EA buys PopCap in billion dollar deal

EA has bought casual gaming giant PopCap Games in a deal worth $1.3 billion.

The Bejeweled, Zuma, Peggle and Plants vs. Zombies creator will receive $650 million in cash and $100 million in stock. PopCap will be given an additional $550 million in bonuses in next few years for hitting money-making milestones. I'd like that kind of dosh please.

PopCap has 400 staff.

"As some of you may have heard, we recently announced that PopCap Games is being acquired by Electronic Arts, a small mom-and-pop boutique software publisher," wrote PopCap.

"What does this mean for the future? It's simple: 1, EA is being rebranded to Poptronic Arts; 2, Sim Zuma: The SwampLife Edition; 3, Peggle: Dead Space – Bjorn's Breakfast; 4, Bejeweled Battlefield Blitz; 5, Plants vs. ZombEAz: NFL Lockout Edition."

PopCap will be able to draw on deeper resources and distribute to a wider audience worldwide. "We're not changing our focus from creating awesome casual games everyone can enjoy," the company said.

Buying the digital clout of PopCap is an impressive statement of EA's intent to aggressively pursue digital gaming.

EA snapped up prominent social gaming outfit PlayFish in 2009, in a deal worth $400 million.

Let's hope Battlefield 3 and Mass Effect 3 can recoup some of that money.

Only one question remains: what will happen to PopCap's exciting new game Johnny Minkley's Meat Ceiling