EA Lands Firemint Acquisition to Bulk Up Mobile Gaming Talent

Electronic Arts is acquiring Firemint, the independent mobile development studio in Melbourne, Australia, known for such hits as Flight Control and Real Racing.

The game company is characterizing the acquisition as bringing “a powerhouse of creative talent” to EA Interactive. Terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

The purchase of Firemint closely follows the acquisition of Mobile Post Production, known for its ability to port smartphone games across platforms.

Both acquisitions are relatively small and are focused on adding additional talent to EA’s already substantial mobile development efforts. The company, which was quick to jump on developing games for the iPhone, is frequently considered a leader in the space. It’s known for such titles as the Sims, Hasbro’s Scrabble, and racing titles such as Need for Speed.

In a separate post about the acquisitions, EA Interactive’s EVP and GM Barry Cottle says he sees more independent studios being acquired for talent.

Firemint, which was a small independent studio, quickly became well known after Flight Control emerged as a hit on the iPhone. Players must navigate the skies, landing an assortment of planes and helicopters without letting them crash in the air.

Firemint was founded by Rob Murray in 1999 and developed over 30 games on commission from publishers before switching to self-publishing original titles. It has about 60 employees today.