Investor Snapshot: Game stocks get back into the upswing

Game stocks' strength returned today, with Electronic Arts (ERTS) shares surging above $68 for the first time and analyst favorite THQ (THQI) gaining another 5.48 percent by the time the markets closed. EA saw the biggest dollar gains of the day, its stocks rising by $3.12 a share to close 4.8 percent higher at $68.12. The increase followed yesterday's announcement that EA's designs to acquire a 20 percent stake in Ubisoft had been given the green light.

Take-Two Interactive (TTWO) also shot higher today by 4.3 percent, up $1.59 to $38.54 after announcing its latest in a two-week streak of good news: its acquisition of the rights to publish a Family Guy-based game. THQ, whose third-quarter earnings report Tuesday sparked heavy trading of its shares, rose another $1.51 today to close at $29.05. At this rate, it may not be long before it reaches analysts' predicted price of $34-$37 a share.

Most others ended the day on a high note, including Electronics Boutique, whose stock rose 87 cents, up 2.34 percent to close at $38.04. Atari's (ATAR) shares rose 15 cents apiece, up 5.98 percent to $2.66. Activision (ATVI), Eidos (EIDSY), Gamestop (GME), Midway (MWY), and Konami (KNM) all climbed by between 5 and 34 cents a share.

Against the trend, mobile-game publisher Jamdat (JMDT) finished down for the day, its shares losing 61 cents to close 2.91 percent lower at $20.36. Jamdat said yesterday that it will deliver its Q4 earnings on February 24.