Star Wars: The Old Republic is Electronic Arts’ most expensive game put together in their 30-year history. The game features Jedis, Wookies, and Siths that are just like the characters in the popular movie series. It is believed that EA put in between $100 and $300 million into this game, but EA has not spilled any information on costs that are associated with development and licensing.

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) has acquired social gaming company KlickNation. KlickNation’s team will be rolled into EA’s BioWare social gaming division. KlickNation will focus on role-playing Facebook app games and the team will continue to be led by CEO Mark Otero.

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) has bought PopCap Games, an online gaming company. EA spent $650 million in cash and $100 million in stock. PopCap is also eligible to receive $550 million in earnouts over the next couple of years. EA out-bid Zynga for the deal. Zynga reportedly offered PopCap $1 billion.

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS) has acquired Firemint, the company that is behind popular games like Flight Control and Real Racing. The acquisition is expected to close in the next 4 weeks. Firemint is based in Melbourne, Australia. Flight Control is especially popular on the iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows Phone 7. Firemint was founded in 1999 by CEO Robert Murray. Murray will now work in the EA Interactive (EAi) team. EAi oversees EA Mobile, Pogo, and Playfish. [AllThingsD]

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) just saw their chief operating officer John Schappert get hired away by social gaming Zynga. Zynga’s rivalry is intensifying as their internal valuation surpassed EA’s around October 2010. Ironically, about a year ago Schappert said at a conference that the future of gaming is acquired franchises like The Sims and Madden. [BusinessInsider]

Activision has added Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) to a $400 million lawsuit. Activision fired Jason West and Vince Zampella this past March. Activision believes that EA had “intentionally interfere with contracts, engaged in unfair competition and aided and abetted breaches of fiduciary duty by the executives.” Apparently EA was talking to West and Zampella through talent agency Creative Artists before the two finished working on Modern Warfare 2.

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) has signed a 5 year agreement with Facebook. The deal will require those who purchase EA games on Facebook to pay with Facebook Credits only. This deal is very similar to the deal that Zynga signed with Facebook. EA is the parent company of Playfish, a social gaming company that competes directly with Zynga.

Social gaming company Zynga has hit a $5.51 billion valuation on SharesPost Inc. Given this valuation, it means that Zynga is essentially worth more than Electronic Arts. Electronic Arts is worth about $5.16 billion on the stock market.