[News] EA Buys BioWare and Pandemic

EA buys two game studios | Reuters

Quote:

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Electronic Arts Inc (ERTS.O: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday it is buying two video game studios for more than $800 million in a deal that fills a weak spot in its games lineup by adding role-playing and action titles.

Under the deal, EA will acquire BioWare Corp and Pandemic Studios, privately held firms that have been partners since a 2005 deal brought them together under VG Holding Group with backing from private equity firm Elevation Partners.

Shares in EA rose as much as 1.3 percent to $59.44 in extended trading after the deal was announced. In the regular Nasdaq session the stock fell 2 percent to close at $58.69.

EA said the deal would be dilutive to its fiscal 2008 earnings by 30 cents to 40 cents per share. Excluding special charges, the purchase would reduce EA's earnings by about 5 cents a share in its fiscal fourth quarter, which concludes at the end of March.

It could also boost EA's revenue by more than $300 million a year, Chief Financial Officer Warren Jenson told Reuters in an interview.

"We're very excited about the revenue potential. We see that in both '09 and '10 to be in excess of $300 million," Jenson said. EA had just over $3 billion in revenue in 2007.

BioWare is the maker of a series of critically acclaimed and best-selling role-playing games, including "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic" and the "Baldur's Gate" series.

Pandemic makes military-style action and shooting games such as "Mercenaries", "Star Wars Battlefront" and "Full Spectrum Warrior."

"The reason we did this deal is because it's an incredible strategic fit with EA and there is an unbelievable collection of talent from BioWare and Pandemic," Frank Gibeau, head of EA Games, said in an interview.

"It also puts us in categories that we're not in right now," Gibeau said.

Can someone please just make EA go away? Everything they touch turns to shit. They've all but ruined what was one of my favorite series: SimCity. What next?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Bioware no

Does this mean that we are going to see Mass Effect ported to PS3, PS2, PSP, DS, GBA, Wii, and cell phones?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Ahhh.. not bioware! I bet they are eyeing square-enix too.. lol

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by russ

Bioware no

Does this mean that we are going to see Mass Effect ported to PS3, PS2, PSP, DS, GBA, Wii, and cell phones?

Nah, just yearly sequels.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

EA becomes self-aware at 2:14am EDT December 21, 2012. In a panic, they will try to pull the plug.

How ya doing, buddy?

I was more surprised by the fact that EA could afford to buy the companies with all the office downsizing and complaining of sales they've been doing this year. Suppose they wern't as bad off as they tried to make it seem. (no surprise there)

However I'm not all that surprised. I'm more surprised that Pandemic didn't get purchased by Lucas Arts first and that Microsoft didn't buy BioWare, especially with the recent loss of Bizzare and Bungie.

Ah well, such is the way of the business world I guess. Worst part is there's another 3 seconds taken out of my life each time I boot up Mass Effect watching the stupid EA logo, lol... *crying*

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

*sigh* This just adds to the long list of studios that have been wholly consumed by EA, reminds me of amoebas that just engulf everything they come in contact with. Westwood, DiCE, Maxis (not sure about this one, but close enough IMO) and now these two studios. Before we know it all that'll be left will be EA, who will stick their stupid logo into our faces every time we boot up a game (which by then there will be no other publishers).

FELIPE NO

Well on the bright side, Bioware is shit anyways.

Dragon Age sounded pretty awesome though

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Oh noez! I see Bioware's MMO in great danger. :/

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by rpgcrazied

Ahhh.. not bioware! I bet they are eyeing square-enix too.. lol

EA don't have shit on real developers.

Also, Westwood was bought out by EA? Fuck. There goes the possibility of a Total Annihilation sequel.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Pandemic noooo ;_;

Although I can't tell if this increases or decreases the chances of a Full Spectum Warrior sequel

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

This is great news! BioWare RPGs will now have rockin' EA TRAX.

"The evil Atari gang is threatening to destroy our very existence with their Backyard Football, you there! You must save our king, John Madden, only then will peace be restored to the land!"
"SHUT UP BITCH I'M LISTENING TO MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE LOL"

*Advert for underarm deodorant pasted on a nearby wall*

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

This sorta puts a full stop on the Sonic RPG Project, doesn't it?

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If EA work on a Sonic game, I just don't even want to think how that'll turn out.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Just have him as an unlockable in Burnout Paradise. HE'S THE FASTEST THING ALIIIIIITAKEDOWN.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Elixir

EA don't have shit on real developers.

Also, Westwood was bought out by EA? Fuck. There goes the possibility of a Total Annihilation sequel.

Yeah, good thing that there wasn't any game made called "Supreme Commander" or anything, nope.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Lukage

Yeah, good thing that there wasn't any game made called "Supreme Commander" or anything, nope.

Obviously I have no idea who Chris Taylor is so there! That, or allow me to nitpick what I personally felt was r0ng with Supreme Commander.



Still, again, I would kill for a proper next-gen FSW2 ;_; Finally seeing all that processing muscle put to proper good use would be amazing! Am I seriously the only one?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

DO NOT WANT!

Elixir, Westwood Studios was acquired in between C&CRA2 and C&C Generals. You can obviously see the effect.

Since Will Wright made EA a metric shit ton load of money from the Sims, he was allowed to more or less keep his own creative team and is generally the lone exception to EA's rule of QUALITY (But since it IS EA, that's why we have "The Sims ..." expansions all the fucking time.

The good news is that Microsoft said that Mass Effect was close enough to being finished that it won't be affected by the take over, but any future games WOULD be.

Dammit EA, why must you destroy all that is good and right in the gaming world? Last game I remotely enjoyed from you was Burnout 3 (Which was made by Criterion Games anyway)

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Originally Posted by Conan-the-3rd

This sorta puts a full stop on the Sonic RPG Project, doesn't it?

No it isn't.

I can't find the interview but it pretty much says "Sonic RPG still happening".

EA is pretty much saying "We're not interfering with what's going on already." Plus I really don't see too much point in hating them anymore. (Employees often recruit at my school and interns tell me that EA is not perfect, but they're certainly not cruel monsters).

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Any hopes of a (good) sequel to Knights of the Old Republic just went down the shitter.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Hamu-Sumo

Oh noez! I see Bioware's MMO in great danger. :/

Yeah, I could see this happening, since EA is ramping up to release Warhammer Online next year. Would be silly to have the two MMOs compete for the same space. Of course, that is, if BioWare's MMORPG is for PC. If it's for PS3/Xbox 360/PC, then that's a different story.

I was speaking idiomatically.

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Plus I really don't see too much point in hating them anymore. (Employees often recruit at my school and interns tell me that EA is not perfect, but they're certainly not cruel monsters).

EA are basically a gigantic katamari, just rolling up every small American/Canadian developer slowly. And they've been constantly processing cheese which is killing the gaming industry.

They're as bad as THQ. They shouldn't be allowed to make games at all.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Especially their sports games man. Jeez, that's really killing the way the industry works in North America, and it sucks balls.

While I do appreciate the fact that EA IS coming out with well baked games like Army of Two and such, they still have a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG ways to go. At the very least, they're not taking advantage of the Wii like Ubisoft which EA could VERY easly do. (take advantage in a bad way I mean)

But this topic in of itself can be made into a thesis and then on to a full size paper of business and econimics all based off this very topic so I think I'll stop here for the night.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Qwarky

Pandemic noooo ;_;

Although I can't tell if this increases or decreases the chances of a Full Spectum Warrior sequel

The real question is:

Would it be good?

No.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Slayer X

At the very least, they're not taking advantage of the Wii like Ubisoft which EA could VERY easly do. (take advantage in a bad way I mean)

Oh yes they are.

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Jam it back in, in the dark.