Originally posted by erictlewis

I can see ea buying out funcom. After all they produced TSW and host it on their servers.

Nope. EA distributed the game (box copies & some digital sales through Origin iirc).

Originally posted by dancingstar

Originally posted by erictlewis

I can see ea buying out funcom. After all they produced TSW and host it on their servers.

Nope. EA distributed the game (box copies & some digital sales through Origin iirc).

Funcom host and run their own games. Anarchy Online is currently planned for migration to the same systems as TSW are hosted on, and Age of Conan was already migrated (I think).

Not sure if all of you all played AO back in the days, but it's still active and is not only being migrated tpo their new servers but it is also being migrated to Funcoms newer engine Dreamworld and will be re-released (in beta) with a fresh new look in Q1 2013. I'll then play som AO again - 12 years after it was first launched - that is pretty awesome :)

Originally posted by dancingstar

Originally posted by erictlewis

I can see ea buying out funcom. After all they produced TSW and host it on their servers.

Nope. EA distributed the game (box copies & some digital sales through Origin iirc).

Origin is a distribution service like Steam.  It's owned and run by EA.  You can buy RIFT through Origin.

Originally posted by Eilif

Originally posted by dancingstar

Originally posted by erictlewis

I can see ea buying out funcom. After all they produced TSW and host it on their servers.

Nope. EA distributed the game (box copies & some digital sales through Origin iirc).

Funcom host and run their own games. Anarchy Online is currently planned for migration to the same systems as TSW are hosted on, and Age of Conan was already migrated (I think).

Not sure if all of you all played AO back in the days, but it's still active and is not only being migrated tpo their new servers but it is also being migrated to Funcoms newer engine Dreamworld and will be re-released (in beta) with a fresh new look in Q1 2013. I'll then play som AO again - 12 years after it was first launched - that is pretty awesome :)

Yeah, that new engine was supposed to be here back in 2008 ( a year after it was announced in 2007 ), 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and now again 2013.

Let me know how that works out.

Originally posted by jpnz

Don't think EA is in a position to make a move like this.

Acti-Blizz on the other hand is loaded with cash.

It is hilarious to see some people think 'being on the board' = buyout.

Kotick (Acti-Blizz CEO) is on the board for Coca-Cola. I am pretty sure Coca-Cola isn't buying Acti-Blizz. XD

 

 

It's only hilarious to people who have absolutely no clue about business, particularly "hostile takeovers". Funcom's recent little insider trading issue along with other screw-ups and less than stellar performance the past few years makes Funcom a ripe target for such. 

Funcom is a publically traded company. Funcom is beholden to one thing: its investors. Do you think for one second Funcom's investors will say no to EA?

Investors want only one thing: a return on their money. Funcom isn't providing that. In fact, investors have LOST money time and again the last few years due to Funcom's performance and issues. And having a board filled with people who will most definitely vote on the side of the sale, added to the investors who will lap EA up like thirsty dogs will lap water from a creek, if EA wants Funcom they will have it.

I play TOR oh and btw the economy is going down in 4 years, I developed that forsight with my years of playing a star wars game.

lmfao

mmorpg forums ftw

Originally posted by OG_Zorvan

Regardless, it still gives EA a strong foothold in a foreign market.

apart from the fact that EA have had european offices for ages now and have several euro companies in it's stable already.

To be honest i see no real point for any of them to buy FunCom unless FunCom is working on something we the public is not aware of yet.

Originally posted by tawess

Originally posted by OG_Zorvan

Regardless, it still gives EA a strong foothold in a foreign market.

apart from the fact that EA have had european offices for ages now and have several euro companies in it's stable already.

To be honest i see no real point for any of them to buy FunCom unless FunCom is working on something we the public is not aware of yet.

As far as business' go, acquiring FunCom would be a fairly cheap acquisition, it would knock out yet another piece of the competition, and it would strengthen their foothold in the europian market.

While I don't like EA's policy of buying up studios and dissolving them, it would make sense in this case. If anyone is to buy out FunCom atm, it would be EA.

Originally posted by DrunkWolf
doesnt seem right, EAs track record shows them buying good companys and destroying them. what will they do with funcom? that place is already a mess.

arent any good left so they drop their standards :)

Originally posted by defector1968

Originally posted by DrunkWolf
doesnt seem right, EAs track record shows them buying good companys and destroying them. what will they do with funcom? that place is already a mess.

arent any good left so they drop their standards :)

 ah finally a real answer.

Originally posted by OG_Zorvan

Originally posted by jpnz

Don't think EA is in a position to make a move like this.

Acti-Blizz on the other hand is loaded with cash.

It is hilarious to see some people think 'being on the board' = buyout.

Kotick (Acti-Blizz CEO) is on the board for Coca-Cola. I am pretty sure Coca-Cola isn't buying Acti-Blizz. XD

It's only hilarious to people who have absolutely no clue about business, particularly "hostile takeovers". Funcom's recent little insider trading issue along with other screw-ups and less than stellar performance the past few years makes Funcom a ripe target for such. 

Funcom is a publically traded company. Funcom is beholden to one thing: its investors. Do you think for one second Funcom's investors will say no to EA?

Investors want only one thing: a return on their money. Funcom isn't providing that. In fact, investors have LOST money time and again the last few years due to Funcom's performance and issues. And having a board filled with people who will most definitely vote on the side of the sale, added to the investors who will lap EA up like thirsty dogs will lap water from a creek, if EA wants Funcom they will have it.

It's not that EA couldn't buy them, but why and are they in a position to do so?

It's not just Funcom that has to report to investors.  EA must do so also and they would need to justify the purchase or face the wrath.  Does EA have assets to burn on a Funcom acquisition and can they justify it?  Doesn't EA already have a European presence?  In short, why would EA buy Funcom?  Why would anyone?  None of their games or IP are that compelling on a business level.  They're cheap though.  Funcom is trading at about 30 cents today.

Originally posted by Sevenstar61

I am hesitant about it. Unless it's a real bargain. Economy is going to go downhill in next 4 years, companies are wary.

But who knows.

Well first off, nobody knows what the economy is going to do in the next 4 years.  

Secondly, there is absolutely no reason to expect a poor economy hurts MMOs.  In fact, there is probably more reason to think it helps MMOs.

Cheap, escapist entertainment does well in bad times.  And that is *exactly* what MMORPGs are.  And that includes P2P, 15 for a month's entertainment is a steal.  Hell, movie theaters do well in down times and thats 15 per 2 hours if you get popcorn.

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Originally posted by OG_Zorvan

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Originally posted by jpnz Don't think EA is in a position to make a move like this. Acti-Blizz on the other hand is loaded with cash. It is hilarious to see some people think 'being on the board' = buyout. Kotick (Acti-Blizz CEO) is on the board for Coca-Cola. I am pretty sure Coca-Cola isn't buying Acti-Blizz. XD    

---

It's only hilarious to people who have absolutely no clue about business, particularly "hostile takeovers". Funcom's recent little insider trading issue along with other screw-ups and less than stellar performance the past few years makes Funcom a ripe target for such. 

Funcom is a publically traded company. Funcom is beholden to one thing: its investors. Do you think for one second Funcom's investors will say no to EA?

Investors want only one thing: a return on their money. Funcom isn't providing that. In fact, investors have LOST money time and again the last few years due to Funcom's performance and issues. And having a board filled with people who will most definitely vote on the side of the sale, added to the investors who will lap EA up like thirsty dogs will lap water from a creek, if EA wants Funcom they will have it.

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I was afraid of this and hope your info is wrong, OP. But as has already been posted, Funcom's investors are looking for a return on their money and a sale (even if via a hostile takeover) generally produces a good return.

If true, one can only hope it's not EA. =/

 

I was afraid of this and hope your info is wrong, OP. But as has already been posted, Funcom's investors are looking for a return on their money and a sale (even if via a hostile takeover) generally produces a good return.

If true, one can only hope it's not EA. =/

I also hope its not NCsoft given their track record of shuting down MMOs (not that EA is much better in that regard).

I really want to see the new engine in AO.

why would EA buy funcom ...they have their own problems...sounds more like a EA / funcom fan boie to me..even if they did why would this be a big deal anyways..they both suck lol

What a compelte waste of money that would be.  I believe they are in big trouble financially after the bomb that was TSW.

I would maybe buy their properties, but not the company or employees.  If some employees want to come over after you buy the properties that's fine.

Originally posted by Sevenstar61

I am hesitant about it. Unless it's a real bargain. Economy is going to go downhill in next 4 years, companies are wary.

But who knows.

Oh?  Really?  That's funny, everything I've seen on the economy has it globally going "uphill"  but I guess you are free to believe whatever brainwashing you like.