Apple could buy EA. Disney and Amazon also sound
Recently reports reported shocking news for fans of video games. EA, better known as Electronic Arts is for sale to some unexpected buyer. Among the possible candidates is the Cupertino company. Although it could be very beneficial for Apple to buy, they do get a bit tricky.
The rumor at the moment expands strongly, although there are really no official statements by Apple or by Electronic Arts. Everything seems to indicate that the latter would be looking for a buyer or, in any case, to merge with another company that prefers it that way. This sale could follow in the footsteps of other hits in the sector before.
It should be noted that Activision Blizzard, responsible for the entire Call Of Duty saga, would end up bought by Microsoft for about 68,000 billion dollars at the beginning of 2022; Similarly, Sony acquired the Halo game company, Bungie, for some 3.6 billion dollars. Therefore, this interesting EA sale would fall into the same range of billions of dollars.
The EA company has multiple well-known games. Franchises that have been evolving according to their players and that are really popular: “The Sims, Need for Speed, FIFA, which will be renamed EA Sports FC, and the fun Plants vs Zombies, among others.
Relationship between Apple and EA
The relationship between these two large and popular companies may be even more significant than is believed. Then Electronics Arts founder Trip Hawkins was an Apple employeeHawkins was Apple Computer’s director of strategy and marketing in 1982 when he left to found Electronic Arts (EA). After this, EA also included former employees of the Cupertino company in its ranks, even inviting Steve Wozniak for a position on his board.
Despite the constant competition between Windows and Mac, Windows did clearly bet on video game consoles, in addition to a broader catalog of games in its OS. While Apple has focused more of its laptops and desktops on professional work. This has not prevented games like The Sims from having the necessary support to be played on macOS. Even games like Need for Speed: Carbon and Spore, created by EA, they reached Mac OS X users in 2007.
Apple’s initiative in video games: Apple Arcade
To reiterate, Apple has never been an active supporter of focusing on video games. Although the company has helped developers to integrate some titles to their devices, it has never been even dependent on this aspect. This changed in fall 2019, the company introduced Apple Arcade. With this platform you can enjoy more than 150 games without advertising for a low monthly fee. Games that are available for iPhone, iPad, Mac and even Apple TV.
This idea of Apple, despite being quite well thought out and considered with the titles that it included, was never very successful. For its part, the company has not completely let this initiative die, including all kinds of games, even having remasters of some old phone games: Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja are some. Precisely, this fact highlights the great gap that Apple still has with other companies that are already fully established in this section. Since competing with PlayStation, Xbox or companies that bet on video games for their devices like Microsoft, it is far for Apple.
The Apple Arcade initiative counts as an opportunity for the company to join the world of video games. This platform, first thought for mobiles, but later designed to be also on Mac and Apple TV, has certain notable deficiencies. It clearly does not have truly varied titles, since some console-level games that are triple A are missing.
Could Apple Arcade do better if they bought EA?
At the moment this option to enter the world of video games is somewhat discarded by designers and developers. There is clearly no interest on the part of Apple to support Apple Arcade even though it continues to have support with iOS and even with the huge performance improvements from Apple Silicon.
So, imagine that if Apple decides to apply as a buyer for EA, the focus on video games could turn 180 degrees. There would be the possibility of adapting tremendously large and popular games for all kinds of Apple devices. Even giving much more momentum with new titles to Apple Arcade.
If Apple decided to have EA among its domain, the full capacity of the Apple Arcade would shine. Currently subscriptions for services are quite popular and it is something that the section of video game connoisseurs continues to use. For example, the service that Nintendo provides with the Nintendo Online subscription, working quite well for all kinds of classic digital games and that Apple could take advantage of.
Not only this, it could help both companies a lot to get ahead. In case of purchase, it could start a new joint development for some title of this merger. Especially opting a little more to verify the capacity that the AR / VR headset that is so rumored by Apple could entail.
How likely would this purchase be?
Despite the great advantages and services that this purchase would mean for Apple, acquisition seems unlikely. Even with Apple Arcade, the company has always preferred to work with developers and then have the games on the platforms, rather than create some of its own.
On the other hand, problems arise when acquiring such a large company and maintaining the level of demand, it could be a very big effort for those from Cupertino. The creators of the iPhone are under a magnifying glass, accused several times for antitrust problems, this purchase may reopen these wounds.
In conclusion, perhaps the advantages and benefits for Apple for a purchase as important as EA could be greater. It may also be time to open a new market, because now with the shortage of components, Apple has seen limited sales of its devices. Rumors have always appeared about Apple and video games, we’ll see if the company with the bitten apple decides to make the leap or wait for another opportunity.
