When Mercenaries 2: World in Flames was first unveiled at last year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, one big question was left unanswered. Though it was announced for the PlayStation 3, the sequel to the 2005 cult hit apparently did not have a publisher.
The omission led many to suspect that the game's developer, BioWare/Pandemic, might self-distribute the title. The mega-developer shook up the game industry last year when it was formed by the union of Canadian role-playing game powerhouse BioWare Inc. (Jade Empire, Mass Effect) and Californian action-game shop Pandemic Studios (Destroy All Humans, Full Spectrum Warrior). Given BioWare/Pandemic's ample funding by Elevation Partners, the multibillion venture-capital group which once tried to buy Eidos Interactive, it seemed perfectly reasonable that the dual studio might bypass the traditional publishing process.
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 Mercenaries 2 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.
