EA buys up 20% of Ubisoft.

[Shockeye]

It's bad enough EA cranks out it's own crap, now it's trying to horn in on other's crap as well.

You can see it here.

Electronic Arts Inc., the largest video game publisher in the United States, said Monday that it agreed to purchase a 19.9 percent stake in French video game developer UbiSoft Entertainment SA from Talpa Beheer BV, the investment vehicle of Dutch media giant John de Mol.

[Dark Vengeance]

Does this mean they own a couple of the FragDolls as well? Were Katscratch and Brooklyn part of the deal?

Bring the noise.
Cheers..............

[HaemishM]

BORG BORG BORG BORG BORG BORG BORG BORG.

Fuck.

I guess they are running out of indy developers to publish, acquire and absorb, they need to glom onto another publisher and try to work deals with some of that pubs indy houses.

Fuck you, EA.

[Rodent]

Fuck EA, I pray for the day when digital distribution will make them obsolete.

[Krakrok]

UO and Shadowbane togather at least. At the end.

[sinij]

UO and Shadowbane togather at least. At the end.

SB got fucked without EA's involvement.

[Zetleft]

Jesus how the hell can you boycott the bastards if they keep doing this... guess that is their plan.

[stray]

Seriously, if people want to see EA kept in check, they should do something about it soon. There's got to be someone jealous enough and with enough money in the bank (like Netscape and Sun were to Microsoft) to bring these concerns to D.C. Judging by the decline of quality titles, the fall of indy development houses, more than a few tales of corruption here and there, and the rise of corporate behemoths in the past 5-10 years, I don't think Washington even realizes there is a "game" industry. At least not in the sense that gamers do. We'd all be having fun if they did.

Hell, even Microsoft almost slipped under their radar, and that was day-to-day home and business software. They know fuck all about games. And if it was left up to senators and congressman to figure it out on their own, they probably wouldn't even have the slightest clue who EA or Vivendi was until it was too late...or too much trouble. Will somebody remind them please?

[Flashman]

Be waring of wishing for government interference.

[ahoythematey]

Maybe if the vast amount of dipshits among the gaming populace stopped buying EA games we wouldn't see this happening.  I have bought exactly one EA title in my life, and that was because it was Peter Molyneux's baby(dirty diaper included!).

[Bunk]

The point being made here is, that at the rate things are going - boycotting EA will soon mean not buying games period.

[HaemishM]

Hell, even Microsoft almost slipped under their radar, and that was day-to-day home and business software. They know fuck all about games. And if it was left up to senators and congressman to figure it out on their own, they probably wouldn't even have the slightest clue who EA or Vivendi was until it was too late...or too much trouble. Will somebody remind them please?

Yes, because the "government" did so well cutting down on Microsoft's monopoly power.

See, no one but gamers gives a fuck about EA and the NFL getting in bed together. So no one who could actually bring any legislation together is going to do fuck-all about anything in the game industry. That's probably a good thing.

EA can buy up all the shit it wants. Their cascading wave of cluster fucks will eventually crest and they'll settle into a nice, flowing stagnant bath of mediocrity. If I were an indy dev house, unless I needed the check really badly, I wouldn't take EA's calls for the next 5 years or so, at least not without talking to the guys from Origin, Maxis or Westwood first.

[schild]

I don't like Reuters anymore.

Text:

Electronic Arts says may buy more Ubisoft shares
Wed Feb 9, 2005 01:17 PM ET
PARIS, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Electronic Arts (ERTS.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world's largest video game maker, may add to its almost 20 percent stake in France's Ubisoft (UBIP.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) and seek representation on its board, the U.S. company reiterated on Wednesday.
Electronic Arts (EA), formally declaring its intentions toward Ubisoft after taking a 19.77 percent stake, said in a French filing that it was acting alone and might sell or buy more Ubisoft shares, including a controlling stake.

The statement echoed comments that EA managers made last month at a conference call with financial analysts. EA said at the time it wanted to "keep all its options open regarding this investment in Ubisoft and could buy more Ubisoft shares, possibly a controlling stake".

Ubisoft shares have gained over 80 percent since EA bought the stake on Dec. 20, sparking speculation it could launch a bid. They closed Wednesday at 31.68 euros.

The French video games maker has vowed to stay independent and has dismissed EA's approach as hostile until it gets more information.

EA is now Ubisoft's largest shareholder and has 20.88 percent of its voting rights. But the Guillemot brothers, the French company's founders who together own 17.5 percent, still control 22.8 percent of the voting rights.

Caisse des Depots et Consignations, a state-owned French financial institution, owns about 6 percent of the capital. BNP Paribas has a stake of some 4 percent.

[Righ]

Shares went up 80% after EA bought 20% of them? They should ditch the 20%, wait for the crash and buy 51%. No brainer.

[SirBruce]

Except for that fact that would be ILLEGAL, you're right.

Bruce

[Lum]

How is stock speculation illegal? If it is, a lot of day traders will certainly be surprised.

(Note: I don't know enough to actually comment coherently, it just seems somewhat self-evident that it wouldn't be illegal.)

[TheWalrus]

 You can't forget there is an undead army of Ban All Violence bills just waiting to be written...I can't imagine anything good coming from involving the government in gaming. Lets just keep them to putting a little "E" or "M" in the rating box and thinking they did something for the good of mankind.

[plummerx]

The frogs and the rest of the EU will totally shit on EA before a hostile takeover ever gains momentum.
Unlike the free trade wussies here in the USA, the euros will not accomodate a hostile takeover of ubisoft.
The euros are better at dealing with US mega corperations than USA is.

[Murgos]

Speculation isn't illegal but there are rules about disclosure when you buy more than a certain percentage of a companies available stock.  I don't know what they are, I just know they exist and my demented need to chime in makes me think that that must be what Bruce was alluding too.

[MahrinSkel]

How is stock speculation illegal? If it is, a lot of day traders will certainly be surprised.

(Note: I don't know enough to actually comment coherently, it just seems somewhat self-evident that it wouldn't be illegal.)

Stock speculation is legal, market manipulation is not.  When you reach the point where your deals involve large percentages of large companies, the SEC and similar organizations overseas watch your activities very carefully, and you have to file public declarations of intent if you're buying or selling more than a certain percentage (5-10%, can't remember exactly) of a company in a short period of time.  Hence the stuff about EA filing with the French authorities.

--Dave

[SirBruce]

What they said.  I'm not sure what the actual percentage cut-off is either, but I'm sure EA has passed it.

And if they do get a board seat, then of course it's all going to be regulated regardless of the numbers of shares involved.

Bruce