EA reportedly almost merged with NBC

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EA has also had talks with Disney, Apple, and Amazon

Commander Shepard and members of the Normandy crew in Mass Effect 2
(Image credit: BioWare)

NBC Universal reportedly held talks with Electronic Arts (EA) about a potential merger before the deal fell through.

According to a new report by Puck, Brian Roberts, CEO of NBC parent company Comcast, approached EA CEO Andrew Wilson with a proposal to make the media and gaming giants one behemoth of an entertainment company. The deal would've gave the Roberts family controlling interest of the company, with Wilson running the show presumably as CEO. In the version of the deal most seriously discussed, NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell would've been promoted to a higher-up post at Comcast. The deal reportedly fell through due to cost and structure disagreements.

EA spokesperson John Reseburg didn't respond to the report specifically but issued the following statement in response: "We are proud to be operating from a position of strength and growth, with a portfolio of amazing games, built around powerful IP, made by incredibly talented teams, and a network of more than half a billion players. We see a very bright future ahead."

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.