Electronic Arts Buys Jamdat Mobile

[fitbabits]

Thanks to Gamasutra (http://www.gamasutra.com) for the head's-up (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=7452).

In a significant move toward establishing a larger presence in the mobile games field, Electronic Arts has acquired mobile publisher and developer Jamdat, responsible for some of the biggest mobile phone games such as Tetris, Bejeweled, and EA's own licensed mobile titles like Need for Speed and Madden NFL.

EA purchased Jamdat for $27 per share, a total value of $680 million. The acquisition has already been approved by each company's board of directors, as well as passing approval from Jamdat's stockholders and outside regulatory agencies. The transaction is expected to be complete in EA's fourth quarter, which is expected to take a hit of 10 to 15 cents per share due to the costs of the merger.
No comment!

[SaintArnold]

EA = the Borg

[ruprect]

Wow! I can't wait for Bejeweled 2. . . and Bejeweled 3, then Bejeweled Extreme, then they'll just start naming them after years, like Bejeweled 2007, and Bejeweled 2008. . .

I love EA! Consistent sequels . . . don't surprise the gaming public with something new. We aren't the healthiest bunch and surprises could give us heart problems.

[EternalGamer]

I'm glad I bought Bejeweled 2 for my 360 before this occurs. It allows me to stay true to my EA boycott. :)

[swiftdraw]

EA = the Borg

http://pix.aregner.com/uploads/1113248057_eanazi.jpg

Resistance is futile, bitchs....

[LilAbner]

*hears Darth Vader music...*

[dead]

yet another company falls under the control of the EA dictators of today

[Kelegacy]

EA also just apparently bought the White House exclusive rights for 824 million.

Pretense War 2006 is coming out in February. I can't wait.

[Zanzibar]

680 MILLION dollars. Paid for a company that's been around less than, what, 5 years? Probably started by two guys in a garage with a PC, who are now gonna be very, very rich. Good job, fellahs!

[doyama]

Nooooo!! Now that god forsaken "Crazy Frog" ringtone will be in all EA games! He'll be an unlockable character, be in every sound track. He might even get his own Xbox360 game! Surely it is the end of the civilized world as we know it! :(

[Sensei-X]

Wow! I can't wait for Bejeweled 2. . . and Bejeweled 3, then Bejeweled Extreme, then they'll just start naming them after years, like Bejeweled 2007, and Bejeweled 2008. . .

I love EA! Consistent sequels . . . don't surprise the gaming public with something new. We aren't the healthiest bunch and surprises could give us heart problems.

Jamdat doesn't own any of the IPs mentioned, they just would license them and make ports for cellphones. Bejeweled 2 funny enough is extremely popular on EAs Pogo.Com and oddly enough the creator's name (PopCap.com) is all but invisible when you navigate the site. The safe money is EA will at some point in the not so distant future push a truck-load of cash in their direction too.

[MaiXu]

Well, I'd say we can just now expect a bunch of dumbed-down crappy titles for cell phones, but then I realized, the *only* games availalbe for cell phones are dumbed-down crappy titles.

All hail EA, the black hole generating the suck at the heart of the video game galaxy.

[shpanky]

Nooooo!! Now that god forsaken "Crazy Frog" ringtone will be in all EA games! He'll be an unlockable character, be in every sound track. He might even get his own Xbox360 game! Surely it is the end of the civilized world as we know it! :(

You're thinking "jamster" not "jamdat".

[Captain Awesome]

The Evil Alliance doesnt stop.

[if76]

Fuck Jamdat and fuck EA they deserve eachother

[SOUPS]

I can't believe evryone is missing this. http://www.itplays.net/2005/12/ea_buys_doom_rpg_i_mean_jamdat.php Does anyone really give a shit about Tetris or Bejeweled or even Bowling. People wanted DOOM "blood and guts" on their phones and who knows better then these guys (itplaysdoom.com). EA actually bought the mobile Game of the year created by ID Software, "DOOM".

[MajSheppard]

If we all boycott Madden for two years, they would have to go bankrupt.

[ldi222]

I remember the days when EA published games like M.U.L.E. and Archon. When they bought Origin for a minute I almost thought that was a good thing but now I realize it was the beginning of the end...

Still with the cell phone gaming phenomen and the advent of xbox live arcade we are in somwhat of a revival of gameplay vs technology (ironically so) and maybe that's a good thing for all involved.

[copasetic]

I hate to say this. I think this actually going to be a good thing. It should finally bring some real production value to mobile gaming, in the US anyways. I'm tired of bowling and mini-golf.

[outontheporch]

http://people.ucsc.edu/~mquery/pics/ea.JPG

[DaedalusFolly]

They'll never get a penny of my money, and not because of any anti-EA thoughts that may be swirling in the dark void of my mind. I refuse to participate in "phone" gaming when almost every game cannot be purchased, it must be "leased" with monthly charges.

[G-Man]

If we all boycott Madden for two years, they would have to go bankrupt.

A while ago, I walked into a local walgreens shortly after the latest iteration of Madden had been released. While standing in line with my Cheetos®, I overheard two "urban youths" discussing the finer points of utilizing the hit stick. At this point, one accused the other of using a strategy guide. The accusee then responded, "I am the strategy guide." All this is to say, if you get the "hood" into it, no amount of boycott is going to take it away. I mean, can you imagine Joe Saggyjeans posting on these boards?