Great News: Reliance buys 50% of Codemasters

[apesnani]

An Indian firm buying 50% of codemasters, citing cricket games as one of the reasons!!!

Well, this does mean we can look forward to a cricket game being backed by a BIG company.



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NEW DELHI: Anil Ambani Group company Reliance Big Entertainment said it will acquire 50 per cent stake in UK-based gaming firm

Codemasters.

Reliance Big Entertainment has agreed to acquire 50 per cent shareholding in Codemasters, the company said in a statement.

The company, however, did not disclose amount involved in this deal

The remaining 50 per cent stake is with European venture capital firm Balderton Capital, which had first invested in Codemasters in 2005.

Codemasters has revenues of over USD 150 million and holds major franchises in cricket and racing games, among others.

Reliance Big's gaming division Zapak Digital Entertainment will oversee the said investment in Codemasters, the statement added.

"We are excited to partner with Codemasters ... its strong technology, development and distribution presence will complement our global gaming portfolio," Zapak CEO Rohit Sharma said.

Zapak's global strength in mobile gaming will enhance Codemasters' ability to fully leverage its attractive franchises such as its racing and cricket games, he added.

"The opportunities arising from this partnership are truly exciting. Reliance and Zapak have immense resources and will help us realize the full potential of our game coding and online excellence and especially in the world's fastest growing markets," Codemasters CEO Rod Cousens said.

 

[alioz]

Codemasters is valued at $200-300 million, pegging the deal size at $100-150 million.

 

[pcfan123]

Good news for cricket video game lovers. Maybe AC09 will actually spark a PES type franchise that hsmith and lot talked about.

 

[iridescentt]

I've gotta' say. This is awesome news!

Possibly something to spark new interest in the Cricket game genre perhaps?

 

[CaptainOZ]

Really hope this fosters greatly improved cricket games. Someone's gotta propertly cash in on this market!

 

[Prithvi]

So, next game:
Mumbai Indians Cricket 2011:laugh

 

[pcfan123]

Its probably safe to assume that a fully licensed IPL game is only a few years away now.

 

[Kabooka]

Its probably safe to assume that a fully licensed IPL game is only a few years away now.

Amen to That That Indian money does wonders for world cricket , now doesnt it

 

[CaptainOZ]

It's just a shame that 220 million Indians live below the poverty line

 

[KBC]

^ Well, the beast within.

Great news! So probably in the next few years we're going to get to see what all we've dreamed off.

Remember, Business based Indians are pricks till you do what ever is there in their brain. So on that note, I think the time of 'all that we're missing' has finally rested.

Woh!, Codemasters are gonna need to sweat it now lol!

 

[drainpipe32]

Woot! Hopefully we get world based games still!

 

[pcfan123]

OFC we will, despite what Modi will tell you the Indian national team is way more popular than IPL

 

[MattW]

All I get from the article is that you should probably expect mobile phone versions of those games, probably with most emphasis on the iPhone.

 

[lazy_chesnut]

All I get from the article is that you should probably expect mobile phone versions of those games, probably with most emphasis on the iPhone.

That's pretty much how I read it, too. Though it's not likely to harm the prospects of more cricket games in the future.

 

[apesnani]

So, next game:
Mumbai Indians Cricket 2011:laugh

hahah doubt that will happen. Mumbai Indian is owned by Anil's brother Mukesh and they dont se eye to eye.

apesnani added 1 Minutes and 8 Seconds later...

That's pretty much how I read it, too. Though it's not likely to harm the prospects of more cricket games in the future.

Current day and age you cannot ignore the mobile phone market, however, the IPL has shown that you cannot ignore the potential of the Indian market. Over time, more and more Indians will own PC's, XBOX 360s, PS3s, and Wiis, which is only increases the chances of a cricket game.

I am sure a cricket game will be in the works.