Editing Codemasters (section)

=== 2020–present: As an Electronic Arts subsidiary ===
Codemasters announced in November 2020 that it had been approached to be acquired by [[Take-Two Interactive]] as a buyoff offer valued at {{GBP|739.2 million}}. Codemasters said its board was ready to approve the deal, pending the required regulatory approvals and Take-Two's own commitment once those approvals were granted.<ref>{{cite web |date=6 November 2020 |title=Take-Two to buy British videogame developer Codemasters for $973 mln |url=https://ca.reuters.com/article/ctech-us-codemasters-m-a-take-two-idCAKBN27M2D7-OCATC |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106180008/https://ca.reuters.com/article/ctech-us-codemasters-m-a-take-two-idCAKBN27M2D7-OCATC |archive-date=6 November 2020 |access-date=6 November 2020 |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/codemasters-confirms-its-in-talks-with-take-two-over-a-possible-sale/ |title=Codemasters confirms it's in talks with Take-Two over a possible sale |first=Andy |last=Robinson |date=6 November 2020 |access-date=6 November 2020 |work=[[Video Games Chronicle]] |archive-date=6 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106163746/https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/codemasters-confirms-its-in-talks-with-take-two-over-a-possible-sale/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In the same month, both Take-Two and Codemasters agreed to a Take-Two buyout of Codemasters in a stock and cash deal around {{USD|994 million}}, which was expected to be completed by early 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-11-10-gta-publisher-take-two-will-buy-codemasters-for-nearly-usd1bn |title=GTA publisher Take-Two confirms purchase of Codemasters in deal worth nearly $1bn |first=Tom |last=Phillips |date=10 November 2020 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=10 November 2020 |archive-date=10 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110141711/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-11-10-gta-publisher-take-two-will-buy-codemasters-for-nearly-usd1bn |url-status=live}}</ref> Following the acquisition, Codemasters would have operated within the [[2K (company)|2K]] label under its existing leadership. In a statement, Take-Two boss [[Strauss Zelnick]] said that Codemasters' racing games would fit well with its own roster of sports games.<ref>{{cite web |last=Barker |first=Sammy |date=10 November 2020 |title=Looks Like Codemasters Will Be Acquired by Take-Two |url=https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2020/11/looks_like_codemasters_will_be_acquired_by_take-two |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110134548/https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2020/11/looks_like_codemasters_will_be_acquired_by_take-two |archive-date=10 November 2020 |access-date=2 December 2020 |website=Push Square}}</ref> However, Take-Two's bid was subsequently trumped by [[Electronic Arts]] in December 2020, which offered to buy all outstanding shares at {{GBP|6.04}} for an offer valued at about {{US$|1.2&nbsp;billion}}, about 14% higher than Take-Two's offer. Codemasters' board of directors agreed to the EA deal, which closed by the first quarter of 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/14/investing/ea-codemasters/index.html |title=EA snaps up racing game developer Codemasters in $1.2 billion deal |first=Streisand |last=Neto |date=14 December 2020 |access-date=14 December 2020 |work=[[CNN]] |archive-date=14 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214144425/https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/14/investing/ea-codemasters/index.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Take-Two formally withdrew its offer in January 2021, ceding to EA's bid,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-01-13-take-two-withdraws-bid-for-codemasters-following-ea-offer-of-usd1-2bn |title=Take-Two withdraws bid for Codemasters following EA offer of $1.2bn |date=13 January 2021 |access-date=13 January 2021 |work=[[GamesIndustry.biz]] |archive-date=13 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113123917/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-01-13-take-two-withdraws-bid-for-codemasters-following-ea-offer-of-usd1-2bn |url-status=live}}</ref> while Codemasters' board signed off on EA's bid later that month.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/376550/Codemasters_directors_vote_in_favor_of_12_billion_EA_acquisition_.php |title=Codemasters' directors vote in favor of $1.2 billion EA acquisition |first=Chris |last=Kerr |date=22 January 2021 |access-date=22 January 2021 |work=[[Gamasutra]] |archive-date=22 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122150313/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/376550/Codemasters_directors_vote_in_favor_of_12_billion_EA_acquisition_.php |url-status=dead}}</ref> The acquisition was completed on 18 February 2021, with all shares transferred to Codex Games Limited, a subsidiary of EA.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/ea-has-officially-completed-its-purchase-of-codemasters/ |title=EA has officially completed its purchase of Codemasters |first=Andy |last=Robinson |date=18 February 2021 |website=[[Video Games Chronicle]] |access-date=18 February 2021 |archive-date=18 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218140837/https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/ea-has-officially-completed-its-purchase-of-codemasters/ |url-status=live}}</ref> EA's Andrew Wilson said they plan to keep Codemasters as a standalone entity within EA similar to Respawn Entertainment.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/1-2-billion-is-a-big-number-but-we-think-its-a-great-opportunity-to-bring-two-great-companies-together-the-inside-track-on-eas-acquisition-of-codemasters/ |title="$1.2 billion is a big number. But we think it's a great opportunity to bring two great companies together" – The inside track on EA's acquisition of Codemasters |first=Seth |last=Barton |date=18 May 2021 |accessdate=18 May 2021 |work=[[MCVUK]]}}</ref> Codemasters announced in July 2021 that CEO Frank Sagnier and CFO Rashid Varachia will depart the company at the end of the month, as part of the EA acquisition plan. Special vice president of product development Clive Moody and of publishing Jonathan Bunney will take over leadership of Codemasters following this.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-07-06-frank-sagnier-and-rashid-varachia-step-down-from-codemasters |title=Frank Sagnier and Rashid Varachia step down from Codemasters |first=Danielle |last=Partis |date=6 July 2021 |accessdate=6 July 2021 |work=[[GamesIndustry.biz]]}}</ref>

In May 2022, EA merged Codemasters subsidiary Codemasters Cheshire into [[Criterion Games]], an existing subsidiary of EA, as to support effort on the ''[[Need for Speed]]'' series as the two companies were already working together on a new title in the series together for months, then later that year in October, announcing a new title called ''[[Need for Speed Unbound]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/ea-merges-criterion-and-codemasters-cheshire-to-work-on-need-for-speed |title=EA merges Criterion and Codemasters Cheshire to work on Need For Speed |first=Ishraq |last=Subhan |date=12 May 2022 |accessdate=12 May 2022 |work=[[Eurogamer]]}}</ref> which was released on 2 December 2022.

In December 2023, an unknown number of employees at Codemasters were laid off by EA.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=2023-12-04 |title=F1 Developer Codemasters Suffers Round of Layoffs |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/f1-developer-codemasters-suffers-round-of-layoffs |access-date=2024-03-02 |website=IGN |language=en |archive-date=January 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120153015/https://www.ign.com/articles/f1-developer-codemasters-suffers-round-of-layoffs |url-status=live }}</ref>

In May 2025, it was announced<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ea.com/games/ea-sports-wrc/wrc-24/news/wrc-development-update |title=EA SPORTS™ WRC - Development Update |website=EA Sports WRC |date=1 May 2025 |quote=}}</ref> that Codemasters had stopped development on its [[World Rally Championship|WRC]] [[WRC (video game series)|titles]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nordic.ign.com/dirt-rally-20/93751/news/codemasters-pausing-development-plans-on-future-rally-games|title=Codemasters ‘Pausing’ Development Plans on Future Rally Games |date=1 May 2025 |website=IGN Nordic |last=Reilly |first=Luke}}</ref> More people were laid off as well, while an unspecified amount of other employees would move to work on other EA Sports properties.<ref>{{cite web |date=3 May 2025 |title=Codemasters confirms layoffs as EA-owned studio shifts focus away from beloved rally games |url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/codemasters-confirms-layoffs-as-ea-owned-studio-shifts-focus-away-from-beloved-rally-games/ |access-date=3 May 2025 |website=Video Games Chronicle}}</ref>