Game publisher EA sets its' sights on Facebook.
Electronic Arts, publisher of the popular Rock Band franchise, posted a 2009 fourth-quarter loss of $42 million and today, announced it was cutting 1500 jobs , about 17 percent of its' workforce. A large chunk of the loss is due to EA acquiring Playfish for $300 million, a company that makes social networking games, another revenue stream that falls under the "casual gaming" banner.
Operating within EA Interactive, a division of the company that focuses on the web and wireless offerings, Playfish has already installed more than 150 million of its' games to web and mobile platforms like Myspace, Facebook, Android, Google and, ever-present in any discussion about social networking or mobile advertising, the iPhone. With over 1 billion play sessions monthly, this accuisition could maintain EA's edge in an evolving media and entertainment market. Currently, EA Mobile is the number one developer of mobile applications with Having seen console sales slide in every EA franchise from Madden to Rock Band while mobile versions of those same games lead mobile application sales worldwide, EA is making a decisive play to stay "in the game".
Los Angeles TimesGame publisher EA sets its' sights on Facebook. Madden to Rock Band while mobile versions of those same games lead mobile application sales worldwide, EA is making a decisive play to stay "in the game".Electronic Arts Buys Playfish For At Least $275 MlnEA picks up Playfish for social gaming pushEA Buys Social Network Game Developer Playfish - -all 748 news articles »
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VentureBeat a mobile-phone advertising provider, will be purchased by Google for $750 million. Playfish Inc., which makes games played on Facebook Inc.'s Web site, Accel Partners Keeps The Hits Coming With admob, Playfishall 40 news articles »
removal of its new FishVille game last weekend due to potentially confusing mobile subscription ads that showed up, which the social network prohibits. Zynga To Remove All In Game OffersNo more Facebook adverts for Zynga gamesZynga pulls Facebook ads - -all 29 news articles »
