WSJ: Playfish creating social game based on 'well-known EA brand'
by James Ransom-Wiley 
on Feb 2nd 2010 1:15PM
The Wall Street Journal today
examines "Why Playfish Sold Itself to EA." Um, wouldn't you sell yourself
for $300 million? While such an investigation might seem trivial, the WSJ calls in Playfish president and GM Kristian Segerstrale, who reveals that several hundred million is merely
chump change. Playfish certainly considered a road to riches paved in the arduous process of going public as an independent company, but "as we advanced our conversations with EA, what became clear was that this would be genuine opportunity to accelerate our pace of growth and build a billion-dollar business faster," Segerstrale explains.
To realize this dream -- to get rich
really quick --
Playfish clearly saw it would take more than its prowess as a stand-out developer in the burgeoning social games arena. It would take brand power. According to the WSJ, as suggested by Segerstrale, "there will be a social game based on a well-known EA brand this year." Hardly a revelation, to be sure, but it's at least confirmation of a
killer strategy. Take an established IP -- likely EA's
The Sims -- and adapt it for a network of social gaming experiences that spans persistent platforms like Facebook and the iPhone. Oh, so
that's why Playfish sold itself to EA.
[Via
Develop]
