Electronic Arts (EA), based in Redwood City, California, acquired
Distinctive Software in 1991 for $11 million and renamed Distinctive Software to EA Canada. At the time of the business acquisition, Distinctive Software was noted for developing a number of racing and sporting games published under the
Accolade brand.
Distinctive Software Distinctive Software, Inc. was a Canadian
video game developer established in
Burnaby,
British Columbia, by
Don Mattrick and Jeff Sember after their success with the game
Evolution. Mattrick (age 17) and Jeff Sember approached
Sydney Development Corporation, who agreed to publish
Evolution in 1982. Distinctive Software was known in the late 1980s and early 1990s for their
racing and
sports video games, including the
Test Drive series,
Stunts,
4D Boxing, and
Hardball II. In 1991, Distinctive was
acquired by
Electronic Arts in a deal worth million and became
EA Canada, which is where the most
EA Sports branded games are developed.
EA Canada Since becoming EA Canada, EA Canada has developed many EA Games,
EA Sports, and
EA Sports BIG games.
EA Seattle, formerly Manley & Associates, was closed in 2002. Half the jobs were moved to EA Vancouver. EA acquired Black Box Games in 2002 and Black Box Games became part of EA Canada under the name of
EA Black Box. EA Black Box later became an independent EA studio in 2005. After its acquisition, EA Black Box became the home of several franchises, such as
Need for Speed and
Skate. The studio was later shut down in 2013, after a series of restructurings and layoffs within EA. In 2011, EA Canada acquired Bight Games, a maker of
freemium games. ==Games developed==