EA has officially completed its acquisition of UK-based developer Codemasters. The publishing giant confirmed the news in a press release today, which noted that the $1.2 billion deal will open up a new chapter of racing game entertainment for both parties thanks to their newly combined portfolio of franchises. These include Codemaster’s Formula 1, DIRT, DiRT Rally, GRID, and Project CARS titles, which will join EA’s Need for Speed and Real Racing properties.
“This is the beginning of an exciting new era for racing games and content as we bring together the talented teams at Electronic Arts and Codemasters,” said Andrew Wilson, CEO of Electronic Arts. “Racing fandom continues to grow worldwide, and the franchises in our combined portfolio will enable us to create innovative new experiences and bring more players into the excitement of cars and motorsport. Our teams will be a global powerhouse in racing entertainment, with amazing games for players on every platform, and we can’t wait to get started.”
“Today is a landmark in Codemasters’ history, and an exciting day for our employees and players,” said Frank Sagnier, CEO of Codemasters. “The partnership with EA will enable our teams to take our highly-acclaimed franchises to new heights and reach a huge global audience through their player network. Together we can redefine the landscape of racing games to create even more compelling experiences for racing fans around the world.”
EA pointed out that the acquisition would benefit Codemasters and its properties thanks to the company’s 430-million-strong network of players and industry-leading, multi-platform subscription services. EA also boasted of its deep data and analytics capabilities, which should help Codemasters reach an even greater audience.