CD Projekt Red Denies EA Buyout Rumors

[Steven Bogos]

CD Projekt Red Denies EA Buyout Rumors

Everyone stay calm, EA is not buying out The Witcher dev CD Projekt Red.

You may have heard a rather nasty rumor running through the mill [http://www.dsogaming.com/news/rumor-cd-projekt-red-to-sign-a-publishing-deal-or-be-bought-by-electronic-arts/] this week suggesting that the much beloved CD Projekt Red was in the process of being gobbled up by corporate greed-machine EA Games. Well, we're here to put this one to rest and to tell fans they can rest easy, as the founder of CD Projekt Red has denied the rumor.

A fan asked the developer's Community Lead & Website Coordinator Marcin Momot over Twitter [https://twitter.com/Marcin360/status/643441015244853248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] about the rumor, to which Momot replied "Just bumped into Marcin Iwiński - it was new to him. I guess the "informer" has better insight than the CD Projekt Red founder. "

To be fair, the informer's exact words were: "I'm employee of CD Projekt Red and I have some bad news to share with you. Our management is probably talking with Electronic Arts about potential take over. Electronic Arts representatives are currently visiting our studio and meeting with top management. We are not going to release any game soon, so for sure it's not about any publishing deal, so the only possible reason for EA guys being here is that they want to buy us."

He didn't actually say that a buyout was happening, just that EA was visiting to discuss a buyout - which may have been true.

So it looks like the champion of PC and DRM-free gaming will remain independent from the clutches of evil for the time being.

Source: GameSpot

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[The Rogue Wolf]

Somebody was spreading rumors that EA wanted to buy CD Projekt Red?

I'd thought I'd heard screaming....

 

[llubtoille]

EA's not really an 'evil' company, they just have a bad habit of incorporating their policies into every studio they purchase, they're not 'hands-off' enough to let a successful franchise continue in its own natural direction.
Hence we get wonderful original franchises suddenly flip the table and do a total 180 in creative direction to the disgust of their old fan-base.
C&C and PvZ come to mind, but that's just the tip of a long list.

 

[RJ 17]

EA's not really an 'evil' company,

I honestly hope this is sarcasm because...

they just have a bad habit of incorporating their policies into every studio they purchase, they're not 'hands-off' enough to let a successful franchise continue in its own natural direction.
Hence we get wonderful original franchises suddenly flip the table and do a total 180 in creative direction to the disgust of their old fan-base.
C&C and PvZ come to mind, but that's just the tip of a long list.

...pretty much that.

 

[Worgen]

Actually CD projekt was in talks with ea to buy out ea. I so wish.

 

[Naldan]

Actually CD projekt was in talks with ea to buy out ea. I so wish.

Hm. How do you people feel about any company being able to actually 'buy' EA, not just some IPs? Who?

 

[Glaice]

They better not because of the powerful success Witcher 3 had..

 

[Atmos Duality]

Actually CD projekt was in talks with ea to buy out ea. I so wish.

Makes me wish and wonder: Install CD Projekt Red into EA's upper echelon?
I don't know if that's brilliantly awesome or brilliantly disastrous.

 

[Areloch]

Actually CD projekt was in talks with ea to buy out ea. I so wish.

Makes me wish and wonder: Install CD Projekt Red into EA's upper echelon?
I don't know if that's brilliantly awesome or brilliantly disastrous.

It'd probably go brilliantly until their new assistants show them where EA keeps the cocaine hottubs.

Then all would be lost.

 

[Xyebane]

This is first I heard, but even just as a rumor this fills me with dread. One of the most pro-consumer companies being taken over by one of the most anti-consumer companies can only be bad for gamers everywhere. Even if you don't like their games, the fact that CD project has been so successful going against industry standards (with policies like Anti-DRM, Free DLC, etc) has helped keep these policies in check.

 

[not_you]

Yeah, it'll be a very cold day for gamers everywhere if CDPR gets bought out...

But until such time, I have to give them more money for more Witcher 3 things...

Although from the quoted employee, my first instinct would read buyout too, but maybe if the success of the Witcher 3 is enough for EA to notice (hopefully) they can take notes on how to do things properly... Instead of asking for more food after emptying the entire buffet.

 

[Covarr]

Of course CD Projekt Red isn't selling to EA. It would go against everything the company stands for, and they know it, and the fans know it, and everyone knows it. As vehemently opposed to standard industry bullshit as CD Projekt has been, both through CD Projekt Red and GOG.com, it wouldn't make a lick of sense.

P.S. Thanks

 

[kuolonen]

Actually CD projekt was in talks with ea to buy out ea. I so wish.

Makes me wish and wonder: Install CD Projekt Red into EA's upper echelon?
I don't know if that's brilliantly awesome or brilliantly disastrous.

If CD projekt does buy EA, first order of business should be to do away with EA's old leaders like Radovid does away mages. Impaled with extreme prejudice in front of CD projekt HQ at Warsaw.

 

[Wiggum Esquilax]

Actually CD projekt was in talks with ea to buy out ea. I so wish.

Makes me wish and wonder: Install CD Projekt Red into EA's upper echelon?
I don't know if that's brilliantly awesome or brilliantly disastrous.

If CD projekt does buy EA, first order of business should be to do away with EA's old leaders like Radovid does away mages. Impaled with extreme prejudice in front of CD projekt HQ at Warsaw.

If CD Project wanted to plant a field of pikes topped with EA's head's heads, there's no reason to wait for a buyout. Not that I'm at all suggesting something so horrible. Just saying, if anyone's already planning on it, then do so in Poland.

 

[Bedinsis]

Uhm, why would EA want to buy CD Projekt?

They already have a successful studio producing similar products(Bioware) the only reason to invest further in that section of the market would be if they somehow believe that the importance of WRPGs is going to increase going forward. I can get that buying CD Projekt is good in the abstract sense that holding a studio with valuable IPs is good, since it provides a steady revenue stream, but is the investment cost really worth it when you pretty much own the biggest fish in the pond already?

 

[Amaror]

Uhm, why would EA want to buy CD Projekt?

They already have a successful studio producing similar products(Bioware) the only reason to invest further in that section of the market would be if they somehow believe that the importance of WRPGs is going to increase going forward. I can get that buying CD Projekt is good in the abstract sense that holding a studio with valuable IPs is good, since it provides a steady revenue stream, but is the investment cost really worth it when you pretty much own the biggest fish in the pond already?

Beause CDPR is IN right now and EA likes to buy what's IN. I wouldn't even be surprised if they would plan to do it just to merge the studio with Bioware and get the competitor out of the way. Witcher 3 has been received better than Inquisition in a lot of ways after all, whatever you might personally think of the game.
As for The biggest fish in the Pond of Western RPGs, i think that crown still belongs to Bethesda with Skyrim. Whether you like the game or not it sold more than any other RPG out there.

 

[TT Kairen]

Uhm, why would EA want to buy CD Projekt?

They already have a successful studio producing similar products(Bioware) the only reason to invest further in that section of the market would be if they somehow believe that the importance of WRPGs is going to increase going forward. I can get that buying CD Projekt is good in the abstract sense that holding a studio with valuable IPs is good, since it provides a steady revenue stream, but is the investment cost really worth it when you pretty much own the biggest fish in the pond already?

Except they're nearly done sucking BioWare dry of any goodwill it had left with fans. They realize this and will need a fresh source of souls to drain soon, or they'll lose grasp on the Western RPG market.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

CD Projekt RED is run by gamers. They know full well what happens to studios that get bought by EA. They also run GoG, so they have their own business plan that obviously doesn't include being bought by another company now when they're doing so well on their own.

 

[Aetrion]

I hope CD Project remains independent, they are one of my favorite studios simply because they consistently show concern for the players and it's paying off for them. Both Witcher 1 and 2 got an enhanced edition for free simply to improve the game. Putting that kind of work in to make the players happy has payed for them, because they are probably one of the most trusted studios at this point.

 

[Abomination]

I don't see how they could possibly offer a deal to CD Projekt that would be feasible.

With GoG, The Witcher series and upcoming Cuberpunk 2077 combined with low Polish wages they've got one of the most reliable cashflows in the industry I would imagine.

For EA to buy them - a company that makes it money by NOT being EA - EA might as well just go out and buy a fleet of cars and then drive them all into the ocean. Because that's the type of investment they'd be making. The very act of buying CD Project would DECREASE the value of CD Project. EA buying it would reduce it to a fraction of its original value.