Like other major video game publishers, the American Electronic Arts is currently looking for a buyer or a company with which to merge. Among the interested candidates, three names are circulating: Amazon, Apple and Disney.
An open secret, the video game publisher Electronic Arts is currently looking for a buyer or a company with which to merge. The concentration of the video game market should therefore continue. There was a time when it mainly concerned smaller studios, bought by the ogres of which EA is a part. But today it is the tech giants that are absorbing the international firms in the sector. Among the latest outstanding examples, we necessarily think of the record takeovers of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft or Bungie by Sony. Operations that give ideas to Amazon, Apple and Disney, in which we lend a real interest to Electronic Arts.
Thus, if we are to believe the information gleaned by puck, Apple has opened discussions with Electronic Arts for its takeover. Similar negotiations have been opened with Amazon and Disney. To date, EA’s preference would be for a merger, in particular so that the company’s management can maintain the course it has taken in recent years with Andrew Wilson at the helm. A merger with Apple would be all the more historic as the two companies share some fundamentals. Trip Hawkins, who was director of strategy and marketing at Apple, left the firm in 1982 to start the Electronic Arts adventure.
EA would like to go fast
Questioned by the American press, neither Apple nor Electronic Arts wished to comment on what they describe as “rumors and speculations”. “We are proud to be in a position of strength and growth, with a portfolio of incredible games, built around powerful licenses, made by talented teams, and a network of more than half a billion players. We see a bright future ahead of us”added John Reseburg, spokesperson for EA.
Still, according to puck, Disney has the advantage in these negotiations with EA. The company with big ears would have opened discussions with the video game publisher as early as last March, with the desire to build a stronger common relationship. Disney is also an entertainment heavyweight and has some of the most popular licenses in the world. However, Disney is currently focused on growing its Disney+ platform, as well as a potential acquisition of sports giant ESPN, which would have a busy EA considering other options.
Like Apple – which publishes the Arcade subscription video game service – Amazon has invested in the video game market in recent years, notably buying the Twitch streaming platform. The distribution giant with very deep pockets could therefore also do well.