US videogame titan Electronic Arts (EA) on Tuesday announced it is buying the Australian mobile game maker behind hit titles “Flight Control” and “Real Racing” for play on iPhones or iPads. EA did not disclose how much it is paying for Melbourne-based independent studio Firemint but indicated that the deal was expected to close within four weeks. “The Firemint team is remarkable for its critical and commercial success,” said EA Interactive executive vice president Barry Cottle.
“Having them as part of EAi will accelerate our position as worldwide leader in game development for mobile devices and online gaming platforms.” EA built its empire on blockbuster videogames for play on consoles or personal computers and has been striving to adapt to the soaring popularity of games on smartphones, tablet computers, and online social networks. EA recently acquired Mobile Post Production (MPP), a company specializing in adapting games for smartphones and other various software platforms used by gadgets.
Cottle said the combined talents of MPP, EAi, and Firemint “fuels EA’s leadership in delivering top selling, high quality games across mobile phones and smartphones, tablets and future digital interactive entertainment platforms.” EA posted $3.7 billion in net revenue last year.