EA Acquires SpellForce Developer Phenomic

Officials from Electronic Arts have confirmed that the company has acquired German developer Phenomic Game Development, makers of PC strategy titles such as The Settlers and SpellForce. The studio will retain its existing management, which includes Boris Kunkel, Dirk Ringe and Volker Wertich - creator of The Settlers series and creative director of the studio. The studio will remain in its current location in Ingelheim, Germany and work within the management structure of EA's studios in Europe. However, the studio will be "dedicated to developing real-time strategy (RTS) games for the PC, console and online," according to a press release from Electronic Arts. The company would not reveal the financial terms of the acquisition, but indicated that it would not be expected to impact on the company’s second quarter or fiscal year results. "The team at Phenomic is an outstanding group of developers," said Paul Lee, president of EA Worldwide Studios. "Their track record for building quality RTS games and creating original IP is impressive, and we share a strong common vision for the future of the strategy gaming market. We're looking forward to working with them on a new project that will be announced at a later date, and are delighted to welcome them to the EA family." "Joining forces with EA is a great step forward for us," said Boris Kunkel, managing director of Phenomic. "We've always been passionate about creating games with a focus on quality, innovation and fun, and EA has the same philosophy for game making. Being part of EA will help us turn our vision for future games into reality."