Electronic Arts completes acquisition of Codemasters

EA completed today its purchase of British video game developer Codemasters.

With its acquisition, EA now welcomes the Codemasters family and its various racing game franchises. Among the Codemasters franchises now under EA: Formula 1®, DIRT, DiRT Rally/WRC, GRID, and Project CARS.

The USD$1.2 billion price for Codemasters was much higher than the initial offer of USD$994 million by Take-Two Interactive. Later, EA offered a higher price for Codemasters that most stakeholders did not refused.

Via social media, EA plans to be the biggest name in racing video games. “Electronic Arts x Codemasters: Welcome to the home of Racing Games.”

We're excited to welcome @Codemasters to the EA family! 🚗💨 pic.twitter.com/y3yYB94vmF

— Electronic Arts (@EA) February 18, 2021

“This is the beginning of an exciting new era for racing games and content as we bring together the talented teams at Electronic Arts and Codemasters,” said Andrew Wilson, Electronic Arts CEO. “Racing fandom continues to grow worldwide, and the franchises in our combined portfolio will enable us to create innovative new experiences and bring more players into the excitement of cars and motorsport. Our teams will be a global powerhouse in racing entertainment, with amazing games for players on every platform, and we can’t wait to get started.”

“Today is a landmark in Codemasters’ history, and an exciting day for our employees and players,” said Frank Sagnier, Codemasters CEO. “The partnership with EA will enable our teams to take our highly-acclaimed franchises to new heights and reach a huge global audience through their player network. Together we can redefine the landscape of racing games to create even more compelling experiences for racing fans around the world.”

[Source]: EA: Electronic Arts and Codemasters Establish a New Global Powerhouse for Racing Videogames & Entertainment.