Electronic Arts (EA) would seek to be bought out or to merge. At least that’s what the American media reported. puck, May 20. With the excitement surrounding the concentration of the video game industry and the takeover of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft, one of the biggest game publishers in the world could be next on the list.
Electronic Arts wants to be acquired
Sources revealed to puck that the video game giant had discussed with several big names in the industry as part of a takeover or merger. Interested parties include Disney, Amazon, Apple and NBCUniversal. It is with the latter that the negotiations went the furthest. Brian Roberts, CEO of Comcast, the parent company of NBCUniversal, proposed to Andrew Wilson, CEO of EA, to merge the media and the video game publisher.
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After several weeks of discussions, the agreement was to place Comcast as the majority shareholder of the new entity while leaving Wilson in charge. Jeff Shell, general manager of NBCUniversal, has reportedly been promoted to another position. However, the deal fell through last month. The cause ? A misunderstanding regarding the redemption price and the definition of the structure.
John Reseburg, spokesperson for Electronic Arts, told puck that the company did not wish to communicate ” on rumors and speculation around mergers and acquisitions. We are proud to be in a position of strength and growth, with a portfolio of amazing games, built around powerful intellectual property, made by incredibly talented teams, and a community of over half a billion gamers. . We see a very bright future ahead of us “.
For the moment, the American media specifies that “ EA has been stubborn in its pursuit of a sale and has grown bolder in the wake of the Microsoft-Activision deal. others [sources] claim that EA is primarily interested in a merger deal that would allow Wilson to remain chief executive of the merged company. »
Video games, a sector in perpetual motion
Takeovers and mergers are commonplace in the video game industry right now. Last January, the acquisition of Activison Blizzard by Microsoft for 68.7 billion dollars had shaken the sector. It’s the biggest deal in Microsoft’s history, putting it just behind Tencent and Sony as one of the most powerful video game companies in the world. At the end of January, Sony announced the acquisition of Bungie, the studio behind the sagas Halo and destiny, for $3.6 billion. The prospect of being overtaken by its competitors scares EA, which fears for its place among the world leaders.
In addition, Electronic Arts’ desire to find a buyer comes as the publisher is parting with flagship licensing rights. Its agreement with Disney for the exploitation of Star Wars expires in 2023 and will not be renewed. More recently, EA announced the end of a 30-year partnership with FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, forcing future games in the franchise to change their names. A few clouds hover over the bright future described by its spokesperson.