EA reportedly for sale

[Wiimeiser 445]

The worst case scenario is Microsoft and/or Sony (ok they are almost out of money literally) buying Maxis, because both companies are looking for a studio that will bring them the family/"casual" games.

Microsoft already has Rare to develop casual games. They don't need another.

[baertooth 330]

baertooth you are almost right however they will balk at anything less than 100 mil is my guess seeing as how in 1997 they bought 125 million in maxis stock.

Under terms of the transaction, Electronic Arts will pay 0.3644 of one of its shares for each of the 11.26 million Maxis shares outstanding. Based on Electronic Arts' closing stock price of $30.375 yesterday, Electronic Arts would pay about $11.07 for each Maxis share.

Since the costs of everything is higher than it was back in the 90's.....well I dont think maxis would be bought from EA for substantially more than they paid. Especially if SC2013 goes big the way they expect it too.

I don't think the price tag for what we want would be anywhere near $100mil. We don't want the whole company, we want enough code so we can get the modders, artist, and the coders to work to create an open source version.

Some factors here is EA needs money. SC4 is old code and its income generation is pretty much at the end of life cycle. We don't need all of SC4. The Sims is the income engine of Maxis, not Simcity. A quick million or two for the game engine might be more than the code will ever make since it soon won't be commercially viable anymore.

To be honest I think this has about a zero percent chance at happening. But maybe...

[AwkwrdPrtMskrt 22]

In other news, Obama quits the presidential election, Iran opens up to the world, cure for cancer finally researched and Justin Bieber reveals that she's actually a boy.

That's right. My opinion on this news is that it's FAKE. No way a publisher that made business by the millions making games that range from good to bad would suddenly go sell itself. It's like Donald Trump being a homeless guy.

[Msprintz 25]

EA are still hauling in the Benjamins from their sports games and licensed games (made to tie-in for movie releases). The Sims series still figure on top of best-seller lists all over the planet. Even though "core" gamers don't like them, they certainly make a lot of money, and they can certainly afford a failure or two. Had they been in any real financial problems, we would have heard about it long ago. Remember when the news were all over the press because Nintendo reported a loss two fiscal quarters in a row.

In short, I believe this to just be an unsubstianted rumour. This notion is backed by the fact that the single news article listed in this topic has "an unnamed source" as its only informant.

Since I posted the original on my phone I grabbed the first link. But since you won't believe that outlet let me put the original source, the New York Post and source is a close New York Post source so you can probably trust this as otherwise the NYP could be in trouble for causing unsubstantiated damage to EA's stock. Further, EA has refused to comment in any manner on this, they refuse to confirm or deny or even discuss whether they are for sale. A company not for sale would emphatically deny it, the fact they refuse to even comment pretty much cements that fact.

http://www.nypost.co...4ZEpZeO9Zmh81GI

I think I quote many fellow New Yorkers when I say this, but there's a general rule of thumb. Never believe a world that comes out of the Post. Seriously that paper is a step below the Daily New and Newsday, and a major step below the New York Times. I wouldn't be surprised to see EA looking for a sale, with some of their hit sports franchises they'd be a prime takeover target. Especially if they're a bit in the hole as OP's article states.

[captivatedlady 7]

I keep looking hoping to see EA for sale in the classifieds. Whoever ends up with Maxis, I hope they are better listeners than EA ever was.

[Tarkus 6,932]

I don't think the price tag for what we want would be anywhere near $100mil. We don't want the whole company, we want enough code so we can get the modders, artist, and the coders to work to create an open source version.

The SC4 source code is still valuable, and even in the unlikely case of this source-code purchase happening, there's not really anyone to work on it. The SC4 community is not crawling with professional C++ game programmers, with tons of time on their hands to do something more than fiddle around the edges.

-Tarkus

[Mithrik 562]

I don't think the price tag for what we want would be anywhere near $100mil. We don't want the whole company, we want enough code so we can get the modders, artist, and the coders to work to create an open source version.

The SC4 source code is still valuable, and even in the unlikely case of this source-code purchase happening, there's not really anyone to work on it. The SC4 community is not crawling with professional C++ game programmers, with tons of time on their hands to do something more than fiddle around the edges.

-Tarkus

This, the SC4 community lacks forummers with enough knowledge of open the code and be able to dissect it piece by piece.

At most, in the unlikely case that the source code is released, they would be able to patch some stuff here and there, but no more.

Modding SC4 is easy because there are tools for that. But something is modding, and another whole thing is programming.

[baertooth 330]

I don't think the price tag for what we want would be anywhere near $100mil. We don't want the whole company, we want enough code so we can get the modders, artist, and the coders to work to create an open source version.

The SC4 source code is still valuable, and even in the unlikely case of this source-code purchase happening, there's not really anyone to work on it. The SC4 community is not crawling with professional C++ game programmers, with tons of time on their hands to do something more than fiddle around the edges.

-Tarkus

This, the SC4 community lacks forummers with enough knowledge of open the code and be able to dissect it piece by piece.

At most, in the unlikely case that the source code is released, they would be able to patch some stuff here and there, but no more.

Modding SC4 is easy because there are tools for that. But something is modding, and another whole thing is programming.

I think you guys are being pessimistic about the communities capabilities or who might be interested in the game. But this is so far off topic now that I'm done.

[aereus 106]

I love this part:

to support the growing demand for digital games and services.

A digital game is the same as a boxed game. And the only demand for "online services" is EA's demand to keep shoving it down everyone elses throats and not giving them a choice.

[Linoa06 1,374]

Uhm...a cure for cancer exists, it's just not economically viable!

And likewise we're just a niche (yeah..at least to their eyes) that is not economically viable.

[spiritbw 111]

Well, I'd say thier might (MIGHT) be a grain of truth to this looking at the stock of EA over the last few years. Checking with Nasdaq:

The price of EA stock five years ago: $52.55

The price of the same stock a year ago: $21.50

The price of that stock at close today: $12.83

So, sport games and other franchises aside, the fact is on Wall street EA is in the toilet. In fact, according to some new sites including the wall street Journal the rumour of the sale actually helped boost the stock. It hit a low of $10.83 at the begining of the month.

  Edited August 29, 2012 by spiritbw  

[Netuno 97]

Well, I'd say thier might (MIGHT) be a grain of truth to this looking at the stock of EA over the last few years. Checking with Nasdaq:

The price of EA stock five years ago: $52.55

The price of the same stock a year ago: $21.50

The price of that stock at close today: $12.83

So, sport games and other franchises aside, the fact is on Wall street EA is in the toilet. In fact, according to some new sites including the wall street Journal the rumour of the sale actually helped boost the stock. It hit a low of $10.83 at the begining of the month.

This is the answer for those who say we have to accept all absurd changes made to the new SimCity (2013), because the gaming market today is not equal to what it was ten years ago.

Not only the SimCity fans complain about the direction taken by the EA. Fans of other franchises also complain.

Some people say that a company has to make money, but they forget that capitalism has another important rule is respect to the consumer for a brand to remain on the market for many years.

The past doesn't matter and all the good that has been done should be forgotten, start again from scratch and discard their old fans.

This is the result of its fashions, EA increasingly close to bankruptcy.

[Urban Cartographer 601]

Well, I'd say thier might (MIGHT) be a grain of truth to this looking at the stock of EA over the last few years. Checking with Nasdaq:

The price of EA stock five years ago: $52.55

The price of the same stock a year ago: $21.50

The price of that stock at close today: $12.83

So, sport games and other franchises aside, the fact is on Wall street EA is in the toilet. In fact, according to some new sites including the wall street Journal the rumour of the sale actually helped boost the stock. It hit a low of $10.83 at the begining of the month.

This is the answer for those who say we have to accept all absurd changes made to the new SimCity (2013), because the gaming market today is not equal to what it was ten years ago.

Not only the SimCity fans complain about the direction taken by the EA. Fans of other franchises also complain.

Some people say that a company has to make money, but they forget that capitalism has another important rule is respect to the consumer for a brand to remain on the market for many years.

The past doesn't matter and all the good that has been done should be forgotten, start again from scratch and discard their old fans.

This is the result of its fashions, EA increasingly close to bankruptcy.

Greed ruined EA. Only if they listened to their core fanbase (including SimCity fans) would this be mitigated. There is a reason why avarice is a deadly sin.

  Edited August 29, 2012 by Urban Cartographer  

[Ocram's Razr 964]

I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

--Ocram

[NCGAIO 562]

In this case the focus of discussion this wrong ... what happens to the distributors when they go into the hands of financial investors and the pursuit of fast money and so they all go to DRM; DLC; FREtoPLAY etc ... although in the case of EA its stock is down, your cash in online continued advancing, and while there were new subscribers unsuspecting willing to spend they would continue billing.

For managers and investors engaged matter what and how much they will earn, not how much the company is worth. this only matters to the shareholders.

Recent reactions by external markets (eg European Comunity ) towards greater control over this open network of vampirism of ​​money on their markets by companies that do not invest anything locally rang the bell for the shareholders thereof.