EA boosts eastern promise with buyout

DEVELOPER OF DIGITAL games, Electronic Arts (EA) says its making a second pass at Asia’s hot online game market, flashing its cash and snapping up South Korean online game developer J2MSoft.

J2M, whose titles include Ray City, Taan and Debut, will continue making its own online games, as well as developing online games based on EA titles. But just how much the deal is worth, neither company is saying.

EA, however, is not putting all its eggs in one basket, also announcing earlier this week it would be joining forces with Chinese game developer NetDragon Websoft to make 3D massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs) based on EA's Dungeon Keeper series. MMORPGs are not only massively multiplayer in Asia, they’re massively popular too, making the deal an important one for EA.

This also isn’t EA’s first foray into Asian online gaming, having already launched a few of its more popular sports themed games like FIFA and NBA Street online.

The firm also says it’s working on putting its top money makers - Warhammer, Age of Reckoning, Need For Speed and Battlefield Heroes – online soon. µ