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Done Deal: EA Completes Codemasters Takeover for $1.2 Billion

There’s no doubt EA took many by surprise last year when it announced that it planned to buy Codemasters, and the price of the deal was huge even for a company this large.
DiRT 5 screenshot 1 photo
Photo: Codemasters
EA was ready to spend no less than $1.2 billion for Codemasters, all in an attempt to bring some of the best racing titles out there under one roof.

And this week, EA has officially announced that the deal is complete, and Codemasters has now become its very own asset. That means the company can now focus on releasing new games for players out there.

We love racing games. As interest in playing them grows across the world it’s clear that you love them too. Over the years our existing franchises such as Need for Speed, Real Racing and Burnout have become some of the most beloved games. During this time we’ve followed and admired our colleagues at Codemasters, who have created some of our favorite racing franchises such as Formula 1, DIRT, Project CARS and GRID. We have seen the team innovate racing game technology and make some of the most fun games we’ve ever played. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome them to the Electronic Arts team,” EA said in a press release (embedded below).

So what’s next now that EA and Codemasters are supposed to operate as one?

EA has already promised racing games galore, as the company says it wants to release more titles at a faster pace. And the same message has been reiterated in this week’s announcement too.

We’re thrilled by this new opportunity to bring you even more racing games, more often. The union also unlocks the potential for us to create new innovative ways to interact with each other and enjoy our passion for racing games together. With the greatest minds in racing entertainment all under one roof, you’re going to see even more innovation and we’re going to bring all new ideas to life,” EA said (emphasis is ours).

While no specifics have been provided and EA said more info would only be shared at a later time, a new DiRT title is believed to be in the works, so hopefully, the takeover wouldn’t change the franchise’s long-term future.

Earlier this week, Codemasters released the final update for DiRT Rally 2.0, so theoretically, the future of the platform is up in the air right now. That's not only because no future plans have been shared until now, but also because the company has a new owner that can adjust future releases according to its very own roadmap.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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