Sony Could Acquire EA To Rival Microsoft Deal
The King is in a tight corner and some are already calling checkmate, but let's remember Sony still has plenty of pieces on the board. We're obviously talking about Microsoft's recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard with THAT record-breaking $69 billion deal.
Just when we thought the console wars had cooled, Phil Spencer came and threw a Molotov cocktail at the industry. Despite saying he'd "changed" the way Microsoft works with Activision Blizzard in the wake of the Cosby Suite scandal, it turns out he was putting the wheels in motion to buy the publishing powerhouse.
There are obvious questions about what's next for Sony, and with a barbed response to the deal, it's clear Microsoft's rival is down but not out. Limping through to the next chapter, reports suggest Sony could try and counter Microsoft by swallowing up Electronic Arts.
Will Sony Buy EA?
According to the Financial Times (behind a paywall), EA is now in the sights of Sony. The company is currently valued at $38 billion, which means it's a relatively small fish compared to Activision Blizzard. Then again, you only have to look at the impressive catalogue of titles to see why it could be a lucrative purchase.
The FT claims Sony is "on the lookout to build up its portfolio of exclusive games," which fits with PlayStation boss Jim Ryan's previous promise that more exclusives are on the way. EA currently holds the reins to everything from FIFA to The Sims, Apex Legends to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. The prospect of making FIFA a PlayStation exclusive is enough to have Microsoft shaking in its boots.
Did EA Try To Buy Activision Blizzard?
This latest update comes after Activision Blizzard's controversial CEO suggested EA could've merged. In an interview with GamesBeat, Bobby Kotick said, "But when you’re comparing us to, you know, $2 trillion companies and $3 trillion companies and trillion dollar companies and $500 billion companies, you realize, we may have been a big company in video gaming, but now, when you look at the landscape of who the competitors are, it’s a different world today than ever before."
On paper, an EA deal looks to be solid. The site reiterates that "astute investments" in mobile companies Playdemic and Glu Mobile have given it a boost. Elsewhere, EA hasn't been embroiled in scandals like Activision Blizzard and Ubisoft have. Finally, EA is roughly the same size as Activision Blizzard and has more user accounts but a lower operating margin.
We'll admit that Sony is in a tight spot right now, but with 2022 including massive releases like Horizon Forbidden West and God of War Ragnarok there's plenty on the horizon. If that isn't enough, there are still rumours about some sort of Hogwarts Legacy collab and future big hitters including Insomniac's Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and the studio's Wolverine game.
Looking ahead, we're pretty sure the divide between PlayStation and Xbox users is about to turn into a canyon. Even though Sony just lost $20 billion overnight, it's sure to have a few more tricks up its sleeve. Sony hasn't responded to any of the above, but if EA is the next gaming giant to be swallowed by our console overlords, we could be back in business Mr Hammond.