EA Completes Codemasters Takeover Worth $1.2 Billion

[GTPNewsWire]

This is the discussion thread for a recent post on GTPlanet:

EA Reportedly Bids Against Take-Two for Codemasters Ownership

This article was published by Andrew Evans (@Famine) on December 13th, 2020 in the Gaming category.

 

[RACECAR]

Before the Doomageddon crowd comes in, EA hasn't bought Codemasters yet. They have only made a higher offer. There seems to be a repeated habit of people going Doom & Gloom before reading the whole story elsewhere this has been posted.

As for my opinion, it's quite interesting as I didn't think Codemasters would be that valuable for such an offer yet now we have two giants wanting them. Not even caring about the Microtransactions nonsense people keep spouting.

 

[FT-1]

I'd like to think that if Codemasters does accept EA's offer, this would be the lesser of two evils compared to the Take-Two takeover going ahead.

EA has a more prolific history with racing games, plus they actually have an arcade racing franchise which is still active - Unlike T2 which seems to have given up on Midnight Club. Should Codemasters (and potentially SMS) be dissolved into EA, there are plenty of IPs EA could seek to resurrect; the SHIFT branch of Need For Speed, Burnout and Shox. The last is lesser-known of the trio but probably the ideal fit for the Chesire Studio following on from Dirt 5.

 

[iName]

This wouldn’t really hurt much really, Codemasters released old rally stages in Dirt 2 as some more paid DLC. Both are pretty shady in different ways, I don’t buy games from either because I know the game itself will always be a shell until you throw more money at them. Go ahead and buy them, EA.

 

[AudiMan2011]

We're going to be on the losing end no matter what happens to Codies from either EA or T2.

Both publishers are on the scum end of the industry with their anti-consumer rhetoric and "sUrPrIsE mEcHaNiCs".

 

[GTjedi99]

I'd so much rather EA get it than take two.... and that's saying something

 

[BKGlover]

After reading the Sky article in another thread, This offer is supposedly more concrete value than the T2 one, which is based partly on stock values.

Honestly, after being dissapointed with two of the last three CM games I've played, and the third crashed only slightly fewer times than I've actually played it, I don't much care anymore.

 

[tunaphis]

Then T2 will buy EA who will be bought by MS/Amazon etc. until your buying games off E-Corp.

 

[DAMOHTID]

I really don’t don’t like this.... it’s just greed. Leave each individual company to do their own thing.

look what happened with PC3 after Codemasters took over that. Take two ruined GTA, EA by themselves have ruined NFS imo... codemasters are the only ones that consisting make good games and stick to their roots (although after playing f1 2020) for the first time tonight I see they’ve done down the in game cash currency loot box theme) just doesn’t sit well with me...

we are just gonna get cash grab games churned out...we’ll see... I’m awaiting the codies touring car game, test drive solar crown and a crew 3?

kudos to PD for remaining true to themselves

 

[Auditore]

Codemasters is that big huh?Such a big battle for a Racing studio

 

[Northstar]

it's quite interesting as I didn't think Codemasters would be that valuable for such an offer yet now we have two giants wanting them.

It is pretty surprising what is being thrown around considering even their most popular series, F1, isn't exactly huge by any stretch of the imagination.

It certainly is good news for their shareholders though as they will certainly get a nice bonus whenever a deal is finalized.

look what happened with PC3 after Codemasters took over that.

How many times does it need to be repeated that Codies had nothing to do with the decisions in PC3 before it finally sinks in?

codemasters are the only ones that consisting make good games and stick to their roots (although after playing f1 2020) for the first time tonight I see they’ve done down the in game cash currency loot box theme) just doesn’t sit well with me...

Others may have perfected it, but they paved that bloody road when they charged for cheat codes during the PS2 era.

 

[Nielsen]

This wouldn’t really hurt much really, Codemasters released old rally stages in Dirt 2 as some more paid DLC.

Sorry but that viewpoint on Dirt Rally 2.0 DLC is nonsense. The game launched with new locations. Imagine if it had launched with the same old locations and instead offered the new locations as DLC. Then they would actually encourage people to spend more on the game. They simply gave people a choice by releasing the old locations. It’s always a choice anyway.

 

[Furinkazen]

Ready for F1 games on Frostbite?

 

[o000o]

I really don’t don’t like this.... it’s just greed. Leave each individual company to do their own thing.

look what happened with PC3 after Codemasters took over that. Take two ruined GTA, EA by themselves have ruined NFS imo... codemasters are the only ones that consisting make good games and stick to their roots (although after playing f1 2020) for the first time tonight I see they’ve done down the in game cash currency loot box theme) just doesn’t sit well with me...

we are just gonna get cash grab games churned out...we’ll see... I’m awaiting the codies touring car game, test drive solar crown and a crew 3?

kudos to PD for remaining true to themselves

But PC3 idea came up before Codemasters buy them. SMS did have an intention to make PC3 like that. For this time Codemasters is a scapegoat here.

 

[UltimateYosh]

kudos to PD for remaining true to themselves

I mean, PD is owned by Sony, and they aren't gonna give up the developers of their best-selling franchise anytime soon.

 

[Nowax]

I hope Codemaster won't accept that offer, or else EA will close up the studio, like it did with Black Box and Maxis as an example, I hope i'm wrong, though.

 

[MisterWaffles]

That's a little awkward for Slightly Mad Studios. Have a falling-out with EA after the Shift games, being acquired by Codemasters, and then potentially being brought right back to where they were trying to leave. I love that little revolving door effect there. Can't say I feel bad for them after PC3.

I think there's some opportunity to be had here. The recent Star Wars games from Respawn have shown us that not every EA title needs to have copious amounts of micro-transactions (Apex Legends also experimented with the battle pass concept for EA and it was very successful). I like to think that Codemasters will still have some creative control over their IPs, and that we'll continue to see the same monetization strategies going forward that they're currently using. I suppose by opportunity I mean we could see a bit more resources thrown the way of Codies to hopefully breath some new life into their currently uninspired and stale franchises. Say what you want about EA, but with the resources they have, NFS has been doing well for itself recently. If Codemasters can secure some of that additional funding for their projects, we could be looking at some more expansive and better-looking racing games coming out of their studios soon.

Now with Slightly Mad back into the fray, we might even see a PROPER Shift 3, instead of that admittedly not terrible, but still not very good, Project CARS 3. Hopefully the days of terrible Fast and Furious games and lies-in-a-box (PC3) are over for SMS and they can start making some quality stuff again. Same goes for Codemasters and their IPs like GRiD and DIRT. F1 is their best franchise and it's a game from 2017 at this point.

 

[PSN offapple]

Apologies if it's been brought up already, but does Codemasters need to sell at all? Was the investment put into PC3 too much for the company or something? Is it just a case of selling out? I'm not too sure on the whole thing.

 

[MisterWaffles]

Apologies if it's been brought up already, but does Codemasters need to sell at all? Was the investment put into PC3 too much for the company or something? Is it just a case of selling out? I'm not too sure on the whole thing.

I'm just going to go out on a limb and say Codies isn't an incredibly financially-stable business. Their key franchises DiRT and GRID have been struggling to sell well the past few iterations and PC3 was a complete disaster too when it comes to generating revenue. I think at this point they'd be happy to fold into another organization and gain some much-needed security.

Sure, comparatively F1 rakes in the green but I'm not sure if it's enough to cover every blunder they've made recently.

 

[BeeKimchi]

F1 series is ultra arcade at best, cant see how other devs could screw up the F1 series. EA had a very solid F1 game on rFactor engine back in the days

 

[Bloodytears]

How many times does it need to be repeated that Codies had nothing to do with the decisions in PC3 before it finally sinks in?

Until "A Codemasters company" text disappears from SMS logo at the start of the game.

 

[Northstar]

Until "A Codemasters company" text disappears from SMS logo at the start of the game.

They were well into the development cycle when Codemasters got involved, they had very little input in the actual game. Why this concept it so difficult for people to grasp I'm afraid I will never know.

 

[RACECAR]

Didn't realize text appearing a screen in the intro automatically equated to "They totally were responsible for this". So by that logic, Namco Bandai is responsible for the 2 other games being buggy.

 

[JTB10000]

Why this concept it so difficult for people to grasp I'm afraid I will never know.

We get your point. Stop with the condescending remarks after the things you say, it makes people not want to listen to you lol

 

[Bloodytears]

Didn't realize text appearing a screen in the intro automatically equated to "They totally were responsible for this". So by that logic, Namco Bandai is responsible for the 2 other games being buggy.

Bandai Namco is publisher and had a role of publisher and appeared as publisher and the whole company circle it was and perhaps will be the publisher. Most people not very deep into games stories, the same as you. And most ignoring even the fact that mid development SMS asked CM to help with controller implementation, but every one count their relationship only since commercial deal. It is fair for most people to blame Codemasters Company, since they claimed being development of the game.

 

[Samus]

Until "A Codemasters company" text disappears from SMS logo at the start of the game.

Yes, they are a Codemasters company now, and were when the game launched. That is factually accurate. Doesn't mean they actually had input.

Hypothetically if I bought CD Projekt Red last month I'd probably ask that they put "A Samus company" at the start of Cyberpunk 2077. Doesn't mean I had any input on the game.

 

[Bloodytears]

I have no idea why even defend CM at this point, while they literally called it their game. If I take responsibility, I take it as a whole, like after the deal I could continue development to finish the game at stable state.

 

[Shad Stang]

If I remember correctly some SMS execs should have board influence with Codemasters as part of the sale. I expect that they would have objections to being bought out by EA, especially Ian.

 

[MroczMR]

Well this is a little bit funny. I wonder what Ian thinks about possible EA takeover.

 

[RACECAR]

I have no idea why even defend CM at this point, while they literally called it their game. If I take responsibility, I take it as a whole, like after the deal I could continue development to finish the game at stable state.

How is pointing out how factually wrong claiming that Codemasters influenced the game "Defending" them? Its incorrect, simple as that.