Zynga failed to acquire both Popcap and Rovio, says New York Times

Zynga has acquired a lot of companies, but it looks as though its two biggest attempts to purchase both Popcap and Angry Birds developer Rovio failed.

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Zynga has acquired a lot of companies, but it looks as though its two biggest attempts to purchase both Popcap and Angry Birds developer Rovio failed.

According to a report from the New York Times, Zynga attempted to acquire Popcap Games for $950 million. Instead, the Bejeweled developer became part of Electronic Arts for $750 million plus potential bonuses. Rovio, meanwhile, was reportedly offered $2.25 billion in cash and stock from Zynga, but turned down the deal.

The Times cites numerous sources that claim that the reason Zynga was unable to acquire either company is due to its culture, which forces employees to work long hours in a stressful, data-driven environment. Some are even predicting that Zynga will lose a number of employees once it finally reaches its muh talked about initial public offereing.

“I expect a lot of game and tech companies will begin recruiting Zynga’s talent after their equity becomes liquid,” Gabrielle Toledano, head of human resources for Electronic Arts, told the Times. “Competitors will make the case that they offer much more compelling opportunities for creative people.”

Some of Zynga’s many acquisitions this year include DNA Games, Area/Code, and Five Mobile.