EA bought by Trump's family and Saudi's
Discussion
This isn't good news for gamers...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjejyl34345o
EA has been bought via a leveraged buy out involving the investment funds of Jared Kushner (Trumps son in law) and the Saudi Public Investment Fund. The company will have $20bn of debt to service from day 1, so at say 5% interest that is $1bn a year to simply pay the interest, before any returns to the company buyers, from a company which makes about $6bn a year. Expect game prices to go up, more in-game purchases, or them to be cutting costs somewhere in the business.
Isn't capitalism great!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjejyl34345o
EA has been bought via a leveraged buy out involving the investment funds of Jared Kushner (Trumps son in law) and the Saudi Public Investment Fund. The company will have $20bn of debt to service from day 1, so at say 5% interest that is $1bn a year to simply pay the interest, before any returns to the company buyers, from a company which makes about $6bn a year. Expect game prices to go up, more in-game purchases, or them to be cutting costs somewhere in the business.
Isn't capitalism great!
captain_cynic said:
Haven't bought an EA game in years. They don't make games any more, it's just reskins or Generic Sports Franchise 20XX.
If those stop paying the company will go under and the IP wi be auctioned off by liquidators. Especially as they lost the FIFA license a few years back.
I think they had plans to get the FIFA license back.If those stop paying the company will go under and the IP wi be auctioned off by liquidators. Especially as they lost the FIFA license a few years back.
thetapeworm said:
Presumably Battlefield 7 will have a charge over bullet fired system given how much extra they want for a "full" experience in 6 despite the £60+ cost for the base game on digital.
They were practically pay2win when I abandoned it back in... Battlefield 3. That's why I abandoned it. 
Honestly, the worrying part isn't even the names involved, it's the debt. If they're starting with that much to pay back, you can almost hear the accountants designing the next battle pass already. At this rate we'll be paying £2.99 just to unlock the settings menu. 
Edited by Alex1217 on Monday 17th August 20:30
Oh no! EA were such a gamer friendly publisher but now they'll be all about microtransactions and milking franchises! 
Oh .. wait ..
I'm an old enough gamer to remember the formation of EA back in the 8bit computer days (Atari 400/800, Commodore 64, Apple II) and back then they were actually a fantastic collaboration of independent devs producing innovative, top notch games (MULE and Archon spring to mind) that really pushed the envelope. How far they have fallen over the years even whilst they became a massive behemoth publisher.
Going back a little further to the Atari 2600 VCS console, Activision were a stellar software company/publisher - one of the first 'indies', maybe THE first, having to fight legal battles against Atari but publishing some of the very best games on the VCS and giving full credit to the devs who made the games. They have gone the same way as EA..
Oh .. wait ..
I'm an old enough gamer to remember the formation of EA back in the 8bit computer days (Atari 400/800, Commodore 64, Apple II) and back then they were actually a fantastic collaboration of independent devs producing innovative, top notch games (MULE and Archon spring to mind) that really pushed the envelope. How far they have fallen over the years even whilst they became a massive behemoth publisher.
Going back a little further to the Atari 2600 VCS console, Activision were a stellar software company/publisher - one of the first 'indies', maybe THE first, having to fight legal battles against Atari but publishing some of the very best games on the VCS and giving full credit to the devs who made the games. They have gone the same way as EA..
captain_cynic said:
thetapeworm said:
Presumably Battlefield 7 will have a charge over bullet fired system given how much extra they want for a "full" experience in 6 despite the £60+ cost for the base game on digital.
They were practically pay2win when I abandoned it back in... Battlefield 3. That's why I abandoned it. Anyway, they're more likely to follow the World of Tanks and World of Warships approach by allowing 'gold' bullets to be bought for cash, and special badges to reduce dispersion and cooldown times - they're proper P2Win cash-grabs
tangerine_sedge said:
Anyway, they're more likely to follow the World of Tanks and World of Warships approach by allowing 'gold' bullets to be bought for cash, and special badges to reduce dispersion and cooldown times - they're proper P2Win cash-grabs
True, but the games are free to play if you want. I've had hours of fun on WOT for nothing. Many games these days charge for the game itself and then still want money from loot boxes or improved kit!
J6542 said:
captain_cynic said:
Haven't bought an EA game in years. They don't make games any more, it's just reskins or Generic Sports Franchise 20XX.
If those stop paying the company will go under and the IP wi be auctioned off by liquidators. Especially as they lost the FIFA license a few years back.
I think they had plans to get the FIFA license back.If those stop paying the company will go under and the IP wi be auctioned off by liquidators. Especially as they lost the FIFA license a few years back.
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