Fancy buying yourself a massive game publishing giant? Well, it looks like you might have the chance soon, if you can match the $20-per-share that the company has allegedly let it be known they’d sell for.
EA’s market cap is currently around $4billion and they’ve been buying back shares, causing a bump in market share value to just over $13. These reports come after similar stories earlier in the year about Activision’s parent company, Vivendi, trying to offload their 61 per cent share in the giant publisher – and so far seeming to find no buyers.
Year-on-year traditional game sales are down, with many industry insiders stating a need for the next generation of console hardware to reinvigorate the market. However, some are suggesting that the tide has turned for the videogame market and the huge increase in Free-to-Play, mobile and casual sales models have changed the landscape of game publishing forever.
EA is doing well in the new models, second only to Zynga in the social game arena thanks to its SimCity Social game. They also announced yesterday that the new Command & Conquer game would be a Free-to-Play affair, much to the general disgruntlement of long-time fans of that franchise.
Source: New York Post
Sympozium
wait… didn’t the already do a F2P C&C game?
dave87fez
Good…hopefully some better people will end up in charge of the company in the future…like Mr Bean, or Homer Simpson
Burning, seething, boiling dislike of EA!
Bilbo_bobbins
lets hope it goes the way of Facebook shares and all goes a little wrong
cc_star
Situation slightly different with Vivendi rumoured to be looking for buyers for ActiBlizz, Vivendi have a debt which is dragging them down, the sale of ActiBliz would eradicate their debt and leave their other media interests intact.
EA look to be well placed to me, they have fingers in every pie from core to casual from console to web, from handheld to mobile & have all their franchises already taking advantage of F2P, but despite all that, their financial performance is sluggish & turning their franchises into Activision sized dollar bills is.
At up to $4bn it narrows down potential buyers somewhat, perhaps Disney or someone… However if an investment group take it over, or a non-specialist media company like NewsCorp/Fox then I can see gaming quality going downhill as they attempt to leverage yet more value out of EA’s strong annual franchises.
xdarkmagician
Apple
EA’s big enough that if Apple owned it it could severely hurt MS and Sony, but then Apple would have to launch a home console- which might be something they already plan on, Imagine having no major sports games on anything not Apple.
An-dz
I wouldnt mid much if EA had not nver the years, bought up most of my fav game devs. Now alot of games i really like are threatened if the wrong buyer gets their hands on EA,
The Lone Steven
I feel sorry for whoever buys EA as they will have to pay £1millon for an online pass then buy a lot of DLC to get the full company. ;)
I am surprised that EA may be up for sale considering despite their shit on gamers attitude, they have been doing well. Would be very ironic if Activison bought them.
XisTG
Made me chuckle ehehh :)
PoorPaddy89
If it’s true, here’s hoping the new parent company ditch Origin!
xdarkmagician
Everything is for sale if you’re willing to over pay. It’s not like the owners of EA couldn’t take that money and start a new company. It might actually be a smart thing to do, sometimes it’s easier to build something new instead of trying to fix everything thats broken.