Electronic Arts Invasion

[BicycleOfDeath]

What do you do when your company has spent months in the takeover crosshairs of acquisition-hungry industry giant Electronic Arts?

 

In the case of Yves Guillemot, you shrug it off.

 

In a remarkable display of corporate sangfroid this week, the Ubisoft CEO admitted his company would be powerless to stop a hostile EA takeover--but that he wasn't very worried about it. "We are not safe from a hostile action from Electronic Arts, which it would be difficult to block if they make a genuinely interesting offer," Guillemot told the French newspaper Les Echos. "[but] We have a few elements allowing us not to be too nervous."

 

Among those protecting factors Guillemot cited was how the Paris-based publisher has "clearly demonstrated its value to industry players"--meaning any takeover bid would not come cheap. "I doubt that our shareholders could be won over by a cut price."

 

However, just because Ubisoft won't sell low doesn't mean it won't sell. "If somebody is interested in our competitive advantages and this person is willing to pay for those at their right price, then we will choose what is best for our shareholders and our employees," Guillemot told Les Echos.

 

Ubisoft employees who hold stock in the company were surely pleased by the results of Guillemot's comments. Rumors about a possible takeover boosted the company's share price, which rose 1.36 euros ($1.66) to close the day at 42.40 euros ($51.98).

 

Linky: http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/09/21/news_6134098.html

 

 

*supressing "boo"'s for company takeovers*

[Gabrielle]

I hate big companies that feel the urge to buy the little ones, than turn them into sh!t. This has happened too much.

[Volourn]

GO EA GO!

 

 

P.S. Isn't Ubisoft the company responsible for turning a classic D&D module into an absolute mockery with POR2? I have no mercy for them.

 

P.S.S. EA would be doing all us gamers a favour by buying US and throwing it in the trash where it belongs.

[BicycleOfDeath]

Everytime I hear "EA" I think of Medal of Honor: Spearhead. How the guy quit and deleted the only copies of the coding...so they released it with alpha coding, and the game ran like molases with some lumberjack action thrown in.

 

*cough*

<-- Ghost Recon fan

*cough*

 

xx edited the inaccurate Theif series information xx

Edited September 26, 2005 by AngryKidJoe

[Musopticon?]

The If? Is that some kind of new superhero? Pop band perhaps?

 

 

Anyway; what does Ubisoft have to do with my favorite game trilogy? I thought Eidos had the rights. Elaborate a bit, will you Joe?

Edited September 26, 2005 by Musopticon?

[Kaftan Barlast]

I dont get what everyones got against EA? I mean, selling the lowest quality games at the highest possible prices is only good bussiness, yes?

 

 

"

 

 

..and treating employees and developers like dirt is only a bonus :D

[Gabrielle]

I dont get what everyones got against EA? I mean, selling the lowest quality games at the highest possible prices is only good bussiness, yes?

 

 

"

 

 

..and treating employees and developers like dirt is only a bonus :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I just have a problem with the corporate monsters buying up the little guys or the companies that are smaller than them.

[kumquatq3]

EA is where good series (minus sports) go to die

[Musopticon?]

Sort of like a graveyard of whales, wouldn't you agree?

[BicycleOfDeath]

The If? Is that some kind of new superhero? Pop band perhaps?

 

 

Anyway; what does Ubisoft have to do with my favorite game trilogy? I thought Eidos had the rights. Elaborate a bit, will you Joe?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Woops, that's my bad. I feel like a total [insert favorite insult here] right now. :">

[Musopticon?]

Oh well, errrare hum...etc.

 

Edit: For a moment I was reliving the days when T3 went to production. I expected a new Thief game by Ubi.

Edited September 26, 2005 by Musopticon?

[BicycleOfDeath]

I'd love a new thief game. I still haven't beat T3...but I'm about 1/2 way on expert.

[Musopticon?]

I hope you patched it. All difficulty levels revert back to normal difficulty after reloading a saved game. Without the patch, you'd have to play through the game on one sitting to experience it on the same difficulty all the way through. :D

[Darkside]

Theif 3 is right up there with Final Fantasy X on my list (and that's pretty dern high). But I wouldn't want a Thief 4. The ending of 3 was perfect as it was, and another one would run the risk of suckage. Sort of like Final Fantasy X-2. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Laozi]

But theres money to be made.........

[BicycleOfDeath]

I hope you patched it. All difficulty levels revert back to normal difficulty after reloading a saved game. Without the patch, you'd have to play through the game on one sitting to experience it on the same difficulty all the way through. :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah, it's patched. First thing I do when I install a game.

[Shadowstrider]

Looks like I won't be buying any Splinter Cell or Ghost Recon games anymore.

[Deraldin]

I hope you patched it. All difficulty levels revert back to normal difficulty after reloading a saved game. Without the patch, you'd have to play through the game on one sitting to experience it on the same difficulty all the way through. :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Screw the patch. I just use Thief Bot to manually set the fifficult levels. I set the guards hear and sight up about 3.0 on Thief Bot. Makes it much more enjoyable. They can actually see and hear you now! :ph34r:

[kumquatq3]

Looks like I won't be buying any Splinter Cell or Ghost Recon games anymore.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

or prince of persia

[steelfiredragon]

EA is a monopoly.

 

the courts should take them down.

besides a good rpg from them has not come since RG quit.

[Darque]

I hate EA because power mad monopolies suck.

[Calax]

well... EA doesn't have a monopoly yet. they still have to kill vivendi to do that, and thats about impossible considering that Vivendi took over Blizzard.

[Gabrielle]

I hate EA because power mad monopolies suck.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Indeed they do.

[Volourn]

EA sin't even close to a monoply. Not even close.

 

And, if the courts try to take them down it will like MS all over again. The gov't stealing money from a legit business.

[kumquatq3]

EA sin't even close to a monoply. Not even close.

 

And, if the courts try to take them down it will like MS all over again. The gov't stealing money from a legit business.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I agree, their not a monopoly, but they still suck the creativity out of things and pump out subpar games. They also go about their buisness in a way that isn't a positive for the consumer (NFL rights).

 

and the goverment "breaks up" a monopoly. Not rob them. Every example of this I can think of has been a positive in the long run for the consumer. MS having to make the IE browser less than mandatory may very well have kept the door open for things like Firefox