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Digital Illusions Won't sell to EA

Posted by Zonk on from the hell-no-they-won't-go dept.

KBV writes "Games Industry.biz reports that EA won't be able to buy Digital Illusions, the makers of Battlefield 1942. The reason is that 28% of the shareholders do not want to make DICE a part of EA, saying that they believe that the developer's performance and future prospects are strong enough to make remaining independent a more attractive option. In particular they cite the planned launch of Battlefield 2 on the PC and Battlefield: Modern Combat on current and next-gen consoles next year."

7 of 35 comments (clear)

  1. First person shooters.. by Jugalator · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Bah... So common and boring concept.
    Bring back your pinball series! :-D

    --
    Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
  2. How interesting... by petrus4 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It would appear that there is at least one software company out there which doesn't want to get its employees and itself raped by the gaming industry's answer to The Blob.

    Congratulations, Digital Illusions. Now all we need to do is get any of EA's other potential acquisitions to make similarly courageous decisions, and we might one day be able to strangle the beast. At least I can dream.

    1. Re:How interesting... by AltaMannen · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I don't know about that, the previous owners (the Bonnier media group) voted yes to sell, and so did employees with a large number of shares. The share holders that vote no to sell simply want more money because they feel shortchanged by the suggested price. (in Swedish: di.se)

  3. Great. by vasqzr · · Score: 4, Interesting

    However, two groups of shareholders have announced their opposition to the deal, and between them they represent around 28 per cent of the firm's stock - enough to prevent the acquisition from happening

    I wonder if that 28 percent is employee-owned stock, and they're taking into consideration the recent EA/Employee scandals.

  4. Off topic, but.. by WhatAmIDoingHere · · Score: 3, Insightful

    While we're discussing EA, I was wondering why the little videos played before their games actually load are getting longer and longer.

    Battle For Middle Earth has the EA logo, THX, New Line Cinema, and a 5 minute video about the series. You can skip the 5 minute video, but not the minute of logo videos..

    Battlefield 1942/Vietnam is the same, you can't skip the "EA GAMES" logo.

    We don't care who made the game, we want to PLAY the fricking thing.

    Is anybody else noticing that these videos are getting longer and longer?

    --
    Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
    1. Re:Off topic, but.. by RaboKrabekian · · Score: 2, Informative

      There's a command line option to skip the opening videos for BattleField 1942, and I assume the same for Vietnam.

      Add -restart 1 to the shortcut to start the game and you're set.

      --
      "Moderate drinking can help prevent amputated limbs" -- Abigail Zuger, NYTimes, 12/31/02
  5. Re:Selling your company by AltaMannen · · Score: 2, Informative

    You are forgetting that in addition to their pinball games DI has also developed a number of rally games (Motorhead, rallisport challenge series, midtown madness 3) and some sort of horse-game series and a military sim (battlefield or something). They also made Shrek 1, let's not forget that!