EA buys 19.9% of UbiSoft stock

[ananag112]

Cheap ass link (http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/041220/190012_1.html)

EA is trying to take over the world!

[Javery]

As long as UbiSoft's games don't suffer as a result I don't care - this could actually lead to cheapass UbiSoft games because most EA games are $20 within 6 months of release...

[musha666]

Good for them.

[jam3582]

well isnt this nice of them sheeesh whats next

[oddjob93]

In a few years EA will own 19.9% of all of us (kind of like Walmart)

[DreamSymphony]

Down with EA! :-)
But seriously, I hope the games don't suffer at all because of it... I like Ubisoft games (in the past I didn't but the current generation Ubi games rule)

[Xtreme331]

yeah Ubi makes great games so let's hope they don't get chewed up by the EA meat grinder.

[ananag112]

In a few years EA will own 19.9% of all of us (kind of like Walmart)

Wal-Mart will never own me.

[Morrigan Lover]

I hope EA doesn't ruin the IL2 franchise...

[Doylerulez]

As long as UbiSoft's games don't suffer as a result I don't care - this could actually lead to cheapass UbiSoft games because most EA games are $20 within 6 months of release...
Well, Ubisoft's games aren't known to stay high long as it is, how fast did Beyond Good and Evil stay at $40 before hitting the bargain bin, a week?

And if we're lucky the next Prince of Persia will feature John Madden as the Lord of Time who lives in the Stadium of Time sponsored by "tough actin" Tinactin of Time.

[lordxixor101]

Eh, this can be somewhat scary. With 19.9% of the stock, EA can't force decisions (like a majority owner), but they will have influence (they'll get to select a person or 2 to sit on the Board of Directors. But, it also puts them in nice position to make a hostile takeover at some point, if they want to.

This shouldn't effect games that are due out soon, but I could get sense a change in the next 2-3 years on games. We'll have to see.

[Mookyjooky]

Still boycotting EA!!!

[SEGA128DC]

The virus known as Electronic Arts is spreading! Does anyone have a cure?...

[cgpwns]

Did anyone read the article about EA in Game Informer? They are just as evil as Walmart. They over work their employees with little or no compensation.

[onetrackmind]

for fuck sakes... EA is really starting to piss me off

[Kaijufan]

If they have money to spend, I guess they have every right to spend it. I just hope they dont buy 51%+ of UbiSoft stock.

[Wshakspear]

...I think snowboarding as Rayman would be fun in SSX 4...

[RedvsBlue]

This is really getting out of hand. This is one time where its unfortunate that government doesn't intervene in the entertainment business. Sure if 2 cell phone companies want to merge they have to get approval, but if a video game company starts positioning themselves to become a conglomeration, government just sits back and says, okey dokey.

[Wshakspear]

This is really getting out of hand. This is one time where its unfortunate that government doesn't intervene in the entertainment business. Sure if 2 cell phone companies want to merge they have to get approval, but if a video game company starts positioning themselves to become a conglomeration, government just sits back and says, okey dokey.

"Oh we dont have to worry about those companies...they just make games for kids. Now off to that Video Game violence meeting!"

[mario23air]

As long as UbiSoft's games don't suffer as a result I don't care - this could actually lead to cheapass UbiSoft games because most EA games are $20 within 6 months of release...


That may be true, but I read an article that says EA wnats to raise the price of new games from $49 to $59 or higher. I know this doesn't matter to CAGs because we never pay full price, but it still sucks. I hate EA.

[RomaVictor]

Just a tidbit of info...

If memory serves me correctly, buying >20% of a company's equity gives the buyer controlling interest. In other words, if EA had purchased 20% of Ubisoft, then EA would receive 20% of Ubisoft's Net Income for the year. Since EA only purchased 19.9%, they will only receive their share of the dividends given out (if any). There's a lot more to this, but it could bore you all to tears. And yes, I was an accounting major....

[roland13x]

Beyond Good and Madden of Persia: Chaos Theory

[NintendoFanGirl]

Reuters-
"But Ubi Soft, Europe's third-biggest independent video game publisher and the maker of recent hit game "Prince of Persia", said it would consider Electronic Arts' stake building as "hostile", until it received further details from the company.

"Pending further information, we consider this operation as hostile," an Ubi Soft spokesman told Reuters."

Plus the fact that the don't treat their employees fairly- http://www.livejournal.com/users/ea_spouse/

[RedvsBlue]

Reuters-
"But Ubi Soft, Europe's third-biggest independent video game publisher and the maker of recent hit game "Prince of Persia", said it would consider Electronic Arts' stake building as "hostile", until it received further details from the company.

"Pending further information, we consider this operation as hostile," an Ubi Soft spokesman told Reuters."

Plus the fact that the don't treat their employees fairly- http://www.livejournal.com/users/ea_spouse/

I'd probably say its a hostile takeover too just for the simple fact that no one heard about it until it happened. There was absolutely no talk about it and then bam EA buys it up.

[RedvsBlue]

As long as UbiSoft's games don't suffer as a result I don't care - this could actually lead to cheapass UbiSoft games because most EA games are $20 within 6 months of release...


That may be true, but I read an article that says EA wnats to raise the price of new games from $49 to $59 or higher. I know this doesn't matter to CAGs because we never pay full price, but it still sucks. I hate EA.

If this happens, I have a feeling that it will bust the video game market. For the simple fact that everyone is going to wait it out until the game has an eventual price drop. From my own personal experience, it takes a lot to get me to buy a game right when it comes out. For example, I really liked the first MechAssault, and am really looking forward to the next one. That having been said, I just don't feel like paying $50 for a new game. I'd rather wait it out, play my other games, and get the exact same game 6 months down the road for probably half as much.

[Javery]

I'd probably say its a hostile takeover too just for the simple fact that no one heard about it until it happened. There was absolutely no talk about it and then bam EA buys it up.

That has nothing to do with it at all. A hostile take over is when one company or individual buys shares of another company (usually in the open market) in order to gain a controlling interest of that company - usually against the wishes of the board of directors, other shareholders or both.

Just a tidbit of info...

If memory serves me correctly, buying >20% of a company's equity gives the buyer controlling interest. In other words, if EA had purchased 20% of Ubisoft, then EA would receive 20% of Ubisoft's Net Income for the year. Since EA only purchased 19.9%, they will only receive their share of the dividends given out (if any). There's a lot more to this, but it could bore you all to tears. And yes, I was an accounting major....

There's no magic threshhold for what is a controlling interest (except for 51%, in which case you do control the company outright) although 20% can usually get the job done if the rest of the ownership is spread out enough. For example, if you own 5% of a company's outstanding shares and the next biggest shareholder only has 0.001% then you could probably be classified as having a controlling interest in the company.

[sisco1986]

...I think snowboarding as Rayman would be fun in SSX 4...

Or ding chavez from Rainbow Six

[regisphilbi0]

Wow. I officially completely despise EA. This just makes me sick. They see a good company making some good games, and now they want a share of the action. Thats sick. It screams monopoly. The Govt. needs to take action against this gian.

[mmn]

Wow. I officially completely despise EA. This just makes me sick. They see a good company making some good games, and now they want a share of the action. Thats sick. It screams monopoly. The Govt. needs to take action against this gian.

Yeah it screams monopoly. EA has absolutely no competition in the video game market.

:roll:

[RedvsBlue]

I'd probably say its a hostile takeover too just for the simple fact that no one heard about it until it happened. There was absolutely no talk about it and then bam EA buys it up.

That has nothing to do with it at all. A hostile take over is when one company or individual buys shares of another company (usually in the open market) in order to gain a controlling interest of that company - usually against the wishes of the board of directors, other shareholders or both.



Yes I realize what a hostile takeover is. The thing is that usually you don't see a company send out press releases saying "we plan to takeover company X by suddenly buying up a controlling stake in their company." They tend to keep their plans quiet until the buying actually takes place.

[RedvsBlue]

Wow. I officially completely despise EA. This just makes me sick. They see a good company making some good games, and now they want a share of the action. Thats sick. It screams monopoly. The Govt. needs to take action against this gian.

Yeah it screams monopoly. EA has absolutely no competition in the video game market.

:roll:

Yeah EA has been on the move in the past week. First the football license and now buying up other companies...

That having been said, I wish I would have known about this stuff 2 weeks ago so I could have bought some shares in EA...

[whoknows]

If EA controls Ubi Soft they will destroy games we love such as if they ever make a sequal to XIII, BG&E, umm and some other stuff if anyone can think of anything.

[thegamer4787]

Next thing you know we'll have our beloved :roll: "EA TRAX" in the splinter cell and rainbow six games.

[evilmax17]

*Waits for EA to announce their plans for a new console*

[DrunkTigerWoods]

"EA originally went online on August 4th 1997. Human decisions were removed from strategic defence. EA began to learn at a geometric rate. It originally became self aware on August 29th 1997 2:14 am Eastern Time. In the ensuing panic and attempts to shut EA down, EA retaliated by firing American nuclear missiles at their target sites in Russia. Russia returned fire and three billion human lives ended in the nuclear holocaust. This was what has come to be known as "Judgment Day". "

[The Gifuto]

The virus known as Electronic Arts is spreading! Does anyone have a cure?...

Yes, buy their stock and come along for the evil reward-reaping ride. Last I looked, their price was up .62%. Symbol ERTS if anyone wants to call their broker.

[jalu6]

this is starting to make Microsoft look like a damn indie studio.

[RaekwonThaChef]

VVVVVVVVV

[RaekwonThaChef]

Next thing you know we'll have our beloved :roll: "EA TRAX" in the splinter cell and rainbow six games.

I actually didn't think this was that horrible of a thing (EA's stock in ubisoft) until I read this. GOD FORBID EA Trax spreads anymore.

[Xtreme331]

"EA originally went online on August 4th 1997. Human decisions were removed from strategic defence. EA began to learn at a geometric rate. It originally became self aware on August 29th 1997 2:14 am Eastern Time. In the ensuing panic and attempts to shut EA down, EA retaliated by firing American nuclear missiles at their target sites in Russia. Russia returned fire and three billion human lives ended in the nuclear holocaust. This was what has come to be known as "Judgment Day". "

haha :rofl:

[rabbitt]

Guess what Ubisoft gets for Christmas.

[RomaVictor]

I'd probably say its a hostile takeover too just for the simple fact that no one heard about it until it happened. There was absolutely no talk about it and then bam EA buys it up.

That has nothing to do with it at all. A hostile take over is when one company or individual buys shares of another company (usually in the open market) in order to gain a controlling interest of that company - usually against the wishes of the board of directors, other shareholders or both.

Just a tidbit of info...

If memory serves me correctly, buying >20% of a company's equity gives the buyer controlling interest. In other words, if EA had purchased 20% of Ubisoft, then EA would receive 20% of Ubisoft's Net Income for the year. Since EA only purchased 19.9%, they will only receive their share of the dividends given out (if any). There's a lot more to this, but it could bore you all to tears. And yes, I was an accounting major....

There's no magic threshhold for what is a controlling interest (except for 51%, in which case you do control the company outright) although 20% can usually get the job done if the rest of the ownership is spread out enough. For example, if you own 5% of a company's outstanding shares and the next biggest shareholder only has 0.001% then you could probably be classified as having a controlling interest in the company.

You're right, I wasn't clear in my statement. 20% is not a magic number for controlling interest. However, from a financial accounting standpoint, 20% is the number by which accountants change their methods for measuring the said investment. Thanks for pointing out my error.

Pure Gamers seem to hate EA the same way small business owners hate Walmart. But you know what? People keep shopping at Walmart every day and night in record numbers, and if I'm not mistaken, Madden probably sold 1 kajillion copies this month. So, the majority of gamers give their consent for EA to continue its practices. As long as there are casual gamers, especially sports gamers, EA will dominate. And never underestimate the power (in this case, buying power) of millions of meatheads.

I'll stop, I'm preaching to the choir.

[The Successful Dropout]

somebody call the wahhhmmmbulance

[Sarang01]

Reuters-
"But Ubi Soft, Europe's third-biggest independent video game publisher and the maker of recent hit game "Prince of Persia", said it would consider Electronic Arts' stake building as "hostile", until it received further details from the company.

"Pending further information, we consider this operation as hostile," an Ubi Soft spokesman told Reuters."

Plus the fact that the don't treat their employees fairly- http://www.livejournal.com/users/ea_spouse/

"That has nothing to do with it at all. A hostile take over is when one company or individual buys shares of another company (usually in the open market) in order to gain a controlling interest of that company - usually against the wishes of the board of directors, other shareholders or both.".

Well at least one person at Ubi Soft perceives it to be hostile.

[mmn]

somebody call the wahhhmmmbulance

Seriously. Nothing has really even happened and people are already whining about EA.

How about you guys wait until EA actually fucks Ubi up before you start your crying?

[punqsux]

somebody call the wahhhmmmbulance

Seriously. Nothing has really even happened and people are already whining about EA.

How about you guys wait until EA actually shaq-fus Ubi up before you start your crying?

you guys present amazing points... :roll:

im very sorry for disliking a company based on their business tactics...what ever was i thinking, now if youll excuse me im off to walmart so i can buy comrade madden 2006.

[mmn]

somebody call the wahhhmmmbulance

Seriously. Nothing has really even happened and people are already whining about EA.

How about you guys wait until EA actually shaq-fus Ubi up before you start your crying?

you guys present amazing points... :roll:

im very sorry for disliking a company based on their business tactics...what ever was i thinking, now if youll excuse me im off to walmart so i can buy comrade madden 2006.

What, exactly, has EA done wrong here? If you can explain how this is such a bad thing, please do.

[Medium_Pimpin]

It would suck to have to boycott ubisoft, they are actually a good developer unlike EA.

[RedvsBlue]

somebody call the wahhhmmmbulance

Seriously. Nothing has really even happened and people are already whining about EA.

How about you guys wait until EA actually shaq-fus Ubi up before you start your crying?

you guys present amazing points... :roll:

im very sorry for disliking a company based on their business tactics...what ever was i thinking, now if youll excuse me im off to walmart so i can buy comrade madden 2006.

Don't forget the strategy guide!

[punqsux]

somebody call the wahhhmmmbulance

Seriously. Nothing has really even happened and people are already whining about EA.

How about you guys wait until EA actually shaq-fus Ubi up before you start your crying?

you guys present amazing points... :roll:

im very sorry for disliking a company based on their business tactics...what ever was i thinking, now if youll excuse me im off to walmart so i can buy comrade madden 2006.

What, exactly, has EA done wrong here? If you can explain how this is such a bad thing, please do.

in case you havent noticed, EA has a history of buying up developers, taking their franchise names, and firing most of the dev teams.

buying 19% of ubi is just getting their foot in the door.

maybe you want every game on the planet to be made by ea, but i like a little competition.

[punqsux]

somebody call the wahhhmmmbulance

Seriously. Nothing has really even happened and people are already whining about EA.

How about you guys wait until EA actually shaq-fus Ubi up before you start your crying?

you guys present amazing points... :roll:

im very sorry for disliking a company based on their business tactics...what ever was i thinking, now if youll excuse me im off to walmart so i can buy comrade madden 2006.

Don't forget the strategy guide!

i got the strategy guide packaged with the required NFL licensed controller, needed to play the football, you know?

[punqsux]

It would suck to have to boycott ubisoft, they are actually a good developer unlike EA.
i agree, ea makes good games, but most are like mediocre good. ubi makes great games like prince of persia, beyond good and evil, XIII, jade coccoon, not to mention the amazing 2d games they make on gba (splinter cell, pop, rayman)

i would still boycott because its the principal, but i would be more inclined to find used copies of these games.

[ig88vsbobafett]

Ubisoft makes ome of the best games and Ea makes some of the worst :(

WHY would UBIsoft want to sell out

I am still Boycotting EA games Becase of the NFL thing


http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?nfleacon

[RedvsBlue]

Ubisoft makes ome of the best games and Ea makes some of the worst :(

WHY would UBIsoft want to sell out

I am still Boycotting EA games Becase of the NFL thing


http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?nfleacon

Well good to see that you've kept it up for a week now...

[craven_fiend]

:twoguns: EA

[punqsux]

wow, 13,000 sigs...i know online petitions do nothing, but damn thats alot of angry nerds! i applaude every one of them and hope they make their voices heard.

[oddjob93]

In a few years EA will own 19.9% of all of us (kind of like Walmart)

Wal-Mart will never own me.
They already do, you just dont know it.

[craven_fiend]

quick question, with UBI Soft being a European company, does the US government have any power to control whether or not EA buys them out (if that is what they are trying to do)?

[coolieman2001]

"EA will become the largest single shareholder in the French company. That's a larger share than even the original founders who control 15%."

Thats frrom IGN. So i guess EA will have a big say on the doings of Ubi now. That really sucks. Have you guys noticed that EA has pumped 4 not so good games out in the past month or so. Golden Eye 2 , Medal of Honor : Pacific Assault , LOTR : The Third Age and LOTR battle for middle earth. I hope with wont be a new trend for EA.

[The Successful Dropout]

somebody call the wahhhmmmbulance

Seriously. Nothing has really even happened and people are already whining about EA.

How about you guys wait until EA actually shaq-fus Ubi up before you start your crying?

you guys present amazing points... :roll:

im very sorry for disliking a company based on their business tactics...what ever was i thinking, now if youll excuse me im off to walmart so i can buy comrade madden 2006.

Don't forget the strategy guide!

i got the strategy guide packaged with the required NFL licensed controller, needed to play the football, you know?

i repeat my first statement :wink:

[punqsux]

I hope with wont be a new trend for EA.

i hope it is. i wish poor sales on every game they release, i wish death on their company, and i wish every over worked, under paid (ea cant afford to pay people, only buy more companies) programmer finds a better job.

[oddjob93]

quick question, with UBI Soft being a European company, does the US government have any power to control whether or not EA buys them out (if that is what they are trying to do)?
thestreet.com stated that the deal is subject to approval by European and American regulators. I'm not sure who those are exactly, but some government agencies will monitor (and likely aprove) this deal
Another interesting note, I read in the WSJ earlier that UBI isnt selling the shares, thats being done by a European investment firm. So UBI chairpeople really didn't have a choice in the matter, unless they wanted to start a bidding war with EA.

[cthcky33]

so do we have to extend the boycott to ubisoft games now?? thatll be tough because they actually make good games. I guess ill wait until they start slapping that blue ea logo on the bottom of Ubisoft game cases...i hate that thing

[greendj27]

I still don't understand why EA is getting slack for the NFL agreement I can understand people criticizing them for labor practices, etc., but the NFL is the one who chose to sell their license to only one company this year. EA simply put in the highest bid. Sega had a chance at the license, but apparently they weren't willing to do enough to obtain the license.

[ananag112]

Yeah, the NFL giving rights over to a company for video games has happened before. Last time it went to 989 sports and I believe Quarter Back Club was the resultant of it. Remember however that Madden 64 came out that year as well with completely ficticious players in it.

[cthcky33]

Yeah, the NFL giving rights over to a company for video games has happened before. Last time it went to 989 sports and I believe Quarter Back Club was the resultant of it. Remember however that John Madden Football came out that year as well with completely ficticious players in it.

madden had the NFLPA license, so it had players in it, just not teams and stadiums

[CaptainObviousXl]

they are just going to far

[ananag112]

Yeah, the NFL giving rights over to a company for video games has happened before. Last time it went to 989 sports and I believe Quarter Back Club was the resultant of it. Remember however that John Madden Football came out that year as well with completely ficticious players in it.

madden had the NFLPA license, so it had players in it, just not teams and stadiums

Right, but that is sort of similar to this.

[FriskyTanuki]

As long as UbiSoft's games don't suffer as a result I don't care - this could actually lead to cheapass UbiSoft games because most EA games are $20 within 6 months of release...


That may be true, but I read an article that says EA wnats to raise the price of new games from $49 to $59 or higher. I know this doesn't matter to CAGs because we never pay full price, but it still sucks. I hate EA.

I'd like to believe you, but I'd need a link first. I can't go by "I read this article that one time that said..."

[Scrubking]

First of all - all you people on EA's side realize that you can't call yourself gamers and agree with EA's takeover of the gaming world. What EA is doing is bad for gaming, but I'm not going to explain it all over again.

Secondly, EA is more than likely putting it's foot in Ubisofts door so that they can buy them out sometime in the future.

EA is really out of control.

[KingDox]

somebody call the wahhhmmmbulance

Seriously. Nothing has really even happened and people are already whining about EA.

How about you guys wait until EA actually shaq-fus Ubi up before you start your crying?

you guys present amazing points... :roll:

im very sorry for disliking a company based on their business tactics...what ever was i thinking, now if youll excuse me im off to walmart so i can buy comrade madden 2006.

Don't forget the strategy guide!

i got the strategy guide packaged with the required NFL licensed controller, needed to play the football, you know?

Make sure you get the LE version and have your Credit Card ready so you can play online & download updates.