Report: EA Looking To Get Acquired; Was Almost Bought By Comcast

Earlier than the latest wave of online game studio acquisitions, Digital Arts was the unique mass studio acquirer. Adopted by infamously shutting a lot of them down quickly after. However a brand new report signifies the potential of the mom of all ironies taking place – EA itself could also be trying to be acquired.

The report appeared on Puck which claims that Brian Roberts, chairman and CEO of Comcast, approached EA CEO Andrew Wilson to merge the video video games writer with NBCUniversal, one in every of Comcast’s subsidiaries. In accordance with the report, this occurred within the wake of the announcement of Microsoft buying Activision.

Had the deal went by way of, it could have resulted within the Roberts’ familty having majority management over the brand new mixed entity, with Wilson working its operations. The CEO of NBCUniversal, however, would have been promoted to a different function on the wider Comcast umbrella.

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After all, all that’s if the concerned events had agreed to the deal. However that didn’t occur. The report states that the deal finally fell aside as a result of “disagreements over value and construction”. This occurred as just lately as final month.

Additional down, the report mentions EA having held talks with different potential acquirers, the likes of which embody Disney, Apple and Amazon. Wilson was mentioned to have additionally approached Disney as just lately as March to strike a type of deal that’s described as “a extra significant relationship” than simply licensing offers. Which probably refers back to the Star Wars exclusivity deal which expires subsequent 12 months, permitting different studios to make video games with the IP.

Whereas on the topic, EA can also be shedding its license to make FIFA-branded soccer video games. Which might have been of serious curiosity to Disney, which additionally owns ESPN. Although it’s solely probably that the brand new EA Sports activities FC would nonetheless do nicely sufficient by itself.

(Supply: Puck through Kotaku)