Amazon EA Acquisition Rumors Spark Confusion
Update 08/26/2022, 09:00: USA Today’s report claiming that Amazon would today make an offer to buy Electronic Arts (EA) has been retracted, with the journalist behind the article also expressing doubt over its accuracy.
The original report was updated multiple times in the hours after CNBC disputed its reporting, slowly but surely stepping away from its fairly explicit declaration that Amazon would make EA an offer.
“Earlier today, GLHF – a gaming/e-sports outlet and content partner of [USA Today’s] For The Win – ran a version of this story on our website that violated our editorial standards regarding the use of unnamed and unvetted sources,” the page now reads.
Kirk McKeand, the journalist behind the article, also said on Twitter: “If you get something wrong in games journalism, it’s a bit like when you work behind a bar and drop a pint glass, and everyone cheers. Except, instead of cheering, they chuck more pint glasses at you.”
He continued: “Also, CNBC said ‘it isn’t happening today’, which isn’t the same as ‘it isn’t happening’. And if I turn out to be wrong, then I was wrong. It happens. It’s the first time it’s happened to me with a report like this, but it was bound to happen eventually.”
Original Story: Video game industry media was sent into a tailspin earlier today, August 26, after a USA Today report claimed Amazon was planning to make an offer to purchase publishing giant EA. Conflicting reports have now emerged from CNBC, however, that say there are no acquisition plans in place.
USA Today’s report arrived from Swedish press agency Good Luck Have Fun, who claimed its sources were aware of an imminent formal offer from Amazon to acquire the FIFA 23 and Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order publisher.
Not long after, however, CNBC anchor David Faber said on air (below) that there are currently no plans from Amazon to acquire EA. “I have talked to some people who would actually know if there was something going on, and they say there’s nothing going on,” Faber said. “These are people who would be involved.”
Amazon is not going to make a bid for Electronic Arts, sources tell CNBC’s @DavidFaber. Shares of $EA surged earlier on a report citing a “rumor.” pic.twitter.com/k7wk0Fy7xv
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) August 26, 2022
EA shares had climbed 15% in premarket trading following the USA Today report but have since lowered, and at time of writing are up around 6%.
EA have been at the centre of several acquisition rumours in recent months as the video game industry overall has seen them become commonplace. EA CEO Andrew Wilson said earlier in August that the company would be open to the possibility of being acquired but it also that EA couldn’t be “in a stronger position as a standalone company”.
Amazon has told IGN that it does not comment on speculation, while EA is yet to respond to our request for comment.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook
Original Source
