Update: Amazon isn't planning to acquire EA, says CNBC
Update: Amazon isn't planning to acquire EA, says CNBC
Rumors suggested Amazon would announce it plans to acquire Electronic Arts soon, but these reports have since been denied
Update: CNBC’s David Faber claims that Amazon is not planning to acquire EA. Faber says he has spoken to people who would “actually know” what’s happening and “would be involved” in something like this and that there will be no takeover. Faber also mocked the initial source of the rumor, GLHF, which is a Swedish media company that publishes on USA Today. You can watch Faber’s full comments below.
GLHF has now updated its original article to say that Bloomberg Terminal doesn’t expect Amazon to make a bid for EA and that “it’s unclear whether” any takeover announcement will happen.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Amazon to buy EA
💰 A report suggests Amazon will submit a formal offer to buy Electronic Arts
🏈 The publisher is responsible for games such as FIFA, Madden, Apex Legends, and many more
🦈 Companies such as Apple, Disney, and Amazon were rumored to be interested in buying out EA
📺 Amazon may want EA so it can build TV adaptations off certain franchises
Original: According to reports, Amazon could announce its plans to acquire EA today.
Sources at GLHF say that the retail giant will announce that it has submitted a formal offer to acquire the publisher, which owns blockbuster franchises such as FIFA, Madden, Apex Legends, Need for Speed, Battlefield, and many more.
Rumors of a proposed takeover have been circulating for a few weeks, suggesting companies like Disney and Apple could also be potential buyers. However, it seems like Amazon is the first to make an offer, according to GLHF’s sources.
It’s unclear how much EA will cost Amazon, but it probably won’t be cheap. Microsoft paid $7.5 billion for Bethesda in March 2021 and is parting ways with almost $68 billion for Activision Blizzard. Sony has also splashed the cash recently, spending $3.6 billion to acquire Destiny 2 creator Bungie.
Amazon bought Twitch, the video game streaming platform, for $970 million in 2014 and also has a cloud gaming service, Luna. The move would likely bring EA’s entire portfolio of titles to the platform, which could be a big boon for a service that’s still in its infancy.
Amazon’s decision to acquire EA could also benefit its Prime Video service. Netflix has seen great success in adapting video game franchises, like The Witcher and Arcane, with more on the way, so EA could potentially turn many of EA’s intellectual properties, like Dead Space, into exclusive shows.
Updated: August 26, 2022