Will the next Mass Effect actually release under EA's new owners? 'I'll believe it when I see it,' says former EA manager turned Newzoo analyst
Emmanuel Rosier is here to pour cold water on my hopes and dreams.
EA has undergone a massive leveraged buyout by a consortium of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, along with investment firms Silver Lake and Affinity Partners. The new owners took on $20 billion in debt, and the impact on the company's operations remains uncertain. Emmanuel Rosier, a former senior manager at EA and now director of market intelligence at Newzoo, expresses skepticism about the direction of the company under its new owners.
He notes that while sports, particularly European football, and esports may remain key focuses for EA, there is significant potential for the company to revisit its less successful intellectual properties (IPs) such as Ultima and Wing Commander. Rosier suggests that these dormant IPs could be sold off, or external studios could be hired to leverage them, possibly resulting in mobile game adaptations.
He also highlights concerns about the future of BioWare, a studio that has struggled recently, and questions whether EA will continue to fund its development. Despite the uncertainty, Rosier emphasizes that EA would prefer to make financially sound decisions, which could include discontinuing certain projects.
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