Update #2 [Fri 26th Aug, 2022 19:00 BST]: FTW has now updated its original story, stating that "unnamed and unvetted sources" were cited in the reporting on this rumour.
Here is the editorial statement in full:
"Earlier today, GLHF — a gaming/e-sports outlet and content partner of For The Win — ran a version of this story on our website that violated our editorial standards regarding the use of unnamed and unvetted sources. We have updated this story to remove all mention of those sources"
Following this and CNBC's comments earlier today, it sounds like it's business as usual, then, and Amazon are not making an offer to buy EA at the moment.
You can read the amended article and statement over on USA Today.
Update: In what might be one of the quickest responses we've seen for a while, Bloomberg Terminal has stated that Amazon won't be making an offer to buy Electronic Arts, according to CNBC sources.
CNBC discussed the potential offer on Market Alert today. You can watch the clip below.
Original article: It feels like we don't go a single week without hearing about multiple video game studio acquisitions, and today, we may well be hearing about a pretty big one.
For The Win (FTW) reports that Amazon will be announcing today that it's put in a bid to acquire Electronic Arts (EA). EA has been a big name in the industry for years, publishing games like Apex Legends, Mass Effect, Battlefield, and multiple sports titles to name just a few. The company also has its own online distribution platform in Origin and owns multiple big studios such as BioWare, DICE, and Respawn Entertainment.
Amazon hasn't exactly been shy in attempting to get into the video game market either, and it's responsible for publishing both new World and Lost Ark — two PC MMORPGs. You can also get free games via Amazon Prime, and the company also has its Cloud-based gaming platform — Luna.
FTW has reached out to both Electronic Arts and Amazon for comment. We'll update this article as soon as more news comes to light.
[source ftw.usatoday.com, via twitter.com]
Comments 55
Huh. Never thought I'd see the day where EA would be bought. If it's even true of course.
Sure love seeing the AAA gaming world implode with acquisitions and reports of abuse.
I doubt anything good will come of this.
Bezos has more pressing things to buy like Rogaine or a soul.
Aweful company buys aweful company
This is not good. I mean ea sucks yes but the further consolidation of the gaming industry is going on right in front of our eyes and this is one of the worst companies to try it….
What about the fate of The Sims games ? 😟
Wow yeah, this is just what corporate mega publisher EA needed to be redeemed in the hearts of nobody.
I would love if they put their boxed base games without the DLC labelled as Amazon Basics.
Prime Football 24
@Marxally Honestly? I'm surprised Ubisoft is still there. Sure, EA has recently lost the FIFA name, which is like 80% of what they have. But Ubisoft has cancelled so many games, lost so many people and even their execs don't seem enthusiastic about continuing leading the company. But they are still there somehow.
Match made in heaven to be fair
Or hell, whichever
This one I support. Both are awful companies - they deserve one another.
@NIN10DOXD Bezos is no longer the CEO.
Well,
that's a deal that I can't see making it for the better or the worse. EA and Amazon is two equal awful companies.
What a waste of money
The Games industry has gone to ***** anyway. With all the future crap on the way. Amazon, EA God help us. It goes from bad to worse!! Least I can play retro games:)
@mariomaster96
Im glad.
Better they buy EA than touching a decent developer.
Hopefully Amazon wants to keep the games multiplatform, or even port to the switch?
@Zeldawakening my guess is that streaming will be the play. Long term.
Amazon isn't qualified to be a game publisher. Much less than garbage EA is. Almost every single thing Amazon has done with regards to game development has been a total flop.
Only EA properties I care about still is Dragon Age and Mass Effect. Both have been tiptoeing.
If Amazon can pump some resources into EA then I’m fine with this. Do a Dragon Age Origins remake.
If they use EA’s and developers resources to pump out more live service garbage, then RIP EA.
@Ravenmaster that is why they are buying a successful one.
Yeah, that sounds about right.
@LUIGITORNADO EA has never needed resources to develop those games. It isnt in their business plan.
Lol. This doesn't really affect Nintendo gamers very much at all. Heck, there is a remote chance that support improves (it can't get much worse, let's be honest.)
I'm sure Amazon are steering themselves into their own gaming streaming service but they can garner some goodwill by showing the Switch some love in the short term. Must say, The Boys is the only thing I've really watched streaming and I bloomin' loved that series, so I'm not going to write this move off...just yet...
Edit: ooooh, updated! Ok, it's a write off.
@Marxally
When's the last time EA was AAA? That's just the Madden company.
Maybe if EA wasn't one of the worst publishers out there, I'd have cared for this announcement.
Glad EA doesn't own the Star Wars license anymore at least
I know people are scared about all these acquisitions, but other than the Saudi Arabia one, most of these have been greedy companies who don't treat their properties, employees, or customers with respect getting bought out. Like, there's nowhere for them to go but up in most of these cases. Unless their plan is to make EA games Luna exclusive or something when I would hope they and Google have learned by now to drop the streaming idea and move on from it.
Hope this leads to a collapse of EA and Amazon permanently leaving the gaming market.
EA have destroyed every good thing they have ever possessed, so... it's a great big meh from me.
I used to be the biggest fan of The Sims before they destroyed it beyond recognition. I just wish I could still play The Sims 2 on Windows 10+ without having to jump through so many hoops. Fortunately, The Sims 1 still works.
Huh, ea being bought out by another company, thought I wouldn’t live to see the day, don’t think jack will change tho.
Still FIFA 2012 for us anyway.
@Sonos EA will probably just laugh at them and say no deal.
For those of you wondering how is this going to affect the Nintendo Switch.
Fear not, FIFA 24 on Nintendo Switch will still be Fifa 18 re-skinned.
Maybe Nintendo should buy EA.
I guess the phrase ‘there’s always a bigger fish’ is suitable here.
Amazon Studios have cancelled multiple games in the past. What's the answer? Purchase a publisher that recently lost their most lucrative property in the FIFA license. Yup, not smart.
I wonder if someone at EA just started that rumor to pump up share prices. Lol
@Magician
Well, EA has cancelled several talented studios in their past, like Westwood and Bullfrog.
Maybe if someone else bought them, we would get Madden on the Switch!
While it seems it was fake, the videogame industry is getting more and more concentrated in a few companies thanks to those acquisitions.
Having just 5 or 6 videogame companies controlling almost the whole videogame industry is what was missing for it to become just like Hollywood.
@Sonos He's still chairman of the board and largest shareholder though.
@NIN10DOXD true. but i think he is more into arming his floating fortress and coke parties in space now.
@Ravenmaster it has been widely reported that EA has been searching for a deal since the Activision deal was announced. EA doesnt care about game development they care about share value. They have been stuck at 100-140 for some time.
As a shareholder (i'm not one) you'd want this deal.
don't care about electronic arts so no big deal to me..
@RasandeRose they killed the ultima series..
@johnedwin EA killed loads of series. Vile company.
@rockodoodle I’d settle for the NFL removing exclusivity from the license, so that someone else could get in on it that might give a toss about the Switch.
Until Madden appears on it, EA doesn’t get another penny out of me.
If Amazon wants Luna to be successful they need to buy EA, skipping on this opportunity will not help Luna and will cause them to fall behind Google Stadia and Microsoft xCloud in the lousy cloud gaming market.
Well that ended quickly.
Would probably end up getting more EA games with my Amazon prime membership lol
@johnedwin The problem goes way depper, market concentration, if things keep going that way, in the future we will only have like 5 or 6 companies owning almost the entire videogame market.
I adore Mass Effect, and I can't see any good coming from Amazon buying them out. Amazon needs to stop trying to become a full blown monopoly and stop messing with stuff.
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