Mercenaries 2: World In Flames was previously announced for the PS3, but Pandemic has added that it will now also be coming out for the Xbox 360, PC, and PS2.

IGN had an exclusive interview with Pandemic’s senior producer Jonathan Zamkoff.

IGN: Just to put things in context so that you know what kind of fan I am of Mercenaries, I reviewed the original game and worked closely with LucasArts on it, and I’m really looking forward to the sequel. I’m also aware of the back-story of Mercenaries, the first time around.

Jonathan Zamkoff: OK…

 

IGN: As in, you know, how the first Mercenaries was originally contracted with EA as a Strike series game. How Pandemic and EA eventually didn’t agree to work on the first game together, and how Pandemic went independent with a different game that LucasArts ended up signing and publishing. So…

Jonathan Zamkoff: so, you’re steeped in Mercenaries lore.

 

IGN: (Laughter). Yes, I guess you could say that.

Jonathan Zamkoff: Then you know it’s been quite a wild ride for us.

 

IGN: Yes, so it’s funny and ironic that Pandemic is working with EA again on Mercenaries 2.

Jonathan Zamkoff: Yes, very much so. Obviously, this time around the deal is slightly different. We’re feeling much more on equal footing with EA, which is really exciting for Pandemic. EA is a monster in terms of distribution, quality assurance, and really helping getting the game in the channels. And creatively, Pandemic retains the rights to the IP, so this time around we’re on equal footing and I know both sides are very excited about working together with this type of relationship.

 

IGN: It seems like it a good deal for you guys. But I’m curious: Why would a publisher, any publisher, want to agree to a deal where they didn’t retain the intellectual property to the game they’re publishing? You know, the publisher loses a level of control and they don’t make as much money on it without those rights, or at least that’s the way most publishing deals have been written up to this point. Maybe this one is different?

Jonathan Zamkoff: You know, honestly I ‘m not really sure of the minds of the EA executive that signed this. Mercenaries, across the board, has the buzz that it’s going to be a top ten title on the PS3 and on the Xbox 360 as well. You know, I don’t know for sure, but I think that EA is looking to get a big, open-world game like Mercenaries under its belt that they are proud and excited about. So that’s the biggest leverage we have. We’re coming in with the best-selling original IP of 2005, everybody across the board feels we have made massive improvements to the game for next-gen, and I just think it’s the type of game and the quality of game that, even though they don’t retain the IP, I think that EA wants to have a stake in Mercenaries 2. There really is no one bigger and better to handle a game in the publishing world than EA. They’re the juggernauts of the publishing world. We have a lot of faith in their marketing.

 

You can read the rest of the interview in full at IGN.