Electronic Arts is acquiring Respawn Entertainment, the developers behind the ‘Call Of Duty in mech suits’ FPS game series, Titanfall. The studio will continue work on the next game in the series, as well as a Star Wars title and ‘a VR gaming experience’, according to a statement from the Redwood massive. Respawn first revealed the new VR IP during the recent Oculus Connect 4 event.

Respawn will join EA’s Worldwide Studios in a deal worth up to $455m, comprising $151m in cash, up to $164m in long-term equity, and up to $140m performance bonus from 2020.

World-Class Calibre

Andrew Wilson, CEO at Electronic Arts said, “We’ve seen first-hand the world class calibre of Respawn as a development studio with incredible vision, deep talent and an inspiring creative mindset. Our longtime partnership is grounded in a shared desire to push the boundaries and deliver extraordinary and innovative new experiences for players around the world. Together, we’ve brought this to life in the Titanfall franchise, and now with the Respawn team joining EA, we have exciting plans to accomplish even more amazing things in the future.”

Vince Zampella, CEO at Respawn Entertainment said, “We started Respawn with the goal to create a studio with some of the best talent in the industry, and to be a top developer of innovative games. We felt that now was the time to join an industry leader that brings the resources and support we need for long term success, while still keeping our culture and creative freedom. EA has been a great partner over the years with Titanfall and Titanfall 2, and we’re excited to combine our strengths. This is a great next step for Respawn, EA, and our players.”

 The deal is expected to close by the end of the year.