EA at it again?

[NeoMaster]

EA, Ubisoft in Early Talks

Is a takeover price under negotiation?

by David Adams

 

February 16, 2005 - Electronic Arts is currently in talks with Ubisoft, according to a Reuters story today. The article references a report by the Wall Street Journal that the two companies are discussing share pricing for a takeover buy, as well as restructuring Ubisoft management.

 

Late last year, EA bought nearly 20 percent of the French publisher and developer, and is now Ubisoft's largest shareholder, with 20.88 percent voting rights.

 

Ubisoft has previously said that it views EA's bid as hostile, and that it will fight to remain an independent company. Still, the market's view of the possible takeover seems positive: Ubisoft shares rose 4.01 percent to 32.93 euros today, and have rocketed upward 95 percent since EA's buy in December.

 

The Reuters story reports that many analysts estimate a takeover share price of about 40 euros for Ubisoft. The company has an overall market value of about 559 millon euros.

 

We'll keep you posted as the situation unfolds.

 

Well I don't know if this has been posted before but if it has...feel free to share your emotions of EA once again. I always had the feeling that EA was a tyrannical monster but they've only gotten ESPN and Marvel so it wasn't a big deal...now that I hear the high possibilty of EA taking over UBIsoft...i'm quite disheartened. Really, Leave us alone EA!

 

Your going to gay up Prince of Persia, Rayman, Splinter Cell and other fantastic titles!

Edited February 17, 2005 by GameCop

[Wizard]

If ubisoft can remaine an indepented publisher (and their offices NOT leaving montreal) then all should be well.

[kaioshade]

I dont think Ubisoft will give in. They seem to be doing just fine by themselves to have to rely on someone like ea.

[NeoMaster]

The offices in Montreal actually got a few million bucks from the Canadian government just recently. Is ubisoft a Canadian company or French?

[Gryph]

I don't think this will go through. The asking price for the Ubisoft shares might just be too much for EA to buy.

[NeoMaster]

EA = Flithy stinking rich

 

Next thing they'll do is try to purchase Nintendo and Sony

 

lol

 

(In case you couldn't tell I was being sarcastic.)

[Lucandrake]

My opiniun is, ea is literealy going to take over the gaming industry in 10 years. When this happens, games will be good, consedering people will focus on the fans and populerty of making money for ONE company instead of trying to make the game better then the last one your rival company took out.

 

Edit: Till then, were screwed

Edited February 17, 2005 by Drake

[NeoMaster]

So your saying EA owning monopolizing everything is good?

 

What have you been smoking?

[Lucandrake]

Im saying that people work at there best when theres no compentetion and when there rivals and them are on one team. So if EA buys everything, only one company will be making games, none of the employers will be thinking of crap anymore once this happens. Well, thats my theory

[BoomBa_GoosE]

well if theres no competetion, then theres no motive to be better than everyone else. thats where the money comes in. if EA bought everythin, then everythin would be EA branded and it would all be boring. there needs to be diversity or games would jus be dull.

[Lucandrake]

Thats were the fans come in, no competetion = boredom right? So , now the company will be trying to live up to the fans and public so they can stay the best. Or else tons of game develepers will go independent. They all already make a crap loads of a money so money aint a problem for them