape, perhaps explaining why the project has been kept in the *ahem* dark for so long.

Seems the combat just doesn't work. Partly due to the game's wonky free-roaming camera system, partly due to the mashy hand-to-hand combat, partly due to the limited range of moves Batman has at his disposal, which makes the whole thing awfully repetitive. Which is a bit of a shame, though realistically, with no official announcement, let alone release date, there's plenty of time to fix that kind of stuff. On a brighter note, another source tells us Pandemic have taken a few creative liberties with the game, and while it's based on The Dark Knight, the game's actually set after the events of the movie, which should at least be interesting from a story-telling perspective.

'Dark Knight' reigns not in video game [AP, via MCV]

We touched on the assignment system in Mercenaries 2: World in Flames and showed you what it looks like on the current gen. However, for all of you that haven't made the switch to the Xbox 360 or PS3 fear not, Mercenaries 2 is also hitting PlayStation 2. If you want to take a look at the linked video you can make a comparison, but our consensus is the PlayStation 2 version ain't half bad. The game comes out to you on August 31st.

'Dark Knight' Game Leaks [The Feed]

Pandemic 2 [CrazyMonkeyGames via IndieGames]

Pandemic's upcoming Lord of the Rings: Conquest? Oh, it's so pushing my buttons. All of them. Now that I know some more on the project, well, those buttons are being mashed to within an inch of their worthless, plastic little lives. According to lead designer Sean Soucy, not only will the game feature the epic battles from the movie timeline, but also some other, more intriguing set pieces, such as the Battle of the Last Alliance and even the razing of the Shire. Really. Soucy also sheds some light on the game's "vehicles" and weapons, saying that "Horses, wargs, playable trolls and ents, catapults, siege towers and battering rams" are just "some" of the gear you'll be able to command in the game. So great. Conquest is due in the Fall.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Game [Crispy Gamer]

There'll be two singleplayer campaigns to play through, one presumably "good", the other based on a scenario where Sauron actually gets his hands on the One Ring. As for multiplayer, while there'll be 150 characters on-screen, it'll support only 16 players online at any time, though it will also feature four-player co-op play, including - awesomely - four-player splitscreen co-op on the same console. Game's due sometime in the fall, and will be hitting the 360, PS3 and PC.

I was originally a little sceptical about this whole thing, but 150 guys duking it out on a battlefield (ie sections of Helm's Deep) might - if they can get the level design right - totally nail that LotR "big battle" feel.

UPDATE - Pandemic got in touch with us this morning to let us know that despite the original IGN piece reporting the game would support 8-player online multiplayer, it will in fact support 16. Which should be much more to your liking.

The Lord of the Rings: Conquest Announced [IGN]

The copy of the Venezuela Ahora, dated Aug. 31., announces the invasion of Venezuela by Mercenaries in a headline that stretches across the paper in two lines. Underneath is an explosive image of three of the, I don't know, anti-heroes? And a full story. The faux paper also includes a weather report clasificicado, ads and even an little Mercenaries-themed comic strip. You gotta love it... unless your in Venezuela and have a stick up your ass.

Hit the jump for an up-close scan of the the front and back pages.

Mercenaries 2 US Release Date Trailer [IGN]

PS - Just a little something to show that, yes, the IGN story was bonafide.

Everyone like me has been waiting for that other shoe to drop and it hasn't, and honestly I'm getting to a point where I don't think it will. You know, like John said, they don't always get things right and it's still going to take time for John [Riccitiello's] vision to fully spread throughout the whole organization. It's a big company, but they get it, you know? There's been no integration, no assimilations.

Yesterday Luke brought you news, via Electronic Arts' analyst meeting, that Pandemic was working on a new Lord of the Rings game.

But at the time that's all we knew. Luke opined that maybe it was something tied to their ability to create games like Mercenaries that deal with destruction in a sandbox environment or that, perhaps, it would be a game that, like Star Wars Battlefront, is all about combat and action over large areas. Close, very close, according to our sources.

We hear that Pandemic's Lord of the Rings will put a Battlefield competitive first-person shooter spin (with mounts) on the beloved fantasy tale and personally, I couldn't be more happy about it. I'd love to mix things up in a rolling war with magic, swords and bows. Dark Messiah almost got it, but in the end somehow missed the mark. Let's see if Pandemic can do better.

When reached for comment Pandemic only said that they'd like to talk more about their upcoming Lord of the Rings title, but that now isn't quite the time.

But what kind of Lord of the Rings game? Who knows. The use of Pandemic, they of Mercenaries and Star Wars Battlefront fame, offers some hints. They've shown they can do combat and action over large areas (SW Battlefront). They've shown they can put together a large, sandbox game world (Mercenaries). They haven't shown they can make an RPG, but hey, maybe this new game won't be one. Maybe it'll be Grand Theft Fell Beast. Which, you know...could be even better.

The company provided the same window of release for Battlefield: Bad Company, a Digital Illusions co-op shooter originally slated for a 2007 release. We'll, of course, let you know when we hear more solid release dates for these two shoot-fests.

We've contacted EA to see if we can get confirmation on the delay, but our requests haven't yet yielded a response. We'll let you know when we know.

I've had a pet project I've been working on for years, three of them if my memory is right. It started as a simple idea: You can judge a lot from a person's desk. I bet you could judge just as much from their home entertainment system. So I decided it would be fun to try and track down some pictures from the work desks and home gaming set-ups of the people who work in and cover the video game industry. Simple right? Not so much.

Turns out that many of the people are either too busy or too private to want to participate in such a project. To make matters worse, there's always fear that something sitting on someone's desk, that ends up in a photo, could actually be news worthy. Like a secret project or the next big thing. But I didn't give up and about once a year I'd harass a bunch of game developers for photos. Finally, this year, the harassment paid off.

What started as a trickle of photos turned quickly into the collection of galleries you'll find on the jump: More than 40 different photo galleries from 17 studios, seven publications, two industry movers and shakers and a couple of fun surprises.

You'll get to see the desk of such greats as Sid Meier, Peter Molyneux and Tetsuya Mizuguchi along with plenty of others. Remember you can comment both on the next page and on each individual photo if you click on them.

If I find there is interest, I will try to periodically update this gallery of galleries with more developers, journalists and industry movers and shakers. Have fun.

DEVELOPERS
2K Games

ASTRO Gaming

Buzz Monkey Software

Capcom

Eat, Sleep, Play

Electronic Arts

Firaxis Games

Flying Lab Software

Gearbox Software

Harmonix Music

Incognito Entertainment

Insomniac Games

Kojima Productions

Lionhead Studios

NanaOn-Sha

Naughty Dog

NCSoft

NetDevil

Neversoft Entertainment

Ninja Theory

Pandemic Studios

Petroglyph Games

THQ

Q Entertainment

JOURNALISTS

Blue's News

BoingBoing

EGM

The Escapist

GameLife

Joystiq

Kotaku

MTV

Slashdot Games

VE3D

VH1

INDUSTRY FOLK

MISCELLANIES
I AM 8-BIT

Penny Arcade

Whorecraft

Video Games Live

It may have been announced a few months back, but Electronic Arts didn't get the keys to BioWare and Pandemic until this month.

Frank Gibeau, president of the EA Games Label, will oversee the studios within EA. Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk of BioWare Corp. have each been named as Vice Presidents of EA and Co-General Managers of BioWare Corp. Pandemic Studios' Andrew Goldman and Josh Resnick have each been named Vice Presidents of EA and Co-General Managers of Pandemic Studios, while Greg Borrud has been named Vice President of EA and Chief Production Officer of Pandemic Studios.

That's a lot of promotions going around.

"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 Mr. Gibeau. "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."

"Our new EA partnership is already proving to be both positive and productive," said Mr. 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."

Mr. Muzyka added, "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. 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."

Sounds like everybody is jazzed about the deal so far, lets see how they feel in six months.

EA COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF VG HOLDING CORP. - WELCOMES BIOWARE CORP. AND PANDEMIC STUDIOS TO THE EA GAMES LABEL [Games Industry]

Regulators Clear Electronic Arts Deal [AP/Yahoo!]

Instead, expert analyzers like David Cole of DFC Intelligence and (wait for it...) Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan focus on the meaning of the departures, closings and acquisitions in regard to how seemingly unimportant they are in the big picture.

Pachter told GameDaily BIZ that "I'm not sure that MGS is any worse off" highlighting the still in-house teams at Lionhead and Rare, adding that the company has a solid track record of securing exclusive and "there is no reason to believe that they won't be able to manage several more exclusives going forward."

Todd Greenwald of Nollenberger Capital Partners deems the question practically moot, responding "I think the better question is - why isn't Sony doing more to acquire 1st party studios, or at least secure more 3rd party exclusives? They're the ones who need to be doing this, not Microsoft."

More stinging analysis at GameDaily BIZ.

Microsoft Game Studios' Foundation Resting on Quicksand? [GameDaily BIZ]

Yesterday, EA CEO John Riccitiello, EA Games Label President Frank Gibeau and a few other top EA folks traveled down to Pandemic Studios to say hi to the recently acquired company and welcome them into the EA family.

But the Pandemic folks thought it would be fun to turn the tables and welcome EA into their family instead. Andrew Goldman and Josh Resnick (Pandemic Co-Founders) dyed their hair "Pandemic" yellow, while the entire company showed up wearing their Pandemic t-shirts.

When Riccitiello and Gibeau got on stage to take questions, a Mercenaries 2 team member decided to ask his question dressed in his signature chicken-suit garb. So now Pandemic is hiring... just kidding. Apparently Riccitiello and Gibeau both have a sense of humor.

Fortunately, the Wu-Tang Clan to my Anthrax, N'Gai Croal, doesn't specialize in wholly inappropriate and meaningless analogy as I do, he focuses on the impact of these three "killer B's" leaving the fold in various capacities. More importantly, he wonders what these departures will have on the Xbox 360 library over the following years.

Probably most important for Microsoft following a strong holiday 2007 line up—where do they go from here? With talent shifting allegiances and IP ownership unknown, to which franchise dock will Shane Kim and crew tie the good ship 360? Read on for N'Gai's thoughts on the matter.

Flight of the Killer B's: As Bizarre, Bungie and BioWare Flee the Redmond Hive, What Does This Mean For Microsoft Game Studios? [Level Up]

We liveblogged yesterday's conference call with Electronic Arts about their buyout of Bioware and Pandemic studios, but that was really just about grabbing some of the highlights. Hit the jump if you want to read the entire script of their pitch and delivery which includes confirmation that BioWare, not Microsoft, owns the Mass Effect IP, that Pandemic is working on several unannounced titles and that BioWare's MMO is several years out.

Good afternoon and welcome to our call.

Today on the call we have:

John Riccitiello - Chief Executive Officer
Warren Jenson - Chief Financial and Administrative Officer and
Frank Gibeau - President of EA Games

Before we begin - I'd like to remind you that:

• You may find copies of our SEC filings, our press release and a replay of the webcast on our web site at http://investor.ea.com. Shortly after the call - we will post a copy of the script on our website.

• During the course of this call - we may make forward-looking statements regarding future events, the proposed acquisition of VGH by EA, and the future financial performance of the company. We caution you that actual events and results may differ materially. We refer you to EA's most recent Forms 10-K and 10-Q for a discussion of risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed today. We make these statements as of October 11, 2007 and disclaim any duty to update them.

And now - I'd like to turn the call over to Warren.

Good afternoon and thanks for joining us.

We are pleased to announce that we have reached a definitive agreement with Elevation Partners to acquire two major game developers - BioWare based in Edmonton, Canada and Austin, Texas and Pandemic based in Los Angles and Brisbane, Australia

• BioWare - founded and led by Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka - is the renowned producer of blockbuster franchises such as Baldur's Gate, Knights of the Old Republic and the much anticipated Mass Effect*.

• Pandemic - led by Josh Resnick, Andrew Goldman and Greg Borrud - is best known for titles like Star Wars Battlefront and Mercenaries.

• Both studios have strong creative cultures that will be a great fit with EA.

We welcome these teams to our company.

For the next few minutes I'll walk you through our strategic rationale for this acquisition and some of the deal specifics. I'll then turn it over to John to share his thoughts. Following these brief remarks - John, Frank and I will be happy to take your questions.

Why this Deal?

We have looked at a lot of companies - and have had our eye on these studios for several years. Together - these studios represent one of the most prolific and high quality creative organizations in the industry. This is a powerful combination of creative talent and portfolio strength. To sum it up - we have not seen many opportunities that bring so many high potential assets together under one roof.

Let me touch on each of these points in more detail

First - these are premier developers proven by a strong track record.

• BioWare is clearly one of the foremost RPG developers in the world. Knights of the Old Republic (Lucas), Neverwinter Knights (Wizards), Baldur's Gate (Wizards) and Jade Empire (owned) - all speak for themselves. The average metacritic rating coming out of this studio over the last 12 years is 88. And - Mass Effect is on the way- an owned IP that will be published by Microsoft.

• Pandemic is best known for creating Action games and developing its own IP. Pandemic worked with Lucas Arts to develop the award winning Star Wars: Battlefront I and II and Clone Wars - each selling more than three million copies. In addition - the studio had great success with two owned and highly rated IPs - Mercenaries and
Full Spectrum Warrior. Pandemic is currently working on several new titles - including Mercenaries 2 (owned) and Saboteur (owned).

Second - this acquisition fills out a gap in our genre line-up. We are currently underrepresented in key genres - RPG, Action and Adventure. In calendar year 2006 - these genres represented 36 percent of the North America segment and we estimate 29 percent in Europe.

With Pandemic and BioWare - we now how have the potential to move into a strong competitive position in these genres as we expect to bring 10 franchises to market in the next few years - six of which are wholly owned.

Third - further expansion into the MMO space. BioWare is developing an MMO in their Austin studio. While still a couple of years out - we think there is real potential.

Fourth - we project solid long term financial returns. In fiscal 2009 and 2010 - we expect the BioWare and Pandemic properties to:

• Deliver revenue (ex deferral) in excess of $300 million annually - including the EA Partner titles.
• Generate Non-GAAP gross margins in excess of 65 percent.
• Looking at Non-GAAP EPS - we would expect the transaction to be dilutive to EA's fourth quarter results by roughly $0.05. Break even in fiscal 2009 and solidly accretive thereafter. Were it not for our existing EA Partners relationship (Mercenaries 2 and two un-announced EAP titles) - the transaction would have been accretive in fiscal
2009.

Finally - these teams are a great cultural fit. We have deep respect for their talent, high quality games and passion for our industry. We know these guys - they know us - it's a natural fit. Further - this is a straight forward integration - a powerful developer with limited overhead.

Now let me share with you some deal specifics and additional financial information. In total we are paying $860 million in consideration including:
• $655 million in cash (including bridge loan) and - up to - an additional $155 million in equity to employee owners. All of the equity portion has time or performance based vesting triggers.
• EA will also assume outstanding VG Holding Corp. stock options.

The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

We expect the closing to occur in early January 2008.

• On a GAAP EPS basis, we expect the acquisition to be dilutive to EA fiscal 2008 results by approximately $0.30 to $0.40, due to non-recurring acquisition-related charges, stock-based compensation and amortization of intangible assets. In fiscal 2009 - we anticipate the acquisition will continue to be dilutive on a GAAP basis given
revenue deferrals, on-going stock based compensation and intangible asset amortization.

• A few things to keep in mind relative to GAAP EPS -

• Off the $155 million of equity - roughly $125 million will be amortized to the P&L as stock based compensation over the next four years.
• For assumed options and newly granted equity - we estimate an additional $40 million will be amortized as stock based compensation over the next four years.
• Our GAAP charges for fiscal 2008 are preliminary as final valuation work has not been completed.
• As I mentioned earlier - on a Non-GAAP basis, we would expect the transaction to be dilutive to EA's fourth quarter results by roughly $0.05, break even in fiscal 2009 and solidly accretive thereafter. Were it not for our existing EA Partners relationship. (Mercenaries 2 and two unannounced EAP titles) - the transaction would have been accretive in fiscal 2009.

In closing - we are excited about this acquisition and what it brings to EA, and what it brings to our shareholders and our customers. This is an important step for us in driving growth and profitability over the long term.

Now let me turn the call over to John.

This is John.

As many of you know, while I was with Elevation Partners, I brought these studios together and led this business as CEO. I see this transaction as a big plus for EA - this strategic move speaks directly to our initiatives on quality, online, growth and new IP. I'm extremely familiar with the people, the properties and the extraordinary potential of these two studios.

As you probably know, I have a residual financial interest in Elevation Partners. Depending on the overall performance of the fund, this acquisition is likely to result in a personal financial benefit at some point in the future. More information is included in our 8-K. Given this - EA's board of directors instituted a process under which members of the audit committee engaged directly and independently from me with the management team throughout the decision making process. This was done in order to ensure deal independence.

Let me close by saying that I couldn't be happier to bring these studios to EA.

Now we would be happy to take your questions.

Electronic Arts just announced that they have "acquired" both BioWare and Pandemic Studios. EA cut a deal with Elevation Partners to buy up VG Holding Corp, which owns both companies.

"These are two of the most respected studios in the industry and I'm glad to be working with them again. They'll make a strong contribution to our strategic growth initiatives on quality, online gaming and developing new intellectual properties," said John Riccitiello, EA's Chief Executive Officer. "We also expect this will drive long-term value for our shareholders."

"Pandemic Studios remains focused on attracting the best talent and creating blockbuster action games," said Josh Resnick, President and Co-founder of Pandemic Studios. "As a worldwide publishing leader, EA represents the ideal partner to bring our titles to market as global entertainment events."

"We are truly excited by John Riccitiello's new vision for EA," said Ray Muzyka, Co-founder and CEO of BioWare Corp. "This vision is consistent with BioWare's focus on crafting the highest quality story-driven games in the world. It will enable us to further the careers of the passionate, creative and hard working teams at BioWare Edmonton and BioWare Austin."

EA paid up to $620 million in cash to the stockholders of VG Holding to get their hands on the companies, They also gave $155 million in equity to "certain employees of VG Holding" and is lending the company up to $35 million.

I suppose this news isn't exactly shocking since John Riccitello headed up Elevation Partners, along with Apple's Fred Anderson and Bono.

Sure Riccitiello likened VG Holdings to Pixar, saying that the company would have the ability to cut bigger deals with the likes of... EA, but I guess they made an offer too good to refuse.

EA To Acquire BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced an agreement with Elevation Partners to acquire VG Holding Corp. — the owner of both BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios. This acquisition gives EA a strong competitive position in key genres in interactive entertainment: action, adventure and role-playing games. The two studios have been recognized for creating some of the highest-quality games in the industry.

BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios have ten franchises under development, including six wholly owned games. BioWare Corp. is currently developing the highly anticipated Mass Effect, which will be published by Microsoft in November, and is in the early development stages of a massively multiplayer online game. Pandemic Studios is redefining open-world games with its upcoming Mercenaries 2: World in Flames™ and Saboteur™, in addition to several unannounced projects.

Pandemic Studios and BioWare Corp. employ roughly 800 people across four studios located in Edmonton, Canada; Los Angeles; Austin; and Brisbane, Australia.

"These are two of the most respected studios in the industry and I'm glad to be working with them again. They'll make a strong contribution to our strategic growth initiatives on quality, online gaming and developing new intellectual properties," said John Riccitiello, EA's Chief Executive Officer. "We also expect this will drive long-term value for our shareholders."

Pandemic Studios is led by Andrew Goldman, Josh Resnick and Greg Borrud. BioWare Corp. is jointly led by Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka. These teams will join the EA™ Games Label run by Frank Gibeau, President of EA Games.

"Pandemic Studios remains focused on attracting the best talent and creating blockbuster action games," said Josh Resnick, President and Co-founder of Pandemic Studios. "As a worldwide publishing leader, EA represents the ideal partner to bring our titles to market as global entertainment events."

"We are truly excited by John Riccitiello's new vision for EA," said Ray Muzyka, Co-founder and CEO of BioWare Corp. "This vision is consistent with BioWare's focus on crafting the highest quality story-driven games in the world. It will enable us to further the careers of the passionate, creative and hard working teams at BioWare Edmonton and BioWare Austin."

EA will pay up to $620 million in cash to the stockholders of VG Holding Corp. and will issue up to an additional $155 million in equity to certain employees of VG Holding Corp., which will be subject to time-based or performance-based vesting criteria. EA will also assume outstanding VG Holding Corp. stock options. In addition, EA has agreed to lend VG Holding Corp. up to $35 million through the closing of the acquisition.

Transaction and Financial Information

* The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
* The transaction is expected to close in January 2008.
* On a GAAP basis, the acquisition is expected to be dilutive to EA's fiscal 2008 results by approximately $0.30 to $0.40 due to non-recurring acquisition-related charges, stock-based compensation and amortization of intangible assets. This amount is a preliminary estimate based on currently-available information and is subject to change.
* On a non-GAAP basis, the acquisition is expected to be dilutive to EA's fiscal 2008 fourth quarter results by approximately $0.05. This amount is a preliminary estimate based on currently-available information and is subject to change.

It looks like The Venezuela Solidarity Network crowing over the Mercenaries 2 delay didn't go unnoticed.

Josh Resnick, president of Pandemic Studios, took a second to shoot out this quick response about the VSN and their claims that the game's plot has been made more fictional due to pressure from the group and part owner Bono:

Pandemic Studios never has and never will be intimidated by tyrants.  Our invasion is on schedule: Mercenaries 2 will be released in early 2008.

See what he did there? He aped the story in the game, the whole overthrow-of-the-Venezuelan-government-by-a-drug-lord-turned-dictator dealio. Clever! Personally, I don't care if it's set in my house, as long as I can level entire neighborhoods with explosives.

Mercenaries 2 publisher EA did not provide an official reason for the delay to the European outlet, but I suspect dev kit eating goblins were involved. While most delays are a good thing ultimately for gamers because it afford opportunity for polish, this one is doubly beneficial, giving us more cash to spend on the other bazillion must-haves this season.

Mercenaries 2 Delayed [CVG]

Dell is sponsoring a search for the "most hardcore, competitive female PC gamer" to offer her a spot on the Frag Dolls, as part of their sponsorship of the Ubisoft gaming team.

"We can't wait to welcome a new Frag Doll to the team," said Morgan "Rhoulette" Romine, Frag Doll team captain. "One of our goals is to be advocates for gaming on all platforms and Dell is an ideal partner to help us make this a reality."

Dell is also sponsoring Swedish pro-gamers Team Pandemic, setting the team up with Dell XPS systems and then sending them around to universities to host on-site and online collegiate gaming tourneys.

Hit the jump for the full release.

GET PWNED! DELL SPONSORS FRAG DOLLS AND TEAM PANDEMIC
Female Gamers to Compete for Spot on Frag Doll Roster


ROUND ROCK, Texas, July 20, 2007 - Ready to get PWNED by the most talented gamers?
Two of the world's most recognized gaming teams - Team Pandemic and Ubisoft's Frag Dolls - have scored sponsorships from Dell, the company announced today. The deals bring together some of the best professional gaming talent in the industry, male and female, and the best PC gaming products, specifically Dell XPS™ gaming platforms.
"With these sponsorships, Dell is ratcheting up its ability to network and play directly with college student and women gamers, via gaming events, online forums and other digital media," said Susan Kittleson, director of Dell games and customer marketing. "Dell wants to showcase PC gaming at its highest level, and there's no better way than to partner the best talent with our awarding-winning hardware."
As part of the Frag Dolls' sponsorship, Dell and the team will launch a search for the most hardcore, competitive female PC gamer and offer her a spot in the unique lineup — and the opportunity to compete in tournaments around the world. Female gamers who think they're tough enough to go head-to-head against the world's best can sign up at www.fragdolls.com. Applicants will have the opportunity for in-person interviews Aug. 2-5 in the Dell booth at QuakeCon in Dallas. Qualifiers will compete in the finals on games like Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Vegas at Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in Seattle, Aug. 24-26. The winner will be offered a spot on the team.
The Frag Dolls, a team of seven dedicated female gamers assembled by game publisher Ubisoft, are recognized as some of the best players in the world. In addition to attending gaming events, members of the unique and popular gaming team will post monthly columns with tips and trends, participate in podcasts and interviews, and post blogs on a special section of Dell's new interactive web destination, www.delllounge.com.
"We can't wait to welcome a new Frag Doll to the team," said Morgan "Rhoulette" Romine, Frag Doll team captain. "One of our goals is to be advocates for gaming on all platforms and Dell is an ideal partner to help us make this a reality."
The Dell University program is also sponsoring Team Pandemic under the Dell Unleashed banner. Team Pandemic will be the first pro-gaming team to exclusively game on Dell XPS systems featuring Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processors and Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Ultimate.
"Dell's college initiative provides us the opportunity to work closely with the industry's technology leaders," said Chris Lemley, president of Team Pandemic. "With Dell Unleashed as a title partner, we have a unique variety of media to further reach the college-aged gamer."
This fall, Team Pandemic and Dell will travel to several university campuses to host on-site and online collegiate gaming tournaments. Top individual prizes will include a trip to Sweden with Team Pandemic for the World Series of Video Game finals. For more information about Team Pandemic's Unleashed activities, go to www.TeamPandemic.net.
The Dell University program offers education discounts and customized PC bundles, including XPS systems, for students, faculty, and staff at hundreds of participating schools across the country. More information and eligibility requirements are at www.DellUnleashed.com.

To wit, the VSN has decided to take it to the top! Or at least the most recognizable name sitting on the board at Elevation Partners, U2 frontman Bono. The Elevation group has invested heavily into Pandemic and certain Venezuelans are concerned that the game will "deepen an already antagonistic relationship between the U.S. and Venezuelan governments."

They add "Millions of Venezuelans fear an invasion from the U.S.; knowing that a company that works for the U.S. military has created a game in which their country is completely destroyed will increase those concerns."

Now, maybe I'm just overly rational and think these folks are spinning their wheels, but you can decided for yourself after reading the impassioned letter to Mr. Vox after the jump. Michael McWhertor

Mercs 2 has Bono under fire [Gamespot]

Dear Bono,

We hope that this letter finds you well. We applaud your efforts to erase the plagues of debt and famine from our planet and hope 2007 will bring new energy and advances in these struggles. We write with the hope that, while addressing these significant international issues, you will also use your considerable influence in a matter that is closer to home - a violent video game that has the potential to increase tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela while promoting violence in our communities.

Our faith traditions motivate us to confront the international debt problem that robs human dignity and calls us to counter the culture of violence that pervades our society today. The celebration of violence in much of our media, music and video games is poisoning our children. Games such as "Mercenaries 2" only serve to deepen the alienation that already exists in our society, creating fear that drives people away from each other. As people of faith, we are called to a different way of life. "Mercenaries 2" is an extremely realistic and vicious game in which the player leads a mercenary team to kill a "power hungry tyrant" that has taken control of oil supplies in Venezuela. Images of downtown Caracas are depicted as being completely destroyed during the game, and any "people" on the streets are to be killed.

Pandemic Studios, a company in which your investment partnership has financed hundreds of millions of dollars, is the creator of this game. Behavioral science research demonstrates that playing violent video games increases the likelihood of aggressive behavior, particularly in children and youth. A game like "Mercenaries 2" in which the player assumes the role of killer in scenes that appear very life-like is even more likely to provoke aggressiveness. Of equal concern is the fact that the game inevitably will provoke increased tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela. Pandemic Studios has made a similar training game for the U.S. military. This fact is not overlooked by Venezuelans, who see this as further evidence of U.S. government hostility toward their country.

We ask that you do whatever is necessary to see that "Mercenaries 2" is pulled from stores and not sold anywhere. We also ask you to reconsider your investment in a company that glorifies violence and militarization. Most of our organizations have reconsidered past investments in companies involved in life-draining activities and have reoriented our investments to support more life-encouraging companies. We hope that you will consider the same. We feel your connection with this game detracts from your image as a human rights defender. In the end, to paraphrase a statement of yours, we all know that history, like God, is watching what you do. We look forward to your response and would welcome a meeting to discuss these concerns further.

In Peace,

Marie Dennis,
Director, Maryknoll Office for Global
Concerns, Washington, DC

Rabbi Michael Lerner
Editor, Tikkun magazine, Berkeley, CA

Rev. A David Bos, Presbyterian
Minister and founder of Interfaith
Community Ministry Network,
Louisville, KY

Fr. Joe Nangle, OFM
Pax Christi USA Ambassador for Peace,
Washington, DC are

At Elevation, Riccitiello was responsible for the private equity firm's video game division and oversaw the merger of developers Bioware and Pandemic.

Probst, a 23-year veteran of EA, will continue as executive chairman of the board of directors and take solace in his $37 million worth of EA stock.

Sweet release after the jump. Michael McWhertor

John Riccitiello Named Chief Executive Officer of EA

Larry Probst Continues as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Electronic Arts today announced that effective April 2, John Riccitiello will serve as the company's Chief Executive Officer and will join the Board of Directors. Larry Probst will continue as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Mr. Riccitiello served previously as EA's President and Chief Operating Officer responsible for global publishing, online and other corporate functions before leaving the company in 2004.

"We're happy to welcome John back as EA's new CEO," said Larry Probst. "His skill and vision as an executive and his experience in our industry have earned him the respect of our employees and shareholders."

"Leading EA has always been my dream job and I am truly honored that Larry and the Board have given me this opportunity," said John Riccitiello. "This is an extremely well-run company driven by outstanding studio and publishing teams. They've also made strategic investments in new platforms and markets that will help extend EA's industry leadership in the years ahead."

After leaving EA in 2004, he became a co-founder and Managing Partner at Elevation Partners. Among his responsibilities at Elevation, John oversaw the group's videogame business. Mr. Riccitiello also serves on the board of directors of Hyperion Solutions Corporation.

Some statements in the future tense contained in this release are forward-looking statements that are subject to change. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or actual future results to differ materially from the expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements. Some of the factors which could cause the Company's results to differ materially from its expectations are described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2006 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2006. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and Electronic Arts assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for videogame systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS(TM), EA(TM), EA SPORTS BIG(TM) and POGO(TM). In fiscal 2006, EA posted revenue of $2.95 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

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