French Government fights back in EA/Ubisoft share takeover

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/01/04/news_6115645.html

Good for Ubisoft. I'm glad politicians are actually doing something for the game companies instead of casting them down, especially with the greedy-eyed EA.

 

I wouldn't mind to see EA going belly up or broken into smaller companies...

 

I think that would be for the best, both for the company and the gaming industry.

 

and they get their head whacked churning out crap after crap...
maybe they are driven by profit over everything but come on they are gaming company and game is suppose to be fun and enjoyable, not expensive piece of sh*t...

do they think they got where they are now by making crap sh*t?
don't think so...

any if they think it's a good idea to swallow any decent publisher in order to eliminate competition and force us to buy their sh*t crap - I wouldn't even call theirs game... - well looks like they are trying to be a big corporation wannabe... heh

 

I'm amazed they didn't beat Sammy to the Sega takeover :smt1069 Well done France - sticking it to the man! BASTARDS, DIE EA!!

 

The French do something for once. :smt043

J/K. ;-)

 

since a long time i'm happy to be french :-D

 

Salut, cousin! :smt082

;-)
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Great news! finally something that stops the evil EA plan.

 

"French government FIGHTS?".....isn't that an oxymoron... :smt043

give it a week they'll give up...just kidding guys...

viva la france or something...

 

Go on my son ! Show those bastards who's boss :smt067

I sure hope UBISoft win :smt023

Yakumo

 

Excellent, it's great to see a government taking notice of the alarmingly increasing trend of industry giants eating smaller developers. I have a special spot in my heart for Ubisoft after they brought Lunar Legend and Advance Guardian Heroes to the GBA - here's hoping the French government is able to give EA the boot.

 

First off I'm no EA fanboy. I have never bought a single EA game new. I think I own maybe two or three used. I just like playing Devil's Advocate. ;-)

That being said I think it is wrong for the French government to get involved for a number off reasons. No government should get involved in the private sale of a business unless it is illegal, violates antitrust laws, or is vital to national interests. So far none of these apply.

As Gamespot reports the French government seems to want to block it only because they don't want to deal with potential headaches. Not for any legitimate reasons. I'm also guessing the fact that EA is a US company is a partial reason for their involvement as well. That is unfair and anti-competitive and I'd feel the same way if the US government tried to block a French company for the same reasons.

If the Ubisoft shareholders rally together and block the EA takeover then good for them. They'll have beaten back the "barbarians at the gate" and will have done it fairly. Having a government block it for no good reason is unfair and sets a bad precedent.

 

:smt023

 

EA buying out all the competition, especially in a hostile manner as stated by the Ubisoft CEO is unfair and anti-competitive. Who will EA compete with when they own everything? Themselves? :smt043

 

now think of the future where EA bought virtually entire gaming publishing industry and churning out yearly update of crap... so instead of some innovative titles, we get "xyz2005" and "xyz2006" following year with tiny bit of polish up and so on and on and on and on... ;

what you don't like EA titles? well no one stop you go and create your own game - if you have money and resource although if you do we will buy you out... :-D

'nuff said...

 

I think most here look at this situation form a gamers standpoint. I'm looking at it from purely a business point of view. EA, Ubisoft, Nintendo, Sega, or any other developer at the end of the day looks at themselves as a business. And businesses are bought, sold, taken over and fail everyday. You might not EA but I think we can agree the from the business side of things EA buying Ubisoft is a smart move for them.

EA buying the competition even in a hostile manner is fair. They have done nothing illegal and have to play by the same rules just as everyone else. As a publicly traded company they run the same risk of being in the position that Ubisoft finds itself in now. Would it be fair for the US government to intervene and protect them for no good reason?

The French government can buy EA's stock just like everyone else. If they want to protect Ubisoft so bad let them do that and block the sale at the next shareholders meeting. Anything else is anti-competitive and protectionist.

 

But its the French Gov they play by there own rules

 

Maybe it's not fair on the coporate level, A. Snow, but seriously: Do you want to see EA consume small publishers and produce crap each year? Even if it's for a cause that isn't 100% correct, I support any way to null this share buying.

 

it's unfair from the french gouvernement, but it's even more from EA, so that's why i'm with the gouvernement.

exact. Competition makes good things. without competition, the word evolution wouldn't exist , as well as the word quality.

 

I know you're joking, but regardless, have none of you heard of Verdun?