EA Buys Two Video Games Studios

By Digital Trends Staff October 12, 2007

EA Buys Two Video Games Studios Electronic Arts, which has given us games like the Sims franchise and Madden NFL, has reached deep into its coffers to purchase a pair of video game studios. In a deal worth a stunning $810 million, EA has bought BioWare Corporation and Pandemic Studios, both of which wereowned by VG Holding Corp, part of Elevation Partners. Under the agreement, EA will pony up $620 million on cash to VG Holding stockholders, with another$155 million in equity to some VG Holding employees. Additionally, EA will lend VG Holding up to $35 million in the run-up to the closure of the deal. Elevation acquired the two studios in2005 and merged them into BioWare/Pandemic Studios. Together, the studios employ around 800 people in four studios located in Los Angeles, Austin, Edmonton, Canada and Brisbane, Australia. "We are proud to have partnered with the management teams of BioWare/Pandemic Studios and collectively created significant shareholder value during our ownership period," said BretPearlman, co-founder and managing director of Elevation Partners and chairman of VG Holding Corp in a statement. "The Pandemic and BioWare teams have set a new standard for creativity that willbe a great fit for EA." The deal is set to become final in January. BioWare’s Mass Effect games is being published by Microsoft next month.

Digital Trends Staff

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Gaming

Which class should you pick in Dragon Age: The Veilguard?

A wizard and night in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

The character creator in Dragon Age: The Veilguard is incredibly deep. You can fully manipulate almost every aspect of your Rook, from their race down to their hair and eye color. Once you've finally settled on what you want to look lik,e you will need to make an even more important choice: what you want the game to play like. You will be presented with three choices for what class you want to be, each one with its own skill tree, specializations, weapons, and approach to combat. Unlike your skills or appearance, once you pick a class in the character creator, you're stuck with it. There's no changing your mind unless you are willing to start the game over with a new character. The game will give you a brief explanation of the classes, but it won't be enough to make an informed decision. Here's a detailed look at what you can expect from each class and whether or not it would be right for you.
Warrior

The Warrior class is the tank of the group and is perfect for players who want to be in the heart of the action. They wear heavy armor and can swap between a sword and shield or a single two-handed weapon like an axe. You will still have some ranged options, such as throwing your shield and a few abilities, but the main focus is building up rage and unleashing strong melee abilities or areas of effect (AoEs).

Gaming

Dragon Age: The Veilguard tips and tricks

A character draws a bow in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

The threat to Thedas in Dragon Age: The Veilguard is greater than anything we've seen before. Solas, The Dread Wolf, is attempting to tear down the Veil, but that's only the tip of the iceberg of problems your Rook will need to deal with. Needless to say, the odds are stacked against you and you will need to use every edge you can get to find a way to overcome the odds. While the game does offer plenty of difficulty options, learning the deeper systems and mechanics will let you compete and keep up with the difficulty as it ramps up without having to change any settings. There's a lot to absorb when diving into this world, so we'll help you prepare with these essential tips and tricks.
Pick your class carefully, but experiment with skills

While you're making your character, the most important choice you have is which class you will be. The three options are Warrior, Mage, and Rogue and the one you pick here is the one you will be stuck with for the rest of the game. There's no changing classes or controlling other party members directly like in past games, so don't take this decision lightly. If you are having trouble deciding, we can help you decide which one is right for you.

Gaming

All Trophies and Achievements in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

A dark and dreary landscape in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

The world of Thedas has a lot of problems by the time your Rook shows up on the scene in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. After creating your character, picking your class, and learning the basic tips and tricks of the game, you will be overwhelmed with content. There are dozens of quests to complete, chests to loot, puzzles to solve, and secrets to uncover. That's all without mentioning the main quest, which will take you dozens of hours on its own.

For completionists out there, you have your work cut out for you. A good way to help track your progress and make sure you're on the right path is to know all the Trophies and Achievements there are so you don't miss anything important. If you're curious about what tasks are required for full completion, here's the full Trophy and Achievement list for Dragon Age: The Veilguard.