LogInEventually, both went to EA.
From The Beatles getting rejected by Decca Records to Yahoo turning down the chance to buy Google in 1998 for just $1 million, history is full of moments when the powerful passed on the opportunity to invest in something or someone small – only to regret it later as those missed opportunities went on to make beaucoup bucks without them.
Apparently, PlayStation is also on that list, with former VP of Software Development Juan Montes and Senior Producer Martin Alltimes revealing in a recent interview that PlayStation was just inches away from acquiring the FIFA license and Peter Molyneux's Bullfrog Productions over 30 years ago.
Electronic Arts
Speaking to The Game Business, Montes revealed that PlayStation's internal teams were working on a football game and held talks to secure the FIFA license in the 90s, coming "very, very close" to actually acquiring it. In the end, however, the company decided not to pursue the opportunity in order to maintain a good relationship with a third party – presumably Electronic Arts itself, which ultimately obtained the FIFA rights and went on to sell over 325 million units by 2021.
Additionally, PlayStation was also on the verge of purchasing Bullfrog Productions, the legendary studio behind Populous, Syndicate, and the Dungeon Keeper series, which eventually ended up with EA as well.
"One of the best-kept secrets is we almost bought Bullfrog, Peter Molyneux's company," Alltimes said. "One of the producers, who was a friend of Peter's… I remember sitting opposite him when he was having his phone call. Peter pitched Dungeon Keeper, a game that never came out called The Indestructibles, and another thing. At the end of it, we decided that it was easier and cheaper to buy them and that's how they ended up being bought by EA.
[EA] didn't want to miss out. They just literally launched Theme Park [together] as well, which I think was Peter's fourth or fifth hit in a row."
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