Electronic Arts Has Reportedly Been Pursuing Merger Talks With Multiple Companies

Electronic Arts is apparently hoping to sell itself to the highest bidder. According to Puck, the video games publisher recently held potential merger talks with various companies, including Amazon, Apple, Disney, and NBCUniversal. The latter was reportedly the furthest along in negotiations but ultimately fell through when the companies couldn’t agree on a price.

Insiders report that the failed merger talks haven’t deterred EA from seeking other potential buyers and has only been emboldened by the big Activision Blizzard’s acquisition by Microsoft. A spokesperson for the publisher responded with a statement that neither denied or confirmed the report.

“We don’t comment on rumors and speculation relating to M&A,” the spokesperson told Kotaku. “We are proud to be operating from a position of strength and growth, with a portfolio of amazing games, built around powerful IP, made by incredibly talented teams, and a network of more than half a billion players. We see a very bright future ahead.”

The past year has seen several video game studios change hands in a flurry of buyouts and acquisitions, mostly by holding companies like Embracer Group and Media and Games Invest, and big-name tech companies such as Microsoft, Sony, and Tencent. However, given EA’s strong performance over the past fiscal quarters, it seems like the publisher is looking to acquire rather than be acquired as CEO Andrew Wilson implied during Q3 2022 earnings call in February.

Q3 2022 was the company’s most profitable quarter to date which saw a massive 22% increase in revenue year-over-year and a 6.9% increase quarter-over-quarter.