LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"

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Christopher
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PostLA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Christopher » Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:38 pm

* Disney will buy Electronic Arts Inc.

Having bolstered its ranks of cartoon characters with its acquisition of Marvel Entertainment, Disney will finally make a run at video game publisher Electronic Arts, whose games include the lucrative Madden Football franchise. The deal will again trigger speculation that Disney will unload ABC. But Disney CEO Bob Iger, while hardly sentimental, was groomed at ABC and doesn't want to be known as the leader who turned his back on the acquisition.

Disney's deal will put other video game publishers, such as Grand Theft Auto creator Take-Two Interactive, into play. Viacom Inc. would like to acquire it, but Chairman Sumner Redstone's debt situation will make it hard for him to do any deals.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-predictions28-2009dec28,0,2942337.story

EA have FIFA and Madden which would rake in money, likewise having Playfish on board will see Disney with a foot into the social networking area. Also if Disney buy anyone else along with EA it would surely put Disney up there with Activision. Remember Activision's deal for Marvel games ends next year too.

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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Agent47 » Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:40 pm

As long as EA's encouragement of smaller developers and new IPs isn't affected, should this happen, then it makes no difference to me.

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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Neo Cortex » Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:43 pm

Agent47 wrote:As long as EA's encouragement of smaller developers and new IPs isn't affected, should this happen, then it makes no difference to me.


Yeah, it would be tragic if after finally turning a corner EA were to be forced back to the dark ages.

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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by United_Journey_uk » Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:44 pm

I hope they don't personaly.
It would be ashame if they did, and aimed the majority of future games towards a younger audience. However if EA carried on making masterpieces like Dragon Age and Mass Effect under their controll, then I wouldn't really mind.

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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by KK » Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:02 pm

I have no real problems with this. I think Disney said recently that they're on a quality drive at the moment (Pure, Split/Second being two good examples).

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Peter Crisp
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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Peter Crisp » Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:05 pm

I know I'm being over simplistic but surely these large companies must see that just releasing rubbish games will eventually backfire and give them a bad reputation? As has been said EA have worked hard recently to make better games and I think the public have responded by buying the better output.
Even on here the EA hate has subsided as people see they are trying.

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Cal
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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Cal » Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:43 pm

Peter Crisp wrote:I know I'm being over simplistic but surely these large companies must see that just releasing rubbish games will eventually backfire and give them a bad reputation? As has been said EA have worked hard recently to make better games and I think the public have responded by buying the better output.


Dead Space was an 'underperformer' at retail, according to most reports I've read in the gaming press. Critically lauded, praised to high heaven, but somehow not the unmitigated success so many expected. The story is even worse for Dead Space: Extraction, a game EDGE described as 'the Citizen Kane of lightgun games'. Pitiful retail sales tell a different story. :(

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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by TheTurnipKing » Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:47 pm

Cal wrote:
Peter Crisp wrote:I know I'm being over simplistic but surely these large companies must see that just releasing rubbish games will eventually backfire and give them a bad reputation? As has been said EA have worked hard recently to make better games and I think the public have responded by buying the better output.


Dead Space was an 'underperformer' at retail, according to most reports I've read in the gaming press. Critically lauded, praised to high heaven, but somehow not the unmitigated success so many expected. The story is even worse for Dead Space: Extraction, a game EDGE described as 'the Citizen Kane of lightgun games'. Pitiful retail sales tell a different story. :(

I dunno - i'd say it's a pretty accurate comparison. How many people here have actually seen Citizen Kane? :lol:

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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by mitch » Tue Dec 29, 2009 9:35 pm

I'm worried that Disney and Warner will get fed up in a few years and leave a lot of game studios in the shitter.

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Peter Crisp
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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Peter Crisp » Tue Dec 29, 2009 9:43 pm

Cal wrote:Dead Space was an 'underperformer' at retail, according to most reports I've read in the gaming press. Critically lauded, praised to high heaven, but somehow not the unmitigated success so many expected. The story is even worse for Dead Space: Extraction, a game EDGE described as 'the Citizen Kane of lightgun games'. Pitiful retail sales tell a different story. :(


While I can't deny they have had a few flops they have had a few decent results from games with good production standards. Dragon Age seems to be doing OK and considering it's a spiritual sequel to an almost 10 year old game I'd say that's not bad at all.
I hope they don't give up on high quality just because of a few high profile flops.

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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Harry Bizzle » Tue Dec 29, 2009 9:48 pm

KKLEIN wrote:I have no real problems with this. I think Disney said recently that they're on a quality drive at the moment (Pure, Split/Second being two good examples).



Pure and Split/Second are both decidedly family friendly games though. What will the Disney suits think of the likes of Dante's Inferno and such?

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Madness
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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Madness » Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:10 pm

Harry Bizzle wrote:
KKLEIN wrote:I have no real problems with this. I think Disney said recently that they're on a quality drive at the moment (Pure, Split/Second being two good examples).



Pure and Split/Second are both decidedly family friendly games though. What will the Disney suits think of the likes of Dante's Inferno and such?


Probably the same as they think of Miramax's more mature output, or Marvels, or ABC's adult-orientated programming e.g. Lost.

If it makes money they like it. Disney isn't just cartoons.

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Christopher
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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Christopher » Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:36 pm

Harry Bizzle wrote:
KKLEIN wrote:I have no real problems with this. I think Disney said recently that they're on a quality drive at the moment (Pure, Split/Second being two good examples).



Pure and Split/Second are both decidedly family friendly games though. What will the Disney suits think of the likes of Dante's Inferno and such?


You do realise Disney were behind stuff like Pulp Fiction etc? Miramax, Touchstone and some others are Disney studios. Also isn't the chap behind Halo in charge of Disney games these days?

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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Shadow » Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:31 pm

suzzopher wrote:
Harry Bizzle wrote:
KKLEIN wrote:I have no real problems with this. I think Disney said recently that they're on a quality drive at the moment (Pure, Split/Second being two good examples).



Pure and Split/Second are both decidedly family friendly games though. What will the Disney suits think of the likes of Dante's Inferno and such?


You do realise Disney were behind stuff like Pulp Fiction etc? Miramax, Touchstone and some others are Disney studios. Also isn't the chap behind Halo in charge of Disney games these days?


Yeah, Alex Seropian, as a result of that, this is AWESOME NEWS!!!!!

I can see there being job losses though... unless.. those job losses earlier in the year were in anticipation of this deal.. might also explain EAs giving up in their pursuit of TakeTwo.

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Harry Bizzle
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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Harry Bizzle » Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:32 pm

suzzopher wrote:
Harry Bizzle wrote:
KKLEIN wrote:I have no real problems with this. I think Disney said recently that they're on a quality drive at the moment (Pure, Split/Second being two good examples).



Pure and Split/Second are both decidedly family friendly games though. What will the Disney suits think of the likes of Dante's Inferno and such?


You do realise Disney were behind stuff like Pulp Fiction etc? Miramax, Touchstone and some others are Disney studios. Also isn't the chap behind Halo in charge of Disney games these days?


Well I do now.

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Christopher
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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Christopher » Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:33 pm

Shadow wrote:
suzzopher wrote:
Harry Bizzle wrote:
KKLEIN wrote:I have no real problems with this. I think Disney said recently that they're on a quality drive at the moment (Pure, Split/Second being two good examples).



Pure and Split/Second are both decidedly family friendly games though. What will the Disney suits think of the likes of Dante's Inferno and such?


You do realise Disney were behind stuff like Pulp Fiction etc? Miramax, Touchstone and some others are Disney studios. Also isn't the chap behind Halo in charge of Disney games these days?


Yeah, Alex Seropian, as a result of that, this is AWESOME NEWS!!!!!

I can see there being job losses though... unless.. those job losses earlier in the year were in anticipation of this deal.. might also explain EAs giving up in their pursuit of TakeTwo.


They have streamlined a fair bit now. I'd imagine they are an attractive proposition right now. EA are now associated with quality games too. Black Rock and Criterion alternating between Burnout and Need for Speed :shock:

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Cal
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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Cal » Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:13 am

Peter Crisp wrote:
Cal wrote:Dead Space was an 'underperformer' at retail, according to most reports I've read in the gaming press. Critically lauded, praised to high heaven, but somehow not the unmitigated success so many expected. The story is even worse for Dead Space: Extraction, a game EDGE described as 'the Citizen Kane of lightgun games'. Pitiful retail sales tell a different story. :(


While I can't deny they have had a few flops they have had a few decent results from games with good production standards. Dragon Age seems to be doing OK and considering it's a spiritual sequel to an almost 10 year old game I'd say that's not bad at all.
I hope they don't give up on high quality just because of a few high profile flops.


If it's any consolation, Peter, I do feel exactly the same way. The relative 'failure' (despite well over 1 million copies sold) of Dead Space was a kick in the teeth for those of us who celebrated such a polished and accomplished title coming out of EA. The subsequent nose-dive of DS:Extraction on Wii was a double-whammy. I dunno what EA feel about the situation - it can hardly be claimed they didn't invest serious resources into both titles, nor that in either case they failed to deliver high quality games.

It's worrying. Anyone who cares about high production values and the very best development should be concerned at the generally lukewarm reception both Dead Space titles have been greeted with by gamers. And it does beg the question as to whether EA would be quite so willing again to invest so much into a new IP.

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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Shadow » Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:31 am

Cal wrote:
Peter Crisp wrote:
Cal wrote:Dead Space was an 'underperformer' at retail, according to most reports I've read in the gaming press. Critically lauded, praised to high heaven, but somehow not the unmitigated success so many expected. The story is even worse for Dead Space: Extraction, a game EDGE described as 'the Citizen Kane of lightgun games'. Pitiful retail sales tell a different story. :(


While I can't deny they have had a few flops they have had a few decent results from games with good production standards. Dragon Age seems to be doing OK and considering it's a spiritual sequel to an almost 10 year old game I'd say that's not bad at all.
I hope they don't give up on high quality just because of a few high profile flops.


If it's any consolation, Peter, I do feel exactly the same way. The relative 'failure' (despite well over 1 million copies sold) of Dead Space was a kick in the teeth for those of us who celebrated such a polished and accomplished title coming out of EA. The subsequent nose-dive of DS:Extraction on Wii was a double-whammy. I dunno what EA feel about the situation - it can hardly be claimed they didn't invest serious resources into both titles, nor that in either case they failed to deliver high quality games.

It's worrying. Anyone who cares about high production values and the very best development should be concerned at the generally lukewarm reception both Dead Space titles have been greeted with by gamers. And it does beg the question as to whether EA would be quite so willing again to invest so much into a new IP.


I don't know why people think this, all IPs at some point or another were new, this just means they won't continue to invest in Dead Space, which is a shame, but nevertheless understandable.

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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by The Alchemist Penguin » Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:50 am

Have I slipped into a parallel universe where Dead Space 2 wasn't announced? :shifty:

I know games are expensive to make these days, but I find it hard to see over 1.5 million sales of a brand new IP as a failure. Dead Space: Extraction was always going to fail though, and I have to wonder why EA even bothered. There wasn't a single bit of marketing for it! I only knew it was out when I happened to see it on the shelf in store, and I like to think I keep on top of Wii releases too.

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PostRe: LA Times Predicts "Disney will buy EA, maybe more"
by Cal » Wed Dec 30, 2009 9:45 am

The Advent Penguin wrote:Have I slipped into a parallel universe where Dead Space 2 wasn't announced? :shifty:


No, and I was well aware of DS2's development when I wrote my comments above, but with a few of the key players involved in the original game's creation (notably Glen Schofield) now no longer with the remnants of the original Redwood Shores development team I remain to be convinced that the sequel will adhere to the first game's standards. I hope so. Will EA extend similar amounts of time and money to DS2's development? I hope so. Will gamers take any more notice second time around?

That's the biggie.


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