EA cuts ties with Pandemic Brisbane?

If rumours are to be believed, US publisher Electronic Arts has told Pandemic Studios’ Brisbane-based Australian office that it has been “set free” from its ties to the company.

Kotaku reports that the Destroy All Humans developer has been allowed to retain its original IP, staff and equipment, and is now free to seek a new publisher for its current projects.

The site quotes one source as stating: “It was more of a ‘find a new publisher, good luck’ kind of thing”. Another source supposedly added that a “lack of direction and massive budget” were the reasons behind the decision. Pandemic Brisbane was the studio rumoured to be working on EA’s ill-fated Dark Knight title.

EA bought developer Pandemic, along with RPG specialist BioWare, in 2007. Its games to date include Star Wars Battlefront, Full Spectrum Warrior and Mercenaries, along with next-gen Lord of the Rings outing LOTR: Conquest, which is out in the UK this Friday.

The fate of Pandemic’s LA studio is currently unknown. Develop has contacted EA for clarification.