Electronic Arts today announced an agreement to acquire PopCap Games, one of the top casual games developers on mobile phones, tablets, PCs and social networking sites.
EA will pay approximately $650 million in cash and $100 million in shares of EA common stock to be issued to certain stockholders of PopCap.
"EA and PopCap are a compelling combination," said EA CEO John Riccitiello. "PopCap's great studio talent and powerful IP add to EA's momentum and accelerate our drive towards a $1 billion digital business. EA's global studio and publishing network will help PopCap rapidly expand their business to more digital devices, more countries, and more channels."
PopCap catalogue includes several of the most successful casual titles such as Zuma, Bejeweled and Plants Vs. Zombies. Around 150 million PopCap games are currently installed and played worldwide on platforms such as Facebook, RenRen, Google, iPhone, iPad and Android.
"PopCap has a proven financial trajectory with sustained revenue growth and double-digit operating margins," said EA CFO Eric Brown. "On a non-GAAP basis, this deal is expected to be at least ten-cents accretive in fiscal year 2013."