Analyst rabble-rousing: 'Chatter' suggests Apple eyeing EA takeover
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ May 5th 2009 at 11:45AM } 
Gamasutra spoke to Michael Pachter, the pope of game industry analysts, who finds the whole conversation "retarded." He points out that Apple could buy Warner Music for $3 billion -- thereby controlling 20 percent of the recording industry for its iTunes service -- instead of purchasing EA for twice that (EA's market cap is currently about $6.9 billion). He also notes that Apple owns no entertainment content, meaning that the company would be entering a brave new world if it got into EA's jammies.
For our part, we are staying way the hell away from this highly flammable situation until someone slaps some evidence down on the table.
[Via Edge]
Source -- 'Fast Money' Recap: Does the Rally Have Legs? [The Street]
Source -- Apple Beefs Up Gaming Presence With New Execs [Gamasutra]
Source -- Is It 'Game On' for Apple? [TechNewsWorld]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
WRE @ May 5th 2009 11:50AM
Apple buy EA? That's unpossible.
baef @ May 5th 2009 11:55AM
As I told you, it would be absolutely, totally, and in all other ways inconceivable.
JAmerican @ May 5th 2009 3:19PM
LOL EApple or Apple EA or AEA
ArchGamer @ May 5th 2009 11:53AM
End is...nigh?
cuteSAVAGE @ May 5th 2009 11:55AM
I would very much like to shake Pachter's hand. First thing he's ever said that wasn't painfully obvious and/or completely outlandish.
This is indeed "retarded."
DaveMcRae the Haiku Artist @ May 5th 2009 12:46PM
there's also a rumor that apple wants to buy Twitter at the moment. I have a feeling that some analysts just make stuff up, hoping they'll be right some day.
As for Mr. Pachter, it is indeed refreshing to see a straightforward comment for once.
SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread - XBL: SoCoolCurt) @ May 5th 2009 3:52PM
i was thinking the exact same thing. that is possibly the most intelligent statement i have ever heard coming from him, especially with the suggestion they should buy Warner Music instead. bravo Patcher.
deslock @ May 11th 2009 4:51PM
Yes, Pachter is quite crazy since apparently he didn't do his homework.
EA market cap is 7Billion.
Apple market cap is 114Billion.
Apple has around 15B in cash.
Unless Apple plans on spending half of their entire cash reserves or they are willing to suck up a lot of debt, purchasing EA is not going to happen.
Pick a smaller company to base your crazy rumors on.
IannCannon (XBL&Steam: ianncannon. PSN: Iann Cannon) @ May 5th 2009 11:55AM
I love how Pachter just says "Sounds retarded to me". I couldn't believe that was an actual quote. HA!
dogmaticatheist @ May 5th 2009 12:52PM
Of course analysts just make stuff up. That's what they do. They "analyze", and then makeup bullshit predictions to effect the stock market. Some crackpot analyst can spread a rumor about Job's cancer coming back, and Apple's stock tanks. That's just silly, and a big part of the reason I don't play the stock market.
Ranelar @ May 5th 2009 11:56AM
Bill Gates: Do I have to remind you that I could buy all of you at any time? Damn anti-trust laws.
Markez @ May 5th 2009 11:56AM
Yearly releases with updated rosters of troggles for both Word & Number Munchers confirmed.
joeybeast @ May 5th 2009 12:42PM
That does sound like EA and Apple.
Mr. L @ May 5th 2009 12:57PM
Can I get some syrup with this ROFL?
Robert27 @ May 5th 2009 11:58AM
I loved the image.
I dunno, I had cellphones and they always have EA games (atleast the EA symbol appears) and they were good.
arrrgh @ May 5th 2009 12:36PM
no, they weren't
Robert27 @ May 5th 2009 1:00PM
I had Tetris, it was good, except the other of the cars, now hat was BAD
Duke @ May 5th 2009 1:58PM
Kinda hard to mess up Tetris.
malkmus @ May 5th 2009 2:49PM
"I had cellphones"
This sounds funny to my eyes
Mr Khan @ May 5th 2009 11:58AM
That would be a helluva way for them to enter the industry, though, as Pachter pointed out, it doesn't really fit in with Apple's current strategy at all.
Josh @ May 5th 2009 12:27PM
What is that avatar, by the way?
Frenzy @ May 5th 2009 12:33PM
SWAT Kats?
Mr. L @ May 5th 2009 1:00PM
Yeah duh! How do you not know what the SWAT Kats are anyway? What are you? 12?
Mr Khan @ May 5th 2009 3:44PM
The one with the red background is Jamie from Megas XLR, the one with the huge grin is T-bone from SWAT Kats, and the one with the long nose is Sogeking (Usopp's short-lived alter ego) from One Piece.
RanHakubi @ May 5th 2009 11:59AM
Why would Apple go after EA? This doesn't make since. One would think that they would go after an easier target if they wanna get into the gaming market, such as buying up Midway. Can you imagine Mortal Kombat on the iPhone and iPod touch?
Also, bracing for shitstorm.
Saria the Cat @ May 5th 2009 12:00PM
Whaaaaaaaaat?
tenor77 @ May 5th 2009 12:02PM
Apple never cared about games before, why start now?
Anyway say Apple buys EA and boycotts the Xbox, they'd get slapped by a lawsuit so fast it's not even funny.
Kenny Powers Fastball (PSN johnnynumber5) @ May 5th 2009 12:16PM
Please explain that to me. If Apple did buy EA they could do as they pleased with in regards to what platform they released games for. Even if they were to purchase EA what incentive would they have to avoid MS platforms? The only conceivable reason would be if they planned on making an Apple console and the EA games (sans contractural agreements like Madden) were exclusive.
I'm not just not following the lawsuit logic. Please explain it to me because it's possible that I'm simply not in the know.
Kenny Powers Fastball (PSN johnnynumber5) @ May 5th 2009 12:18PM
"Apple never cared about games before, why start now?"
Did you know Halo started out as an Apple exclusive?
NaeemTHM @ May 5th 2009 12:42PM
"Apple never cared about games before, why start now?"
Probably because they noticed the billions of dollars they made with App store games. I mean if they can make that much with crappy cell phone games, imagine what they could make with an actual gaming device!
I love the iPhone and would totally buy an Apple iGame.
And now THE DOWN VOTE!*
*As far as I know you're not allowed to say positive things about Apple, EA, or Wii graphics.
Orion @ May 5th 2009 12:45PM
Because the iPhone/Touch made them billions of dollars, and they're realizing games=money.
Lastly, MS couldn't sue anyone for not releasing a game on their system. If that were true, Sony would have sued multiple companies by now for putting games like Ace Combat, Tekken, Devil May Cry, ect on the 360 instead/as well.
And I concur. You're precious Halo was Apple. Even way back when, when it was called Super Marathon, it was Apple's (technically Bandai's) only console, the PipPin. Pretty fun game btw, if you can find a PipPin for yourself. Then again, it sounds like you wouldn't bother unless it had XBOX written on the front.
WiredKnight @ May 5th 2009 2:20PM
You guys make some good points, but Apple still doesn't care about games. Halo was made by Bungie, regardless of who was going to originally publish it. All the iPhone games are either third-party or user-created. If Apple buys EA, they'd be the ones making the games, not Apple.
Apple doesn't care about games, just the money that can be made off them.
XLM @ May 5th 2009 6:18PM
"Apple doesn't care about games, just the money that can be made off them."
sounds just like EA =D
WRE @ May 5th 2009 12:03PM
I'm hearing chatter that Apple is going to buy Joystiq and only give us news about games on the iPhone/iPod Touch!!!
Markez @ May 5th 2009 12:12PM
iApplePodJoyTouch, or maybe iPodAppleStiq
WRE @ May 5th 2009 12:14PM
Apple on a Stiq?
why not the LS2LS7? @ May 5th 2009 12:04PM
No.
And besides, Apple wouldn't be planning a takeover with their (megalomanic) CEO on a 6-month medical leave.
I have no idea where analysts come up with this crap.
PedoJokerBear (aka Deeznuts) @ May 5th 2009 12:08PM
RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!
butaneko @ May 5th 2009 12:09PM
The final evolution of the new kinder, gentler EA!
TheBigL @ May 5th 2009 12:15PM
Is this a late April Fools joke?
Mazrael @ May 5th 2009 2:31PM
Well Apple do have there game ports later than everybody else.. maybe this is from April 08?
aggrazel @ May 5th 2009 12:16PM
Holy freaking crap!
This is amazing!
This is absolutely amazing! History was made today here folks.
I actually agree with Michael Pachter.
Dogs and cats living together ... its a sign of the end times.
Yipcanjo @ May 5th 2009 12:20PM
iMadden2012 will be awesome with one button.
WRE @ May 5th 2009 12:21PM
Button? Pfft, you're living in the past. It's all scroll wheel, baby!
Yipcanjo @ May 5th 2009 12:22PM
So true! :)
Orion @ May 5th 2009 12:41PM
Touch screen and motion controls. It's obvious you don't own a Touch or an iPhone as the one button that is supplied to you reverts you back to the Home menu. If you're going to make a joke, at least point out what the unit actually has to use...
Vidikron @ May 5th 2009 1:54PM
@Orion
He's clearly making a joke about Mac's using a single button mouse or perhaps their minimalist nature in general. I don't know why you would assume he's specifically talking about the iPhone.
johnny @ May 5th 2009 12:21PM
Probably wont happen but just because apple never cared about games doesnt mean they never will. That remark is stupid/retarded too. Apple sees the money being made by games in the industry with the iphone and they are embracing it. It would not surprise me at all if they got into the games industry like sony did and ms did. Apple is growing at a quick rate and to continue that growth you must expand into other markets.
WiredKnight @ May 5th 2009 2:25PM
It's not stupid, it's the truth. Apple will never care about making games, they just want to make money.
Apple cares about games like a leech cares about its host.
protofunc @ May 5th 2009 5:56PM
@Wired
With that logic then the same can be said of anybody who isn't a game developer. Hell, you can even go as far as to say that about game devs as in the end, their true motivation is the cash. Now i'm not saying your wrong, but i don't think you're proving anything while you point that out.
I think it would be an interesting move should Apple actually buy out EA. Think about it, one of the existing stereotypes (note: i'm not saying it's true) is that macs don't have any games. Even as we speak, typically, they're just not used as hardcore gaming rigs (even though they are VERY well capable). Maybe they want to expand and are henceforth considering the market (seeing as MS is fairly deeply involved in it themselves). Since at this point the only thing standing in their way is consumer mindset, what better way to change this than to actually buy a huge name in the gaming industry? They won't have to focus on the actual development as that is the whole purpose of owning a developer, but they'll get all the perks that come along with the company belonging to them.
I think it would be an interesting move and almost even a good investment provided it paid in the end. Problem i see though is that it could be very risky.