EA's planned purchase of Codemasters, the UK based studio that specializes in racing simulators such as DiRT, GRiD and the F1 series, has been cleared by the board of directors, with 63 of the studio's 76 shareholders approving of the proposed deal.

The next stage will be a formal court hearing on the 16th of February, after which EA's acquisition of Codemasters will likely complete in the Spring. EA stole the deal from under Take-Two, who had originally offered to purchase the studio for just under $1 billion.

Codemasters will join EA's existing racing lineup, with games such as the Need For Speed series, but will bring with it much more simulation-focused and realistic driving titles, something EA has not avoided to date, preferring to focus on more arcade-style gameplay.

EA stated it plans to use Codemasters as a play to become the "global leader" in racing games, with new racing titles planned to release on a yearly basis.