Electronic Arts is actively (and persistently) looking for a buyer or other company willing to merge with it, according to Puck. The video game company reportedly had talks with a number of potential buyers or partners, including Disney, Apple and Amazon. It is unclear who was interested in buying EA in full and who was looking to merge, but in the case of a merger, Puck said EA is seeking an agreement that will allow Andrew Wilson to remain CEO of the combined company.
EA approached Disney in March in an effort to create “a more meaningful relationship” that would go beyond licensing agreements, according to the source. However, Disney decided not to push ahead, perhaps because it is currently focused on its incipient streaming service. The publication said the idea of a merger between EA and ESPN, which Disney partially owns, is floating around the industry.
Among all the potential partners, however, it was perhaps Comcast that came closest to a deal. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts has reportedly approached Wilson with an offer to merge NBCUniversal with EA. Under the agreement, Roberts would take majority control of the merged company, but Wilson would remain CEO. However, the people involved did not agree on the price of the sale and the structure of the combined entity, and the agreement fell through within the last month.
EA remains its own business so far, however Puck said it has become more courageous in its quest to find a sale or merger since Microsoft announced it is acquiring Activision Blizzard for $ 68.7 billion, so that may not be the case for a long time. It is worth noting that Sony also revealed that it is buying Fate the Bungie studio for $ 3.6 billion shortly after Microsoft announced the acquisition.
It told EA spokesman John Reseburg Puck that the company would not comment on “rumors and speculations regarding [mergers and acquisitions]”Reseburg added:” We are proud to operate from a position of strength and growth, with a portfolio of fantastic games, built around powerful IPs, made up of incredibly talented teams and a network of more than half a billion players. We see a very bright future ahead. “
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