Is EA taking over the Gaming world?
 

Ok, so like, recently, EA has been trying to buy the majority (20%) of shares of the French gaming company UbiSoft (Prince of Persia). UbiSoft has gone so far as to appeal to the FRENCH government (wow, that's desperate) to stop them from getting all the shares, saying it is a 'hostile takeover'. Andthen, just today, EA reps had this to say...

"Everyone thinks that we never had talks with Ubisoft. We spoke to Ubisoft, Activision, Eidos, and a lot of other producers," EA Europe's Gerhard Florin told La Tribune. "We didn't only speak of acquisitions but also industrial partnerships."

Um...so, I don't know how you guys read this, but here's a rephrase on how I did:

"Basically, you {UbiSoft} can either allow us {EA} to buy out themajority of stock from your company or you can partner with us."

Um....if you ask me, that sounds like EA is basically telling them they have 2 choices, both which lead to being controlled by EA. And this is their justification for saying their buyout isn't hostile? Sounds VERY hostile to me?

So this brings up the topic. With so many small companies over the years being boght by EA and now EA is undoubtibly the biggest gaming based company in the world (also producing the most amount of games in the world)....are they getting too big? More than that, are they tryingto pull a Microsoft and....buy or force their way into all the different gaming companies in the world? Or, in just simple terms, are they trying to take over the gaming market?

You decide. I think they're either doing that...or doing WAY too much buying of small companies. And another thing that I heard, but haven't confirmed, is that Microsoft is the highest majority stock owner of EA itself. Could there be a massive pile up of things going on here? Microsoft sure isn't owning the gaming market with its XBOX or its stand alone PC game developers. Do you think possibly, if this is true, they might try to do it with EA?

All theories...but scary ones to imagine.

I've heard that EA and Microsoft have partnered up, and that EA would get produce the majority of the games available for the "X-Box 2".

Welcome to 3 years ago. EA is, either quietly or not, trying to buy up as many companies as it can. A red Flag went up in my mind when they bought Origin (Creators of Ultima). Trust me, this is NOT a good trend... EA is not known for the quality of their games.

Didn't EA just buy exclusive rights the the NFL liscence? Does not bode well.

Much farther than 3 years ago. They've been buying companies since near their creation. Maxis (my namesake) was one of the first companies they bought, all the way in 1998 I believe. The last game they made without the EA logo on it would be Sim City 2000 I think.

And indeed, they have taken the NFL licence. Not only that, but they are I think the only gaming company they can provide ads on some stations durring NFL games I think.

Wow, so much for controlled capitalism.

Yeah, EA did buy the exclusive license. I feel really crappy about that, being an NFL 2Kx fan. Sega thought they could one up EA by down pricing their game, and EA takes the weasily road...

This is an example of a company trying to take over its marketplace. When a gaming company like EA gets this big, it isn't good for the consumer. They get more power and more control of what games are produced and for which system they are produced. We already know that EA hasn't read too much about business ethics because of the reports of the EA spouse and other tales of worker mis-treatment. And, as already stated by someone else, EA isn't known for the quality of their games.

I hope that Ubi-soft gets the plea that it wants. Diversity is always good, especially in the gaming market.

pah you and your silly rumours
EA is buying out all the game companys
EA and Microsoft are working together to take over the world
Giant mutant chickens on pogo sticks are not real

come on how many rumours can ye start *EASports its in the game*

ea joining with microsoft is bull, don't worry about it, if anything they just pulled away a bit by announcing that they will be developing for bluray and yet to announce HDDVD when microsoft was most likely going to go with HDDVD for their drives.

but yeah, EA is the devil

EA is like Dick Cheney wrapped in the anti christ. They killed WESTWOOD!!!!!!! THOSE BASTARDS!!

They can't get TOO big, at least. Not in the States anyway.

The whole "Monopoly" thing.

Unless it's under the policy of laizzes-faire.

That's some terms for you Econ students out there.