All articles tagged with #ea
Xbox and EA have left Circana's digital data sharing panel, removing the main sources for U.S. digital sales data and leaving Circana with fewer publishers—potentially increasing reliance on estimates and reducing transparency about how first-party and other storefronts perform.
EA’s $55 billion take-private by a Saudi-led consortium including the PIF has ignited worker fears that creative direction and company culture could bend to Saudi interests, a concern amplified by allegations of “pixelwashing” and human-rights issues. Anonymous employees describe a widening exec–staff divide, worry about future layoffs or project cancellations to service a JP Morgan‑backed $20 billion debt, and note that vested stock may cushion some but not all. EA says there will be no immediate layoffs and vows continued investment, but many staff remain skeptical about the deal’s long-term impact on their jobs and on what gets greenlit.
A Battlefield 6 player with 470 hours reportedly received a full $109 refund from Steam after arguing that EA removed multiple modes (including Rush) without notice, highlighting Steam’s generous refund policy in response to post-launch changes in live-service games.
A Chinese distributor leak suggests It Takes Two is heading to Nintendo Switch 2 on October 15, 2026, in cartridge form (~12.1GB) with English and other languages. The claim, based on a Prowell Asia Holdings document, follows the game’s 2022 Switch release and hints at improved resolution and performance on Switch 2. There is no official confirmation yet; readers are asked to await updates.
Electronic Arts has completed a $55 billion leveraged buyout led by the Saudi Public Investment Fund with Silver Lake and Affinity Partners (led by Jared Kushner), taking EA private and paying $210 per share to stockholders. The deal adds about $18 billion in debt and has the new owners planning roughly $700 million in annual cost cuts, including organizational efficiencies, which has sparked expectations of mass layoffs as the company restructures under private ownership.
EA was taken private in a $55 billion deal led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, with Silver Lake and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners as investors; about $36B in equity and $20B in debt financing from JPMorgan, closing on August 4, 2026. EA will remain headquartered in Redwood City and preserve creative control, with no immediate layoffs promised.
Former Dragon Age producer Mark Darrah argues Dragon Age may have no clear future at BioWare as EA’s vast IP portfolio and focus on ongoing franchises complicate any Dragon Age revival, describing EA as a hedge fund with a video game hobby. He points to Veilguard's underwhelming sales and the publisher’s strategic priorities, with Saudi-backed investors looming as EA closes its leveraged buyout, casting doubt on BioWare’s ability to return to form.
EA is discounting 2019 racing game Need for Speed Heat on the Xbox Store, with the Deluxe Edition at $3.49 (base game $2.99) for a limited time through July 30. The title is playable on Xbox Series X/S via backward compatibility, and the sale targets older releases rather than the latest Need for Speed entry.
EA is launching an in-game advertising platform integrated into its Frostbite engine to serve native, measurable ads in console and free-to-play titles. Early tests include Mountain Dew branding in EA Sports College Football and Visa in EA Sports FC, with a focus on privacy-safe targeting and real campaign insights as the program expands across EA’s major franchises.
Dragon Age creator David Gaider says the series is likely dead after the Veilguard release underperformed, but he would consider returning with a darker, more provocative vision if given the chance; BioWare is focused on Mass Effect 5, and EA's ownership plus Veilguard's flop contribute to uncertainty about any future Dragon Age entry.
Insider Gaming reports that EA added real-money microtransactions to College Football 27’s single-player Dynasty and Road to Glory modes, including a $100 upgrade to max out a Dynasty coach, and removed XP sliders that previously sped leveling; backlash from creators and players has grown under #CFBPlayDontPay, with EA not yet commenting as a dev blog is expected July 9. The move fits EA’s broader monetization push across its portfolio as the company contends with debt from a Saudi-led privatization deal.
Richard Garriott says he will attempt to reclaim the copyrights to the Ultima franchise from Electronic Arts using a 35-year US copyright rule, potentially enabling a revival while not reclaiming the trademark; he notes that 'Lord British's Ultima' could appear in a future release and plans to share more at Dragon Con, with a potential entry point in 2027 when the rights lapse, though EA would still own the trademark and the path to a new game remains uncertain.
Richard Garriott (Lord British) plans to reclaim the Ultima rights from Electronic Arts by invoking Section 203 of the U.S. Copyright Act, which allows authors to regain rights after about 35 years. EA has recently filed new trademarks for the Ultima franchise, hinting at potential activity or defensive positioning. If successful, Garriott would regain copyright to the original work (though not necessarily launch a new Ultima game), since copyright covers code and look/feel while trademarks protect branding.
EA will permanently shut down Battlefield Hardline's online servers on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on June 22, 2026, making the console version largely unplayable online; the PC version remains online, and the console version had been delisted earlier. EA has offered no public explanation.
EA renewed trademarks for Ultima, while creator Richard Garriott says he intends to reclaim the original game's copyrights in 2027 (35 years after EA acquired them), potentially enabling new Ultima material under a renamed banner; trademarks mean he can't simply release a game called Ultima, and Garriott plans to share more at Dragon Con.