Comments on: How Pandemic’s Dark Knight Turned Into A Nightmare

By: The Comics Console: Why There Was No Dark Knight Video Game

The Comics Console: Why There Was No Dark Knight Video Game — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:38:23 +0000

[...] Kotaku.com, Pandemic’s Brisbane studio was indeed put in charge of an unspecified Batman project as a [...]

By: Mike Sharpe

Mike Sharpe — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:15:49 +0000

I worked at Pandemic for a number of years, first time ive posted on here… for what its worth ive got to say that article doesnt represent what happened there correctly.. i think someone’s in need of some mummy love!

By: X_PAND

X_PAND — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 18:04:29 +0000

Let go? Like the author states, around 20 let go in September/October when the Dark Knight Project fell through. Bravo was given 6 weeks to pitch another idea which was called "Edge." Apparently, Frankie and Johnnie didn't like it, so the AU studio was a major cost center, especially since they just moved to new digs which were rumored to be much more lavish than the LA headquarters which has some big wigs in LA more than a little pissed.

Once Edge got rejected, it was academic. The Wii title, although promising simply didn't look like a Pandemic product. In short, this wasn't a game that EA bought Pandemic for.

So for numbers, the studio employed just over 100 full time staffers. I'd say that as of now, maybe the Business Director is there along with the Accounting person and maybe one IT guy to keep track of the inventory for potential suiters.

By: Nicholas

Nicholas — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 18:17:31 +0000

I’m keen to know how many people were let go, as I am trying to keep track of the number of job losses in the games industry in 2009. Anyone know any hard facts?

By: Bruce Wayne

Bruce Wayne — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 08:36:47 +0000

I'm still not convinced pandemite/ex-pandemite, you say it is "full of factual errors" but then you only state 2 minor ones.

From what I understand the DAH! comment is correct with regard to THQ giving the project to the lowest bidder.

I understood Batman was to be released around the same time as the movie, but it was more likely it would not be released until the DVD. Although the story was not to be the same as the movie, it did have to be in the same Chris Nolan universe with the same characters, and it could not do anything which contradicted the movie in any way. So in that way the games story was loosely tied to the movie.

By: ex-pandemite

ex-pandemite — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 05:48:44 +0000

I agree with pandemite, I dunno who these sources are but the article is full of factual errors. Just sounds like a bunch of disgruntled ex-employees playing the blame game.

Here's a few corrections:

Pandemic was up for doing another DAH! game, however THQ decided one of their studios could do it for cheaper. No-one was too upset though.

Bravo's game was never going to be released with a movie or based on a movie, it was a separate story line and originally planned for the movie DVD release.

By: Joe Mamma

Joe Mamma — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:04:42 +0000

Wow didn’t the same thing happen with EA Tiburon and Superman Returns? Wouldn’t that studio have been the better choice since they already did an open world superhero game? Is EA leadership so focused on the fiscal quarter that they are incapable of learning from past mistakes, or making any serious long term plans?

By: Bruce Wayne

Bruce Wayne — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 15:11:46 +0000

We seem to have a few people commenting who have experience with this particular situation. I think this is a fairly accurate although not perfect view of the events I witnessed. I would like to hear more from Pandemite so we can determine whether they witnessed something completely different which we missed, or whether Nicollo is correct with their assessment of you.

By: Paul P

Paul P — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 03:43:52 +0000

A great read, but a very sad story. Nicely done Mr. Wildgoose, it’s a shame we’ll never see this potentially great game. Seems to be the current theme, what with Battlefront 3 and all…

By: duke

duke — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:40:58 +0000

Pandemic is and has always been over-rated. This is a classic case of lunatics running the asylum. Where was the senior management at EA greenlighting these poor decisions. Open world = open ended development issues for inexperienced teams. Anyone who knows the details of the EA buyout of Pandemic knows that very few people outside the two owners were happy with the deal. EA should shut down 60% of Pandemic and admit they blew it. EA should also fire the execs who gave that game to Brisbane. They give up Bond right before it gets cool again and then blow chunks on the biggest movie of the year that they actually had the rights to.