It looks like 2022 will be the year of acquisitions in the video game industry. The intent to buy Activision from Microsoft last January, the acquisition of Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal and Square Enix Montreal by the Embracer Group earlier in the month, and rumors of Ubisoft acquisitions at the end of April, Now another American publisher will follow suit.
Towards seizing electronic arts?
For several weeks, gossip has been suggesting that Electronic Arts, the publisher behind cult franchises such as battlefield where FIFA It will be ready to sell or merge. Signed information Puck, which presents three interested companies: NBCUniversal, Disney and Apple.
“Over the past few years, as media companies have taken a closer look at the rapidly growing game industry, Wilson and Electronic Arts have held discussions with a number of potential suitors, including Disney, Apple and Amazon, according to sources familiar with those discussions.‘,” explains Dylan Byers, journalist at Puck.Several sources familiar with these discussions say that EA has been persistent in pursuing the sale, only increasing after the Microsoft-Activision deal. Others say EA is primarily interested in a merger deal that would allow Wilson to remain CEO of the combined company.. “
According to this first information, it is an agreement with NBCUniversal that would have been privileged at the time. The agreement has since been abandoned. Only, three giants are still in the running, with a new baby: Amazon. And according to new information from 9to5Mac, Apple will be the best company to get Electronic Arts. A purchase or merger would allow Andrew Wilson, CEO of EA, to keep his job. Especially since several elements tip the scales in this direction. to start, Apple has been making efforts for several years to establish itself in the global video game scene, particularly with Apple Arcade.
Furthermore, since EA’s creation in 1982, the two entities have been linked. And for good reason, EA founder Trip Hawkins is nothing but a former director of strategy and marketing at Apple. Of course, this information should be taken with caution. Nothing has been set in stone yet and the two giants have not bothered to comment on these assumptions. Even worse, EA spokesperson John Risburg called rumors of a possible acquisition of the company “false.” It remains to be seen if the American publisher will find my takers. The answer is in the next few weeks, probably.