Daily Gaming Briefing: EA Acquisition Approved and Industry Shifts
The European Union clears a massive acquisition of Electronic Arts, while industry veterans discuss the future of game development and smaller titles face sunsetting.
EU Clears $55bn Electronic Arts Acquisition
The European Union has officially approved the $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts. The deal is backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, alongside Silver Lake and Affinity Partners.
This transaction marks the largest private leveraged buyout in history, signaling a significant shift in the ownership landscape of major gaming publishers.
Shawn Layden Advocates for AA Game Development
Former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden has reiterated his concerns regarding the sustainability of modern blockbuster game development. He argues that costs double with every new console generation.
Layden proposes a return to 'double-A' game development as a strategic solution to the rising financial pressures currently facing large-scale studios.
Thick as Thieves Ends Content Support
The developers of 'Thick as Thieves' have announced that the game will no longer receive content updates. The team expressed disappointment, stating that this was not the desired outcome.
The announcement follows the game's initial $5 price point, which some observers previously noted seemed too good to be true.
Sources
- EU approves Saudi Arabia's $55bn acquisition of EA, clearing path for largest private leveraged buyout of all time (eurogamer.net)
- Former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden wants to save games by bringing back double-A - and he has a plan (eurogamer.net)
- Thick as Thieves won't be getting any more content updates: 'To be frank, this is not the outcome that any of us want' (pcgamer.com)