EA Acquires Napster Founder's Gaming Social Network

Officials from Electronic Arts have announced that the company has acquired social network firm ThreeSF, Inc. and its video game related service Rupture. No further details of the acquisition have been revealed, including the price paid for the company. The company is led by former Napster founder Shawn Fanning, with the Los Angeles Times suggesting that Electronic Arts has paid around $30 million for the deal. Currently undergoing a closed beta test period, Rupture is described as a means of connecting gamers from around the world and allowing them to “share experiences, events, challenges and achievements”. The software automatically tracks information about performances in games and allows the information to be accessed by friends and for inline commenting on significant achievements or failures. Rupture was designed to be platform and game agnostic, with no indication from Electronic Arts if the service would now be used solely for the company’s own titles once launched. EA officials have suggested that further information on the deal will be released in the coming weeks.