Mon, Apr 05, 2010 | 14:40 BST
Indian games firm gets 50% stake in Codemasters
Indian firm Reliance Big Entertainment has bought a 50 percent stake in Codemasters.
Its gaming arm, Zapak Digital Entertainment, will overlook the investment.
“The opportunities arising from this partnership are truly exciting. This is great news for our development and publishing teams,” said Codemasters CEO Rod Cousens.
“Reliance and Zapak have immense resources and will help us realize the full potential of our game coding and online excellence across so many platforms, and especially in the world’s fastest growing markets. The future of Codemasters has never looked brighter. It’s a whole new game!”
Only back in January, the firm was rumoured to get new investors, although it was not announced who was potentially in the running at the time.
The firm also announced its most recent expansion in Guildford, headed up by Black producer Stuart Black. The studio’s currently making FPS Bodycount, which will release early next year for PS3, 360 and PC.
It’s current line-up for this year includes International Cricket 2010 and F1 2010.
It also just announced recently DiRT 3 is in development.
Thanks, MCV.
19 
Posted in: Codemasters, Hot, India, Trade, UK
Tags: Reliance Big Entertainment, rod cousens, Zapak Digital Entertainment
19 comments
#1
Wizard
05/04/10, 2:47 pm
well, indian like uk’s company. after the automobile industry they attack the game market!
#2
humanfish
05/04/10, 2:58 pm
Oh dear, does anyone call us Great Britain these days? 50% is an awful lot, they must have been pretty desperate for fresh investment. And who the chuff are these people. Very strange. Give it a a few years and the Tower of London will be owned by China Corp and the Crown Jewels by India PLC. Its the way our small island nation is going.
Did that all come across as negative?
#3
G1GAHURTZ
05/04/10, 3:13 pm
Yes.
#4
Bulk Slash
05/04/10, 3:45 pm
Expect to see development of all Codemasters franchises outsourced to India then.
#5
mortiferus
05/04/10, 4:27 pm
Oh my… this cannot be good.
#6
AHA-Lambda
05/04/10, 5:05 pm
Hmm…don’t like the look of this. Poor bodycount could be dearly affected too O_o
#7
Erthazus
05/04/10, 5:10 pm
Affected with what?
#8
AHA-Lambda
05/04/10, 5:39 pm
I dont really know
I just don’t like the sounds of this if you see what I am saying.
#9
Erthazus
05/04/10, 5:50 pm
Racism you mean?
Whats the problem here if Indian company will have 50%?
Its Codemasters problems that Eastern countries like China, Russia, India have a lot of money to purchase 50% of something that UK, US companies can’t afford.
Its just money and budget. Games won’t be affected. Someone wants just more money in their pocket and if they have brains and money kudos to them. Make just better games.
#10
AHA-Lambda
05/04/10, 6:46 pm
I’d hardly say racism, that’s a bit harsh O_o
I just don’t like the sounds of any company (and one i have never heard of at that) buying out a HUGE stake in a videogame company; and a floundering one at that.
#11
Erthazus
05/04/10, 6:56 pm
Company is just a budget and marketing. Everything else depends on developers and game designer talents.
#12
RoarrrUK
05/04/10, 8:22 pm
@Erthazus
Racism? Jesus, talk about jumping to conclusions.
Does it say anywhere how this was funded, leveraged etc?
#13
DaMan
05/04/10, 8:23 pm
Russia isn’t ‘eastern’
also, indian coders ftw…
#14
loki
05/04/10, 8:27 pm
What a another PC bullshit, Bodycount no plan for PC.
I hope Indians been more smarter than British, i mean good game for leading platforms: Xbox 360 and PS3, no PC ports and mediocre games
#15
JimFear666
05/04/10, 11:55 pm
lol i cant wait for bollywood games.
#16
bugmenot
06/04/10, 3:56 am
auto rickshaw racing on its way!
#17
frostquake
06/04/10, 4:04 am
The India Company is rolling in the money, they have soooo much they have no idea what to do with it all…maybe open more call centers for Dell, Microsoft, Direct TV, Red Box…so I can call and talk to someone whose name is Bob, but can’t speak a lick of English..”Hi, Me Named Bob, I service you Customer concerns Today? May help I you to know understand?”
#18
Blerk
06/04/10, 8:40 am
Quite a surprising announcement, I wasn’t expecting that at all. Given that it’s a 50% stake, does that mean they now have people on the board? Or is it a silent partnership?
#19
Grimrita
06/04/10, 8:38 pm
As someone who worked for Codies, its not a surprise. Rod ‘I run companies into the ground’ Cousons wanted to float the company 2 years ago to get some further investment in. Investors were being shown around all the time.
All their 2008 releases were a year late, way over budget and totally shit and needless to say, didnt sell. The only shock came with Wii cricket but that was mostly thanks to getting Nintendo on board.
Expansion plans in to the US market faded rapidly, a bunch of senior management who draw on nice salaries for doing fuck all for the best part of the day and a work ethic where they want to have an individual brand manager for a title.
They have more Senior managers then EA UK did and EA have triple A games and release vast amounts of titles a year.
Remember, another big chunk of Codies is owned by US investors and their money allowed for the new building to be completed and further invest in trash releases.
If F1 isnt a hit, codies will be in deeper shit than they are now.
All I can say is ‘they tried the cowboys, now lets try the Indians!’