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Recently laid-off devs rant about being recently laid off

by Griffin McElroy { Mar 15th 2010 at 1:30PM }

I think we can all agree that, aside from being hit by a speeding train or dropping a hot meal you've been cooking for hours, being fired from your job is like, the worst thing that can happen to you. As such, we expected the speakers on last week's GDC rant panel, titled "Fired and Fired-up: Jobless Developer's Rant," to be especially inflammatory. We were not disappointed.

Just past the jump, we've highlighted three of our favorite presentations from the panel. Some of them get awfully, explicitly blue, so if you happen to find yourself reading this video game news site while at work, you might want to think twice about going beyond the break. (You should also get back to work, you lazy so-and-so!)

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Concept art from Pandemic's Mercs Inc. sneaks onto the net

by Justin McElroy { Jan 19th 2010 at 9:30AM }

When art or information is leaked on a developer's personal web page, most (especially the bosses) would likely see it as a gaffe. But we eternal optimists like to take these moments as an opportunity to celebrate the artists that far too often are hidden in the shadows of their IPs and big-name studio chiefs.

Today, we spotlight Mr. Tony Ianiro, a concept artist who displayed some of his work on Pandemic's upcoming Mercs Inc. on his personal page. At least, he says it's from Mercs Inc., and while we have no apparent reason to doubt Mr. Ianiro's word, you know how concept artists are.

[Via VG247]

Best of the Rest: Kevin's Picks of 2009

by Kevin Kelly { Jan 2nd 2010 at 11:00PM }

Halo Wars
Yeah, that's right, Halo Wars. I've already caught enough flak for putting this on my best-of list for 2009 (it's hard to even remember that it came out way back in February), but it deserves to be recognized ... so pay attention once your laughter has died down. Ensemble Studios (RIP) proved that you could bring a real-time strategy game to a console, and still make it enjoyable. Sure, you'll never have 1:1 parity mapping everything a full-sized keyboard offers onto a controller, but this game came close. It's a pity Ensemble closed, since we'll never see any expansion packs or a sequel. The good news is that, since it wasn't received with blaring trumpets and the sounds of cash registers ringing, you can pick this up for under 20 bucks for some good fun.

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Review: The Saboteur

by Justin McElroy { Dec 4th 2009 at 10:20AM }

You've got to feel for The Saboteur. Sean Devlin's one-man war against the Nazi party would have been a fine way to while away the summer hours, but here at the end of a holiday season -- filled with wonderful games -- it's tough to leave it thinking about anything other than its squandered potential.

It's a solid open-world action title, but it's one that hits just enough amazing, explosive crescendos to leave you wishing you could have seen it in an alternate reality, where developer Pandemic hadn't been shuttered and was able to give its swan song just a few more months of polish.

Gallery: The Saboteur

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The Saboteur's day-one DLC unlocks nudity, self-loathing

by Justin McElroy { Dec 3rd 2009 at 12:00PM }

Here's at least one reason to buy your copy of The Saboteur new: All fresh copies of the game will ship with a code to download DLC, called "The Midnight Show," for free. The pack contains new Parisian hiding spots, a new minigame and, for better or for worse, the option to unlock nudity in the game.

If you buy the game sans code, you'll also be able to pick up the DLC for $2.99 / 240. But at that point, whether you'll admit it or not, you're basically paying to see digi-boobies ... and if you do that, we're just not sure we can be friends with you any more.

'Mercs Inc' officially announced, developed by Pandemic at EALA

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Nov 24th 2009 at 3:48PM }

This morning's leaked footage, purported to belong to a new multiplayer-capable Mercenaries game called "Mercs Inc," just barely beat EA's official announcement of the (working) title to our front page. In development at EA Los Angeles, the latest toy in the destructive sandbox is paraded underneath the Pandemic banner, held aloft by the "core creative team" that survived the physical studio's recent closure. No target platforms have been announced.

According to EA senior VP and group GM, Nick Earl, the swift announcement "demonstrates our continued commitment to Pandemic's rich catalog of intellectual properties." As the press release innocently points out, "Mercs Inc will also be the first Pandemic game" to be released after this December's The Saboteur, the last Pandemic game. Oh, the previous one, we mean.

Rumor: Leaked video shows Mercenaries multiplayer sequel

by Justin McElroy { Nov 24th 2009 at 10:15AM }

A leaked video that's rumored to show gameplay of a pre-production, multiplayer version of Mercenaries -- titled Mercs Inc. -- has been unearthed by Bitmob. The project is reportedly in pre-production at EALA, being created by two dozen or so of the Pandemic team that weren't let go when the studio's doors were closed last week.

The video features plenty of car-on-car and car-on-dude violence, as well as the extremely rare Triple Teabag, which hasn't been seen since the Ukranian Ice Hurling team's dramatic win over Poland in the 1906 Winter Olympics. It must be seen to be believed, and you can do just that right after the break.

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Video: Pandemic goes out with a bang, 'Office Space' style

by Richard Mitchell { Nov 23rd 2009 at 2:15PM }

There's no two ways about it: having your studio shut down does not feel good. However, it does feel good to be a gangsta. Damn good. To prove this ancient adage, some former Pandemic employees put together a little Office Space–inspired video to honor the house that brought us Mercenaries, the Star Wars Battlefront series and the upcoming release, The Saboteur.

Kotaku reports that the mercilessly destroyed printer was, in fact, used by the Saboteur team, giving the video an extra layer of sweet vengeance. A word to EA: if you're missing any red Swingline staplers, we might know where they are. Watch the (very NSFW) video after the break.

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The Saboteur goes gold despite developer going dark

by Ben Gilbert { Nov 21st 2009 at 7:30PM }

Though The Saboteur developer Pandemic Studios is losing its 200-person staff, the company's final game has just "gone gold" across Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. In a post on the studio's forums, Community Manager Mathew Everett noted that while "this has been a very difficult week for Pandemic Studios," The Saboteur will still be "available across Europe starting December 4 and throughout North America on December 8."

Unfortunately, it would appear that EA (the game's publisher) has forgotten about said release dates, choosing to offer as little marketing push as possible. We wish the folks at Pandemic Studios the best and offer our condolences to those who recently lost their jobs.

[Via PlanetXbox360]

Gallery: The Saboteur (11-10-09)

Pandemic closes physical doors, brand lives on

by Justin McElroy { Nov 17th 2009 at 3:12PM }

We've got a little more perspective on the closing of Pandemic, which was rumored earlier today. Though the studio will physically close, and the majority of its staff (some 200 people) will be sacked, the brand and IPs (like Mercenaries, Star Wars: Battlefront and The Saboteur) will continue, EA representative Holly Rockwood told Joystiq. Founders Josh Resnick, Andrew Goldman, Greg Borrud will leave the company.

A lucky few from Pandemic will continue the studio's work under the EALA roof in Playa Vista, reporting to GM Sean Decker. Here's hoping that those who aren't as fortunate won't have to go too long without work.

Rumor: Pandemic Studios to close its doors today

by Justin McElroy { Nov 17th 2009 at 10:30AM }

Pandemic Studios, the house behind games like Mercenaries and the forthcoming The Saboteur will be shuttered by EA today, according to sources speaking to Kotaku. Reportedly, the developer's 200-some staffers will be informed at 2 p.m. EST that all but a few (who will be integrated into other EA teams) are to be let go. Pandemic had previously been rumored as one of the studios that would be hit hardest by EA's 1,500-member staff reduction. Current Pandemic projects will reportedly shift to EA's Montreal branch, which handles Army of Two.

This story, that of a developer who puts their all into a game only to be rewarded with a firing upon its completion, is staring to become alarmingly familiar. Sure, we understand the logistics, but that's cold comfort to those Pandemic employees who may have to start tomorrow off by looking for work. We'll keep after EA for official word.

Rumor: EA cuts targeting Maxis, Pandemic, C&C staff

by Justin McElroy { Nov 11th 2009 at 9:10AM }

We already knew the announced cuts coming to EA's workforce (totaling some 1,500 jobs lost) would be deep but, if a recent Kotaku report is to be believed, we're starting to get an idea of just where the gashes will come. For starters, the site says it's been told by unnamed sources that almost every member of the Command and Conquer 4 team would be let go after the game's completion, which is the very last Halo Wars feature we wanted to see copied in C&C.

More cuts are rumored to be hitting Pandemic (the house behind Mercenaries and The Saboteur) and Maxis (yeah, again). We'll keep reaching out to EA to get the official story. In the meantime, our thoughts are with those affected.

New Saboteur screens show heartless, blimp-hating hero

by Griffin McElroy { Nov 10th 2009 at 7:30PM }

Okay, Mr. Saboteur. You're not going to listen to reason, are you? We asked nicely -- so very nicely -- that you stop blowing up those beautiful, elegant and endangered dirigibles. However, the latest batch of screenshots from your self-titled game have revealed that you haven't heeded our advice, and continue to detonate airships at the drop of your dusty, brown flat cap. That's how you want to do this, huh? Well, you can expect our harshly worded petition to surface within the next few days. Nope, sorry pal. Too late for apologies. This just got real, sir.

Gallery: The Saboteur (11-10-09)

New Saboteur trailer displays intolerable blimp cruelty

by Griffin McElroy { Oct 21st 2009 at 12:30PM }

Listen, Mr. Saboteur. We appreciate what you're going for here. Liberating France from Nazis is about as noble as goals get -- but your methods are questionable. Did you know that fewer than 100 zeppelins exist in the world today, placing them near the top of National Geographic's "Top 10 Most Endangered Means of Transportation" list? Well, it's true, and every time you buffet a blimp with a ballistic missile, that number dwindles even more.

Oh, don't try and deny it. We caught your latest act of blimp violence on camera, and placed it in the latest trailer for your self-titled video game, The Saboteur. We're fine with the street racing and the Nazi shooting -- but let's try to keep the rigid airship exploding to a minimum, okay?

Pre-order The Saboteur, get ... a knife

by Richard Mitchell { Oct 14th 2009 at 8:30AM }

No, no, in the game, silly! If you pre-order The Saboteur you get a knife in the game. Specifically, those who pre-order the game from GameStop will receive a code to unlock "an exclusive Nazi knife," which can be used for stealth kills. Frankly, we find it just a tad strange that a game about a stealthy underground agent doesn't give you a cool Nazi knife to begin with, but hey, metal was in shorter supply in the days of World War II.

Also, just as a reminder, it's not a real knife. We're pretty sure EA learned its lesson since the last time.

[Via @PandemicStudios]