Is PopCap Being Acquired By EA For Over $1 Billion?

42
Richard Walker

PopCap, the geniuses behind Peggle, Plants vs. Zombies, Bejeweled and Zuma, may be getting picked up for a staggering $1 billion, according to rumours flying around the web today. It's thought that EA could be prepping a deal in excess of $1 billion to acquire the company, whose revenues weigh in at around $100 - $150 million.

Social games firm Zynga had also been rumoured to be putting an offer forward for the acquisition of PopCap, but given EA's deep pockets, it's more likely that the firm will be looking to purchase PopCap Games to strengthen its position in the lucrative casual and app games market.

Were EA to pick up PopCap it would add to its acquisition of Playfish in 2009 and would bolster its EA Play portfolio, with PopCap preparing to release the latest instalment in the Bejeweled series later this year, with Bejeweled 3 in Q4 2011. If the rumours prove to be true, EA could end up publishing the game on XBLA.

[Via Pocket-Lint]

Comments
42
  • ok
  • Peggle/Zuma/PvZ now have an online pass.
  • Here's hoping EA doesn't ruin all those great games.
  • NO PLEASE NO PLEASE PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF PLANTS VS ZOMBIES! i love popcap, and don't like how ea are trying to monopolise, don't let them buy you out!
  • This just in: EA, you're Douche Meter just went up even higher....
  • I don't see how EA is going to ruin anything buy buying them out... you guys are all haters when you see the name EA or Activision you simply begin to hate the companies for being successful businesses....
  • LMAO! EA will soon buy out Wal-Mart and it will be EA Mart and EA will become a world monopoly!!!
  • EA have produced great games. It's that they make achievements that don't work sometimes. There are a lot of people that work for them. They can't be all that bad. Or can they?
  • Pop goes PopCap
  • actully look at some of the games and companys ea has aquired over last few years closeing down pandemic and ruining mercs 2 for starters but not to take away from the sheer fun of alice i think its down to Ea need to ease up a little and not think oh look a great game series i know what we buy them and make our own verision of it
  • I hope EA doesn't do anything to ruin any of Popcap's games, they're one of my favorite companies :(
  • Oh great....
  • FFFAAAIIILLL! Prepare to say BYE to Popcap, as the noobs known as EA are going to fag it up. Such shite titles EA are responsible for are Skate, FIFA, and just about everything else they touch.
  • meh!
  • @6 You obviously never played Command & Conquer 4......
  • Im pretty sure if EA did buy popcap theyd prob leave the same team on to do their thing just now theyll have even more money behind them so dont know why everyones jumpin up n down
  • @13 I don't know how you're going to say FIFA is crap. However, a company that big is going to make some bad games, but they're also going to make some great games. I am very glad they took a chance on Mirror's Edge. There were some flaws to that game, but if they would make a sequel, they could correct a lot of them.
  • Cool now we have to pay 1200 points to play arcade games.
  • Its about time to be honest, POPCAP monopolises the arcade market when they are capable of alot more, with EAs "Partner program" i'm sure we'll see some amazing stuff come out of this.
  • all those games are shit except plants vs zombies
  • wtf NO :( one of the last studios I actually look forward to putting games out. EA is garbage
  • Appropriate that popcap games are the dotw.
  • EA FTW!
  • Everyone loves to hate on EA when an announcement like this made. Too bad most of those people conveniently forget that EA publishes several games that are well recieved by both critics and consumers alike. I don't even know how many people play games when they seem to hate every developer, publisher and hardware manufacturer. If have a need to "fight the system" and stand up to "the man" then you may want to find a new hobby, because this one is seemingly made up of all the people holding you down.
  • EA will always be scum for ruining the bond franchise
  • get your online achievements now before they turn off the servers...
  • EA bought out Valve also and they still make great games, I don't think EA swoops in and restructures the development team they're just working under the EA umbrella like Bioware. This helps helps Popcap just as much as EA business wise
  • @25 Doesn't Activision publish the Bond games?
  • @24 PUBLISHES. Not creates. EA has fuck all to do with Valve except publish them (in the US, anyway). Understand the difference.
  • @29 Do you really think I don't know the difference after I specifically put the word publishes in my post? The point is that every time there is a news article about EA people jump on the bandwagon to bash them. Supposedly everything they get involved with is ruined, yet there are several games they are involved with that prove otherwise.
  • EA was the Hitler of the 90's, steamrolling over everyone, taking over developers and quietly taking them about back. A lot of franchises face planted under the EA jack boot. When you do the kinds of things EA has done it the past it's really hard to lose the stigmata, no matter how much good you might do later. It might not be a bad thing for Popcap. I don't think EA will interfere with there development of new games but expect a downgrade in quality for any sequels. It could be worse, they could get bought out by Activision.
  • Goodbye PopCap, it was fun while it lasted...
  • ......i like EA. having fun with shadows of the damned, has EA on it.
  • Cool story, bro.
  • EA make some pretty decent game BUT they suck as a corporation and charge the world for stuff
  • @25 Activision currently owns the rights to the Bond franchise in the gaming market. To my recollection, EA published some pretty phenomenal Bond games, including 007: Nightfire. @27 EA did NOT "buy out" Valve. Valve is a wholly independent company, that of whom has their games for their console market published by EA. @32 I really hope you don't seriously theorize that a billion-dollar company would go under due to extended funding, and corporate backbone and protection. My God, modern gamers are the most ignorant people in the world, by far. You people make me hate our community nearly. There is this little concept called research you can implement before passing these irrational, incorrect judgements. /rant
  • Isn't there pressure to sell games under the "EA umbrella" though? Maybe that's why every great franchise they take over quickly turns into a cash cow inevitably taking what was the industry standard and driving it into the ground. When you work for EA you're not working for gamers... You're working for EA.
  • So many ppl caring only about themselves on this website. Shit I would sell my business for 100mln LOL! All the power to EA if they are willing to shell out 1bil. We all know there is more than enough fools to pay for overpriced arcade and phone games.
  • EA makes good games but they always come up with some shitty money making scheme like online passes or making DLC as soon as the game comes out yea im looking at you Mass Effect (dont think i forgot about dragon age either)
  • looks like the PopCap people should dust off their resumes and prepare for the inevitable layoffs that come with EA.
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