EA Acquires Microtransaction-based Korean Studio

EA announced yesterday that it had  acquired J2M, a Korean studio that focuses on free-to-play online games that monetize through subscriptions and microtransactions. EA has already been experimenting with microtransactions as a business model, most notably with the upcoming Battlefield Heroes, and the move seems less about acquiring J2M's expertise than, as EA puts it, a commitment to the Asian market. That's a market, especially in Korea, that thrives on free-to-play, though, so it's hard to do one without the other.

“Korean developers have created a unique style of online games that is growing in popularity all over Asia,” said J2M Founder and CEO KyungMin Bang. “We are excited that EA is aligning with our vision for online game. Joining EA presents our team with an opportunity to significantly expand our based with players throughout Asia and around the world as well as to be at the forefront of online gaming.”