Pandemic Announces New Mercenaries Sequel

Following a massive staff reduction and the integration of its core team into Electronic Arts' Los Angeles studio, Pandemic Studios has announced that it's developing a new Mercenaries game. The project has the working title of Mercs Inc., though the studio didn't reveal platforms, stating only that it's "in the early stages of development" at EALA. It'll be a new entry in one of the studio's flagship franchises, which began in 2005 with Mercenaries and was followed up by Mercenaries 2: World in Flames. It marks the first title to be begun by Pandemic following EA's recent reorganization. On December 8, the studio will release The Saboteur, the project it's been developing since EA acquired the studio late in 2007. "We are very excited to announce a new installment in the popular Mercenaries series because it demonstrates our continued commitment to Pandemic's rich catalogue of intellectual properties," said EA senior VP and group general manager Nick Earl in a statement. "From the studio at EALA, a core creative team is forging new ground and conceptualizing new ideas for this exciting franchise." Electronic Arts recently announced it would cut 1,500 jobs company-wide, as its second fiscal quarter net losses widened to $391 million. Shortly thereafter, the company confirmed it had closed down Pandemic's physical studio and transferred a "core IP team" to be integrated with EALA. At the time, Earl said in an internal memo that "the Pandemic brand and franchises will live on."