EA announced an agreement to acquire Australia based mobile development studio Firemint, bringing a proven powerhouse of creative talent to EAi, with original hits Flight Control and Real Racing for iPhone and iPad, and an attractive future slate of games.

Electronic Arts announced a worldwide environmental initiative to eliminate printed game manuals and replace them with easily-accessible digital manuals, a move that will reduce its printed materials in packaged products by 40%. 

An ancient, dreaming evil stirs. Dangerous creatures awaken. The Earth is in mortal peril. The wonders and horrors of the secret world are re-emerging in our world. The time has come to take up arms in the war between good & evil. Warriors and champions of Gaia, your training is about to begin. Rise. You have been chosen.

Activision Blizzard amended its counter lawsuit against two former executives, adding rival publisher/developer Electronic Arts, and added a hefty price tag on its claim, $400 million. Activision accuses EA of intentionally interfering with contracts, engaging in unfair competition and aided and abetted breaches of fiduciary duty by former Infinity Ward executives Jason West and Vince Zampella.

Electronic Arts announced its video game lineup for GamesCom, August 18-22, where it will show off Crysis 2, Medal of Honor, Darkspore, Dragon Age 2, Bulletstorm, Rock Band 3, and several others.

During EA's E3 2010 Media Briefing, it presented new coverage for Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Dead Space 2, EA Sports Active 2, EA Sports MMA, Madden 2011, Medal of Honor and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. EA also announced its "Gun Club" and showed off Crysis 2 and Bulletstorm. Star Wars: The Old Republic is also playable on the show floor this year.

Electronic Arts has revealed its lineup of titles that it will have on display at the 2010 E3 Expo taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center on June 15 - 17, 2010, such as Medal of Honor, Need for Speed, Dead Space 2, and The Sims 3 for console; all new properties EA SPORTS MMA and titles from EA Partners, Crytek and Epic.

THQ announced the launch of THQ Partners, providing select developers and publishers access to THQ’s global retail and online publishing network.

Project Mercury is an epic single-player role-playing game that marks the first entry into the company's vast universe created by New York Times best-selling fantasy author R. A. Salvatore, with artistic direction by Todd McFarlane, renowned artist and creator of Spawn.

Electronic Arts has acquired social network games developer Playfish, accelerating its position in social entertainment and strengthens its focus on the transition to digital and social gaming.

Well here's some food for thought. If you thought this morning's rumor that various parties, including EA and Warner Bros., were interested in buying THQ was unbelievable, then how about the fact that, according to options strategist Frederic Ruffy over at New York based WhatsTrading.com, Microsoft might be interested in acquiring Electronic Arts. Shares for both companies jumped up earlier today when the rumor started spreading, with Reuters claiming "a London-based trader also cited similar talk as making rounds in Europe."

Electronic Arts announced MySims Camera and SUDOKU are available for download from the Nintendo DSi Shop, while Littlest Pet Shop and Scrabble, along with original EA titles are also in development and will release later this fall.

Electronic Arts announced its line-up of titles it will be showing off at GamesCom 2009 (Aug. 19th-23rd), such as Bad Company 2, Brütal Legend, Dante's Inferno, Dragon Age: Origins, Need For Speed, Mass Effect 2 and plenty more..

Check out the following new screens & trailers from Electronic Arts' E3 2009 lineup:

• 'Army of Two: The 40th Day' (ALL) - 7 New Screens & Trailer
• 'Battlefield 1943' (PS3/X360/PC) - 7 New Screens
• 'Battlefield: Bad Company 2' (PS3/X360/PC) - Screens & Trailer
• 'The Beatles: Rock Band' (Wii/PS3/X360) - 11 New Screens
• 'Brutal Legend' (PS3/X360) - 10 New Screens
• 'Charm Girls Club' (NDS/Wii) - 5 New Screens
• 'Dante's Inferno' (ALL) - 7 New Screens
• 'Dead Space Extraction' (Wii) - 5 New Screens
• 'EA Sports Active' (Wii) - 5 New Screens
• 'FIFA Soccer 10' (ALL) Officially Announced - Features & Screens
• 'Fight Night Round 4' (PS3/X360) - Screens
• 'G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra' (ALL) - 12 New Screens
• 'Grand Slam Tennis' (Wii) - 11 New Screens
• 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' (ALL) - 11 New Screens
• 'Littlest Pet Shop Online' - 6 New Screens
• 'Madden NFL 10' (ALL) - Screens
• 'Mass Effect 2' (X360/PC) - 6 New Screens
• 'MySims Agents' (NDS/Wii) - Facts, Features & Screens
• 'NCAA Football 10' (ALL) - Screens
• 'Need for Speed Nitro' (NDS/Wii) - 7 New Screens
• 'Need for Speed Shift' (PSP/PS3/X360/PC) - 8 New Screens
• 'Spore Hero' (Wii) - 8 New Screens
• 'Spore Hero Arena' (NDS) - 9 New Screens
• 'The Saboteur' (PS3/X360) - 5 New Screens
• 'The Sims 3' - Screens

Electronic Arts has revealed its lineup of titles that it will have on display at the 2009 E3 Expo taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center on June 2 - 4, 2009, such as GI Joe, Battlefield 1943, Bad Company 2, Mass Effect 2, The Saboteur, Army of Two: The 40th Day, Brütal Legend, Dante's Inferno, and others.

Earlier this month EA's financial situation indicated there would be layoffs, title cancellations, mergers and various other cutbacks, one of them being scrapping the plans for its new 20,000-square-foot facility in Vancouver, Canada. EA has now further detailed the cutbacks, revealing it will consolidate or close at least nine studios and publishing locations, and lay off 10% of its workforce. The Black Box development teams and associated game franchises will move to the nearby EA studio location.

Gerald Willis of Reno, composer of the University of Las Vegas fight song "Win With the Rebels," has filed a lawsuit against Electronic Arts in U.S. District Court in Nevada according to Review-Journal.com, claiming EA used the song without permission in 10 of its NCAA video game franchises, and is requesting up to $150,000 for each copyright violation.

EA has decided to let its tender offer expire later today after CEO John Riccitiello had a discussion with Take Two's Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors Strauss Zelnick pending a management presentation to EA containing non-public information such as information relating to its three year product release schedule, so that it can better understand the value of the company.

Check out the following new screens from Electronic Arts' E3 2008 lineup:

• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (ALL) - Screens & Trailer
• Crysis Warhead - Screens
• Dead Space (PS3/X360/PC) - Screens & Trailer
• Dragon Age: Origins [PC] - E3 2008 Trailer
• FaceBreaker (Wii/PS3/X360) - Screens
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (ALL) - Screens
• Hasbro Family Game Night (Wii/PS2) - Screens
• Left 4 Dead (X360/PC) - Screens
• Littlest Pet Shop (Wii) - Screens
• The Lord of the Rings: Conquest (NDS/PS3/X360/PC) - Screens
• Madden NFL 09 (ALL) - Screens
• Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (ALL) - Screens
• Mirror's Edge [PS3/X360/PC] - E3 2008 Trailer
• MySims Kingdom (Wii) - Screens
• NBA Live 09 (ALL) - Screens
• NHL 09 (PS2/PS3/X360/PC) - Screens
• Skate It (NDS/Wii) - Screens
• Spore (NDS/PC) - Screens
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 (ALL) - Screens
• Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning - Screens
• Zubo (NDS) - Screens

Electronic Arts announced it has acquired ThreeSF,, a social network for gamers started by Napster founder Shawn Fanning. Financial terms were not disclosed. More information about EA's plans for ThreeSF will be available in the weeks ahead.

Check out the following new screens and trailers from Electronic Arts' Spring Break 2008 lineup:

• 'BattleForge' - Screens & Trailer
• 'Mass Effect' (PC) - 8 New Screens
• 'Battlefield: Bad Company' (PS3/X360) - Screens
• 'Skate It' (NDS/Wii) - Screens & Trailers
• 'Battlefield Heroes' - New Screens
• 'Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning' - 6 New Screens
• 'Rock Band' (Wii) - 9 New Screens

EA appointed former McAfee CFO/COO Eric Brown as Chief Financial Officer and EVP, replacing Warren Jenson who resigned earlier this week but will stay on a few more weeks to transition his successor into the role.

EA announced that Chief Financial Officer Warren Jenson will be leaving the company. Mr. Jenson has served as EA's CFO since 2002 and will stay with the company to assist with its fiscal year-end close, financial reporting process, and to help transition his successor into the role.

After industry rumors of Viacom planning to buy Take-Two for $1.5 billion, Electronic Arts has opened up its coffers and made a $2 billion cash offer for the company, which is best known for its Grand Theft Auto series. The Take-Two board turned down the deal as "unsolicited proposal as inadequate," so EA made the announcement in an attempt to sway Take-Two's shareholders.

UPDATE: We have included the conversational letters between Take Two's Strauss Zelnick and EA's CEO John Riccitiello.

EA will be showing off several of its upcoming holiday titles at the E for All Expo in Los Angeles, California, (Oct. 18-22) including Rock Band, Warhammer Online, and The Simpsons Game.