LogInDisney is said to be exploring the option of acquiring EA as part of its strategic efforts to expand into the gaming industry.
Image credit: Disney
According to a recent report from Bloomberg, Disney executives, led by CEO Bob Iger, are reportedly contemplating the possibility of acquiring Electronic Arts (EA) as part of a strategic expansion into the gaming industry. The move is seen as a means to pursue a more substantial transformation of Disney's video game division. Instead of simply licensing their iconic properties like Marvel and Star Wars to external developers, the company aims to establish a stronger presence by acquiring a publisher with extensive gaming expertise, with EA specifically mentioned as a potential target.
Image credit: Respawn Entertainment, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
While Bob Iger is reportedly undecided on the potential acquisition of Electronic Arts (EA), the two companies have maintained a relatively stable relationship for the past eight years. In 2013, EA secured exclusive rights to develop Star Wars games, resulting in the successful reboot of the Star Wars Battlefront series and the introduction of the Star Wars Jedi series by Respawn Entertainment.
Despite the controversy surrounding Star Wars Battlefront II in 2017, the positive reception and success of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order paved the way for EA to continue producing games under the Star Wars license. This includes titles like Star Wars: Squadrons, released in 2020. Additionally, EA has collaborated with other developers, such as Ubisoft, to work on projects within the Star Wars series.
However, there have been setbacks for EA's Star Wars games, including the cancellation of projects like Project Orca from EA Vancouver and a Battlefront spinoff. On the Marvel front, EA's subsidiaries, Motive Studio, and Cliffhanger Games, are currently developing single-player games based on Marvel characters.
Overall, while there have been both successes and setbacks in EA's endeavors with Star Wars and Marvel properties, the relationship between Disney and EA has remained relatively stable, creating the potential for further collaborations and opportunities in the future.
Image credit: Disney
Some more news on Disney, during the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2023, Disney Research presented a cute robot that reminds of a dodo and Wall-E at the same time. If you want to have a look, check out our recent article.
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