EA buys mobile gamer for $680 mil

Deal is the largest acquisition in company's history

By BEN FRITZ

Electronic Arts will add Jamdat Mobile, publisher of cell phone games like Bejeweled.

Signaling a big push into the mobile games space, Electronic Arts has agreed to acquire Jamdat Mobile, one of the biggest publishers of vidgames for cell phones, for $680 million in cash.

Deal is the largest acquisition in EA's history.

Electronic Arts already has its own mobile games division headed by John Batter, who was previously GM of company's L.A. studio. That unit will merge with Jamdat, though it's unclear what if any role Batter will have.

Company announced that Jamdat CEO Mitch Lasky is taking over as head of EA's worldwide mobile games business.

He'll oversee Jamdat's lineup, which includes popular games Bowling and Bejeweled, as well as EA titles like "Need for Speed" and "Madden NFL Football."

Jamdat went public just one year ago, taking advantage of Wall Street interest in the fast-growing cellular gaming market.

Last quarter, it made a profit of $1.4 million on $20.2 million in revenue.

Both Jamdat and EA's mobile business are located in L.A, meaning the combined division will almost certainly operate out of the publisher's studio in Playa Vista.