Mergers and buyouts are all the rage these last few years, with multiple industry-changing buyouts happening across the vast spectrum of pop culture media. In January 2022, it was announced that Microsoft was buying Activision Blizzard. Not long after that announcement, Sony would announce its bid to purchase Bungie. Another major merger was also set to happen but fell through last month, which would have been between Electronic Arts and NBC Universal.
Puck reports that EA was in talks with Comcast Corporation about potentially merging with NBC Universal. Puck’s report is verified by multiple sources. According to the report, Comcast CEO Brian L. Roberts has been looking for potential companies for Comcast to purchase to expand the company’s hold on the media landscape. Comcast previously attempted to buy Fox out from under Disney but was outbid. The company then failed to purchase Warner Bros. Media from AT&T.
Things between EA and Comcast seemed to have been set at one point before the deal ultimately fell apart last month. Puck’s report also claims that EA also had talks with Disney, Apple, and Amazon. Electronic Arts is one of the biggest video game companies in the world, with a net worth of over $35 billion. If Comcast was able to get its hands on EA, it would have one of the biggest selection of video game brands ever. Comcast would have owned Battlefield, The Sims, Medal of Honor, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and the entire EA Sports library that includes FIFA (soon to be EA Sports FC).
EA’s future after the fallout with Comcast is unknown at this time. The company may continue its talks with Disney, Apple, and Amazon, and merge with any of those other companies. Both Apple and Amazon have been looking to get into the video game-making business, so EA would potentially be a big get for either company. It’s also possible that EA will remain independent after what it experienced with Comcast.
