Electronic Arts has been in the process of acquiring Digital Illusions CE (DICE) since 2003, purchasing the publisher in chunks here and there. However, the long courtship is set to come to an end soon, as EA announced that the companies have agreed on a final merger proposal.
If all goes according to plan, EA will purchase the remaining shares of DICE in September, "effectively making DICE a fully integrated studio within EA." The merger must be approved by a two-three majority vote at DICE's annual shareholders meeting in May, but that shouldn't be a problem, considering EA already owns approximately 68 percent of the company's shares.
In a statement issued by the Stockholm-based company, DICE chairman Thomas Skoglund said that the acquisition "resolves a stifling and complex situation while at the same time safeguarding DICE's position as a leading-edge game developer in a global and increasingly competitive environment."
Specifically, DICE noted that the current ownership situation has two glaring weaknesses that a full acquisition would remedy. First, it prevents DICE from using EA tools, technology, and financial resources. It also added that it could make it difficult to entice talented employees to join or stay with the company in the future.
DICE is currently at work on downloadable content packs for its Battlefield 2 PC game, and Xbox 360 and PSP versions of Battlefield 2: Modern Combat. The company was founded in 1992 and has offices in Sweden and Canada.
I hope battle field 2 is still gunna be made but what is wrong with EA i think they make good games.
so does this mean that Battlefield 2 is gunna be shut off?
EA is giving me more and more reason to start up a new gaming company with a bunch of other people and friends who have all considered going into the gaming business and showing EA what it's like to go up against a company that's in it for quality games as opposed to money so they won't have the ability to simply buy someone out. Time to start making some calls...
thats nice
EA has already taking over the world (in games) but i hope DICE still makes the games they want to do... Like BF 3 or whatever!!.... Well i hope!!!
And another company hits the EA drain.
i am so happy konami is japanese, "YOU CANT HAVE METAL GEAR EA!!!"
EA was an excellent company in the 90's, both the US and Canadian bases made great games! EA gets my love.
Everything EA touches dies, just stay away from thier rehashes people!
The only people to blame for this are gamers themselves. If people didn't continuously buy the crap that EA puts out, they wouldn't be in a position to buy out all these companies. Vote with your wallets. It's the only way.
nice .
lol, yeah that EA
EA already "owned" DICE, the paticulars were samantics.. Dice is one of the few good development houses they have now. They owned it anyway, not much of a story.
When EA took over westwood, come out with generals. That ended C&C saga collections for me. T_T
EA taken over the gaming world. But I really don't care. Go EA.
This is kinda sad :(
This may actually be a good move for DICE and a bad move for us the consumber. DICE now has the financial backing to be more creative depending if EA gives them any creative freedom. Bad for us because as EA gobbles up developer after developer they remove the competitive edge, and without competition there's no desire to be the best. With no desire there is no quality. Soon we will end up playing Pong again. Only this time it'll be in High Def.
god i hate ea
I'd rather run a game using StarForce copyprotection than buy a game from EA.
No! The developer of one of my favorite game series has been ruined! :(
Yay more monopolization of the industry, I am giddy.
Ouch. As long as EA doesn't touch Bungie/Halo or Bethesda/Elder Scrolls, it's alright.
Wow Ea will trash the games now. Probably the 26% that Dice had made Battlefield so good. Now its going to suck. Ea is going to pressure the next game in the series to come out quickly and make as many spin offs as possible, like SF which is a joke. I can't stand EA they ruined westwood and command and conquer by not supporting the game with patches, and its only a matter of time before Battlefield goes to hell. Well its a good game now and I'm sure people will play it, but the future makes me sick.
I consider this bad news. Why? Because most developers simply want to churn out the same stuff over and over again to rake in cash, and not take any risks. When a developer is owned completely by a publisher, they no longer have a foot to stand on to argue their case. Make no mistake about who will be calling the shots, and who will have the last say on content - it will be EA. And just remember - if a few games do badly, and EA has to cut costs, they'll simply dump some of those development houses they acquired to balance their books, and your 'favourite' developers will be no more. Publishers like EA chew up and spit out development houses. They're like a tornado ripping up everything in their path, and leaving a mess behind. You're fine while you're inside the funnel...but god help you when you get thrown out, because it's a long drop with a messy end.
EA really does want their title to stand for Everything Awesome
EVIL "EA" takeover plan to control the World, God help us all.
"EA's next target: Valve. just you wait... " Nah. It'll never happen. Valve has its own ambitions of becoming a publisher. What did you think Steam was for?
EA makes great games, stop yer whining.
The End is Near!! Damn you EA!!!
Well there you go... another company swallowed up by EA.
Crytek will be the next, telling you MOH series will be really crappy one.
just look at the latest games by EA and would u swear by your statement that everything that EA touches is bad? EA consists of multiple studios also, so you cuold probably blame the difference in game quality on them.
EA's next target: Valve. just you wait...
What always amazes me is when I hear about EA acquiring this developer and that, I'm reminded of the EA I used to know and love...the small pool of 'garage' developer teams who were all so proud of their individual accomplishments that their record-album like game boxes had group photos of them. What a difference twenty years makes....
EA rth is next
another company gobbled up by the beast named EA.
wow. who back then would have thought EA to become this big...oh and i'd appreciate a BF2 demo before Oblivion lands next week. with my small schedule at home, i doubt i'll play anything beyond Oblivion and GRAW.
i bet EA will release there own console in the near future
EA will release it's own console soon.
Oh god no! I hope this doesn't mean that there won't be a Rallisport Challenge 3 for the 360...I was still holding out hope!
Has history repeated itself? One company trying to take over the world. Yeah, i can't blame you know, surely EA needs more money to make better looking games, like um......... I don't know. I guess all their funding is headed straight to Madden. Someday, EA will stand for ECLIPSE ALL!
I'm glad I try to stay away from EA.
i thought the battlefield games were amazing so i reckon it will all be ok
lol EA wants to take over the world
how much longer is it gonna take for EA to rule the entire planet?! I think it's next move is to buy Microsoft AND Sony! lol
Where you put my CV
man this sucks....:( i hope you still make good games dice and dont fall into "the only making them for money crap...."
Sounds like a case of a roll of the wrong dice
EA needs to stop buying everybody out. Pretty soon there will be no good companies and just EA making bad games.
At some time one must ask the question: How big is too big, and how much is too much?