Microsoft says EA purchase rumor is FALSE.

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heruamon said:

CGI-Quality said:

heruamon said:

CGI-Quality said:

 

Microsoft says EA purchase rumor is false

Electronic Arts stock jumped 4 percent Wednesday amid talk that Microsoft might be interested in buying the major video-game publisher.

"There's talk that Microsoft might be interested in acquiring Electronic Arts. It's unsubstantiated chatter, but it's out there," Frederic Ruffy, options strategist at WhatsTrading.com in New York, told Reuters. The news agency also reported that a London-based trader has heard similar talk in Europe.

However, Microsoft spokesman David Dennis dispelled the rumor.

"There is no truth to this rumor," he said in an e-mail to seattlepi.com, "we have no plans to purchase EA."

http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/180058.asp

Well there you have it, that rumor may now R.I.P.

Thoughts?

I’m sure there was some fire to this smoke of a story…especially to have analysts commenting on it.  The current market value of EA is so low, it’s very possible the rumor could  be true, but I would have to wonder how M$ would be able to untangle all the commitments of EA to produce multi-platform games.  EA sports games are some of the biggest titles annually, and they get a lot of revenue off Playstation and Nintendo…What I think is more likely a situation is that M$ might buy huge chunks of EA…such as Bioware and others, and effectively turn Electronic Arts into Electronic Sports.  Those games are HUGE money makers, and If I was trying to downsize, I would cut out things that don’t make money…and keep the high profit margin ones.  Bioware makes money, but you’d have to offer a sacrificial lamb for M$ to absorb all of your debt.

I'm telling you man, your analysis and posting has really impressed me of late.

Thanks, now i will have to think of something partisan to say...lol....this rumor just seems to be odd, and hard to be totally a "rumor."  Nintendo was calling a price cut on the Wii a false rumor as well, so The wording in the statement by M$ ust struck me as odd...We have to plans to purhcase EA...hmmm...what about parts of EA...Bioware, Valve, etc... are disproportional sellers on the PC and 360 platforms...M$ driven.  It makes sense, and take Valve for example...they wouldn't miss a beat.  Bioware...same as well, and  M$ really needs some top flight developers to get EDD more profitable.  Actually...I think M$ is eyeing the potential of SW:TOR...WoW has been amazing!

Valve is part of their partner program... I could see them purchasing large portions of EA though.  Bioware is a prime example of a developer who would love to spend 5 or 6 years at Microsoft and maybe buy back their independance much like Bungie did.  DICE, Bioware, and Pandemic are a few that come to mind and good Developers that fit well into the Microsoft world... and DICE would make a nice home for the Halo Team.