Disney To Purchase EA This Year?

[dereksworl]

What do you make of this? Good or Bad? Less crappy ports maybe?

Big fish eat little fish. It's just the way of the world, even in business. Especially in business.

In the video game industry, we're always waiting to see who our big fish will swallow next. Last year, EA chased Take-Two around in circles for quite a while, but ended up with an empty stomach (it may have been a bitter-tasting fish, anyway, considering Take-Two's current stock price). But that's only our world; what happens when the biggest fish in the sea start chasing EA? Jill Goldsmith, Wall Street reporter for Variety, has suggested that Disney may try to buy EA in 2009, saying- "Disney is seen as a buyer, with market speculation centering on videogame company Electronic Arts as a possible target." Variety's Ben Fritz echoes this same sentiment over at The Cutscene, and adds that with the market in the condition it's in, we may see more in the way of huge media conglomerates snapping up video game publishers. As Fritz says:

"The videogame business has been having problems, with growth slowing of late, but it's still red hot compared to movies, TV, and music. And many videogame publishers, not just EA, have seen their stocks take major hits in the past six months, much more than the declines for big media shares. That means videogame publishers are more affordable for the conglomerates than they were a year ago. Which means we could just see a Disney-EA acquisition, or others like it, in 2009."

Seems like a logical mode of thinking, right? Everyone has been hurt by the economy, but as many analysts predicted, video games have flourished within a home entertainment (people stay home in a bad economy) cocoon of sorts. Perhaps "flourish" isn't the right word, but they've been staying fairly steady, so it's no surprise if Disney wants to expand their global domination with a play for EA. Gamers didn't like the idea of EA taking over Take-Two...we wonder how they'll respond to this...

Source-http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-news/4405.html

[Maximus]

This is good for us.

Make no mistake, Disney buying EA guarantees FIFA and Madden for PS3 every year. MS buying EA does exactly the opposite.

[Ferris]

I would have to say, I would much prefer Disney buying EA, as opposed to MS buying them...

Good article.

[dereksworl]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Disney buying EA guarantees FIFA and Madden for PS3 every year. MS buying EA does exactly the opposite.

I was just thinking the same thing. OMG can you imagine if M$ bought EA....................

[richieb1971]

I can't see this being bad for Sony or the PS3. In fact I would see EA being centered around the PS3 just for the fact that Disney has a good relationship with Sony and Blu ray. It would mean EA would get all the Disney franchises for games.

You might even get Disney movies based on Square soft titles.

[Luis_A51]

This would be excellent. If it happens, then no more worrying about MS buying EA. And Disney seems to have a great relationship with Sony. This would probably be the best case scenario (cant see Sony buying EA anytime soon)

[Stephie_is_a_dork]

great news, especially if Disney improves quality in EA's games. They're my least fave VG co. and Disney is my fave BD co.

[FIDDYPOP]

I think that EA just mass produced games and have taken a dive recently. I always prefered the Sega Sports series anyway.

[AikonEnt]

Originally Posted by Luis_A51

cant see Sony buying EA anytime soon

Now that would be funny (for us PS3 people anyway)

[DezNutz]

I think it would be alright. Really I doubt we would see any change in game availability or quality, which is at least keeping the average.


Disney game seem much like EA games.. average to above average games making a bigger living on the license the the quality of the game.

I just do not see it happening, even with the hit in stock price.. EA is very large and it would be a substantial purchase offering.. something disney has not done outside its main buisness.. which this is.. I mean they got big cable (ESPN ABC), so it is not totally outside their "entertainment" buisness.. and most EA games are not rated M.. more I think about it, the more it has some legs..


that being said Sony cannot afford this, but maybe they can look at Take Two again..

[Sidewinder]

Originally Posted by FIDDYPOP

I think that EA just mass produced games and have taken a dive recently. I always prefered the Sega Sports series anyway.

This year saw some of the best EA games since long: Dead Space, Mirror's Edge and Battlefield Bad Company, so it's a shame they got hit now.

[icecream]

I love the direction EA has been heading as of late, in terms of software quality they've supported, 2009 just continues the trend too. If Disney purchasing EA will encourage this further, I'd certainly like to see it happen.

[Pepelutivruski4]

disney has several stakes in Blu-Ray, they will help market hte crap out of the PS3 now...

we might even see some ESPN sports titles now

[Nerdkiller likes BD]

Yeah, it seems like a good opportunity for Disney to buy EA as of late, especially with the new direction they're going with. Now we'll wonder if we'll see any movie licenced games that are actually good (my bet says no).

[Luis_A51]

Originally Posted by Sidewinder

This year saw some of the best EA games since long: Dead Space, Mirror's Edge and Battlefield Bad Company, so it's a shame they got hit now.

2 of those atleast are only EA published though

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Luis_A51

2 of those atleast are only EA published though

Really? Redwood and DICE are wholly owned EA subsidiaries. Maybe you are mistaking Valve/Harmonix developed games which are EA published.

[reiella]

Originally Posted by Sidewinder

This year saw some of the best EA games since long: Dead Space, Mirror's Edge and Battlefield Bad Company, so it's a shame they got hit now.

Especially since it makes the shareholders quite honestly question the decision to go improve Quality, since it's apparantly not a profitable increase in quality.

[ edit ]
Point of clarity, it's making analysts question it, at least .

[ScarredLungs]

Originally Posted by dereksworl

I was just thinking the same thing. OMG can you imagine if M$ bought EA....................

You should be suspended for saying such terrible things like that! M$ buying EA... Holy Heavens No!

Disney would be a much better deal!

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by reiella

Especially since it makes the shareholders quite honestly question the decision to go improve Quality, since it's apparantly not a profitable increase in quality.

[ edit ]
Point of clarity, it's making analysts question it, at least .

I think it will pay off long-term. In 2007/8 EA had to spend massively to buy and fix their development houses and build up existing teams. The expenditure is all but done now and it should start to pay off now.

Obviously staple titles like FIFA and Madden will continue to be EA's bread and butter but they will be doing more "risky" titles in the future, hopefully.

[silversnake]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Obviously staple titles like FIFA and Madden will continue to be EA's bread and butter but they will be doing more "risky" titles in the future, hopefully.

Yup and i congratulate them from doing so. It's a shame , they should have thought it thru and not released some of their new IP's when they did. Mirror's edge and dead space kind of got missed by a lot of people because of their release date. There was a huge rush of games right before Christmas and a lot of good games were missed.