Details about EA's buyout of Hands-On Korea emerge

Question: how much does it cost a multinational games publishing powerhouse to muscle in on one of Korea's most promising mobile games development studios in order to bolster the former's eastern promise?

Answer: $29 million in cold hard cash transported in several wheelbarrow loads by an army of cosplay costumed acrobats. Well, the wheelbarrows and the cosplay bit is a bit of an embellishment but the word round the campfire is that EA's recent acquisition of Hands-On Korea cost a cool $29 million and that it will be paid in full, in cash very soon (if it hasn't already).

All of the financials had remained undisclosed at the time of the deal, but EA filed its annual report late last Friday which contained some of the particulars about the buyout.

Hands-On bought MobileGame Korea in 2004, and that was rebranded as Hands-On Korea shortly afterwards. A cool $29 million is quite a chunk of change for the modestly sized company but it's not like EA is short of a few quid.

Here's hoping the deal will bear fruit this side of the hemisphere as well as in Asia.