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Electronic Arts Buys Popcap Games

Posted on Tuesday, July 12 @ 13:52:39 Eastern by Jenna_Jue

Aside from the fun I'm having creating EA-PopCap hybrids, today's news isn't entirely unexpected. We already knew that PopCap Games was in talks with a company interested in purchasing the casual games developer for a cool BILLION. Even if you had your money on Electronic Arts shelling out for the house zombies, unicorns, and jewels built, I doubt you've hit a jackpot large enough to buy your own PopCap Games.

Electronic Arts announced today that they've purchased PopCap Games for more than one billion dollars in cash and stock. EA CEO John Riccitello seems pretty pleased:

EA and PopCap are a compelling combination. PopCap's great studio talent and powerful IP add to EA's momentum and accelerate our drive towards a $1 billion digital business. EA's global studio and publishing network will help PopCap rapidly expand their business to more digital devices, more countries, and more channels.

PopCap Games CEO David Roberts also seems pleased... what with all the cash in his pockets:

We picked EA because they have recast their culture around making great digital games. By working with EA, we'll scale our games and services to deliver more social, mobile, casual fun to an even bigger, global audience.

More information will surely come out of EA's investor call this evening, but until then, continue mixing EA and PopCap franchises in the comments. Me? I just hope EA doesn't swallow PopCap up and destroy their talent like they did with PlayFish a while back.
Related Games:   Battlefield 3, Bejeweled 2, Dead Space 2, Madden NFL 12, Peggle, Plants vs. Zombies
Tags:   EA, popcap


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POST A COMMENTComments
  • 213EDD
    213EDD - Joined: Sep 7, 2007
    Ohh boy I just cant wait...
    0 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 12th, 2011 at 2:25 pm
  • tinymhg
    tinymhg - Joined: Jun 22, 2011
    Batttlefield 4: Plants vs. Dead Space
    0 1Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 12th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
  • Amorphis
    Amorphis - Joined: Dec 13, 2010
    Can't wait for Bejewelled Effect 3 *rubs hands*
    0 1Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 12th, 2011 at 3:32 pm
  • danielrbischoff
    danielrbischoff - Joined: Nov 13, 2009
    Stop rubbing your hands! ... creepy lookin'
    0 1Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 12th, 2011 at 6:23 pm
  • Amorphis
    Amorphis - Joined: Dec 13, 2010
    Force of habit, I was a diabolical mastermind in my last job!
    0 1Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 13th, 2011 at 8:41 am
  • tinymhg
    tinymhg - Joined: Jun 22, 2011
    I nominate Amorphis for the people speaks, BUT only if danielrbischoff’s reply is left on.
    0 1Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 13th, 2011 at 8:47 am
  • tinymhg
    tinymhg - Joined: Jun 22, 2011
    Ok, now I have to nominate the whole thread for the people speaks.
    0 1Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 13th, 2011 at 8:50 am
  • Amorphis
    Amorphis - Joined: Dec 13, 2010
    I like that idea!
    0 1Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 13th, 2011 at 10:01 am
  • drathbone
    drathbone - Joined: May 19, 2011
    The Sims: Zumas Revenge. Now with a new TOTALLY unique, revolutionary save feature for only $10/month
    0 1Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 12th, 2011 at 3:57 pm
  • danielrbischoff
    danielrbischoff - Joined: Nov 13, 2009
    Thumbs Up, but you forgot to say that the Totally unique save feature is only available to those who bought the game new.
    0 2Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 12th, 2011 at 6:23 pm
  • sliverstorm
    sliverstorm - Joined: Jun 23, 2007
    So EA is grabbing Popcap. My question is: for what? The purpose of acquiring a company is to add additional synergistic value. For regular developers and IPs, the fit is obvious. But for smaller, mobile-centric game studios that really don't need a publisher in order to produce, market, and sell games, these acquisitions need to be part of a broader mobile strategy. "Get Big Through Acquisitions" is usually a bad play unless there's a long-term plan being the acquisition--EA's stock didn't drop 3.8% on announcement for no reason. I feel like EA is just jockeying for position in an emerging market that they don't understand and hoping a play emerges in the future.
    0 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 12th, 2011 at 4:27 pm
  • Commiebot
    Commiebot - Joined: Mar 27, 2007
    I'm thinking that having a stable of Popcap's games is going to becoming a backbone of EA's new Origin service (can I call a new way to gouge you and drag out the process a service?). As you say though, I doubt EA really has the maneuverability to know and adjust to what the casual audience wants.

    Here's hoping EA doesn't do to Popcap what it did to my beloved Westwood Studios.
    0 1Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 13th, 2011 at 12:33 am
  • Diabolus
    Diabolus - Joined: Nov 2, 2008
    fEAding frenzy.
    0 1Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 14th, 2011 at 1:14 am
  • pennpsu
    pennpsu - Joined: Sep 29, 2010
    silverstorm is dead on ...EA is looking for market position here. EA is like the Blob. They will become the first too big to fail game studio.
    0 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 14th, 2011 at 11:55 am
  • OdiousLupous
    OdiousLupous - Joined: Jul 14, 2011
    So they close down servers to their older games multiplayer because of cost but then do this...
    0 0Like or Dislike?
    Posted: Jul 16th, 2011 at 10:16 am

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