Did I call it or what??? EA buys Rupture!
May 8, 2008 – 9:23 pm
Okay, I didn’t call it specifically, but a few hours ago I wrote about the need for MMORPGs to extend their gaming experience beyond the client. I wrote about porting game content, especially character and guild information, to create MMORPG-based social networks.
Well, I doubt EA read my ramblings, but they did just buy Rupture, a beta Web service created by Napster’s Shawn Fanning that will allow them to do just that!
Rupture allows players to create character profiles in a World of Warcraft based social network. Players simply install a client addon that transfers information from the game (such as inventory, equipment, stats, etc.) directly to the Rupture Web site. Players can then make friends, send messages, and write blogs just like they can on any other common social network, like Myspace or Facebook.
It’ll be interesting to see how EA (Mythic) integrates this new acquisition with Warhammer Online. Even if they don’t maintain the site as a separate entity, I think some of the technology will probably work its way into the Warhammer Herald.
Then again, maybe they just want to take this technology off the market… Compared to EA’s $2B Take Two bid, a $30M Rupture buyout seems a paltry price to pay for keeping it out of competing hands.
The weirdest part about all this is that EA Mythic now owns a Blizzard social network… Talk about getting into your opponent’s face! 
7 Responses to “Did I call it or what??? EA buys Rupture!”
Rupture is awesome. I can’t wait to see something like this used in WAR.
By Keen on May 9, 2008
I agree with Keen, it sounds rly kewl !
By Greek on May 10, 2008
Hopefully they use this data capture technology and learn from it to create some kick ass data feeds and functionality on the WAR site as well as other future online EA titles.
By QforQ on May 10, 2008
This is a cool idea and if they integrate into the WAR would rock. Thee real time data itself would be a boon. I can check the WAR from work and then go home and kill much more efficiantly. Planning all the way home. Would make traffic bearable.
By Gunter on May 11, 2008