After being acquired by a Saudi consortium, EA took on a massive debt of $20 billion. Industry insiders analyze that to alleviate this debt pressure, EA may dispose of a large number of long-shelved classic game IPs.
Emmanuel Rosier, Market Intelligence Director at Newzoo and a former EA employee of nearly ten years, stated in an interview that EA's inventory holds a large number of dormant IPs with no new development plans for years. Typical examples include the pioneering CRPG Ultima and the renowned space shooter Wing Commander, along with a host of other classic series such as SimCity, Burnout, Dungeon Keeper, and Spore.
He proposed two possibilities: EA might choose to directly sell some IPs to external parties, or outsource their development to external studios, potentially even adapting them into mobile game projects.
Analysts point out that under the pressure of massive debt, EA needs to cut costs, and selling off idle IPs can quickly generate cash flow. Currently, even BioWare faces significant hurdles in advancing Mass Effect 5, making it difficult to convince management to approve AAA-level reboot projects for older IPs. Rather than keeping them shelved, transferring or outsourcing them is a more realistic path forward.
Many classic EA IPs are not even available on mainstream PC stores, forcing players to rely on fan-made patches and unofficial channels to experience them, leaving a vast amount of valuable gaming heritage gathering dust. However, this remains merely analysis and speculation from industry experts; EA has not officially announced any plans to sell its IPs.
The news has sparked discussion online, with many players hoping that some classic IPs will be transferred to more suitable developers. Others worry that after changing hands, these classic series might be transformed into mobile games or pay-to-win products, completely destroying the core essence of the originals.