Electronic Arts touted worldwide sales of Left 4 Dead 2 and Dragon Age: Origins during today’s investor call, the two titles combining for more than 5.6 million in sales. In other good news, EA lost $US82 million last quarter.
No that is good news, considering that EA lost $US641 million during the same quarter last year. A remarkable improvement, you might say, especially since revenue was down to $US1.243 billion as compared with $US1.654 billion from the year prior. Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello is understandably pumped.
“EA is growing share in our packaged goods business and our digital businesses continue to grow rapidly,” said John Riccitiello, Chief Executive Officer, clearly pleased.
Eric Brown, Chief Financial Officer, was similarly stoked. “We are expecting an increase in FY11 full year non-GAAP earnings per share on the basis of strong cost controls and growth in our digital businesses,” said Brown. EA expects to make $US3.45 to $US3.70 billion in the next fiscal year, thanks to the release of many video games.
glennc
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 1:19 PMEA is my favourite publisher (can’t believe i just said that). my 2 favourite franchises; bad company and skate are published by EA so i am hoping to see further recovery.
PlasmaDavid
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 1:22 PMDoes it reflect badly on me when I see this news and think “Hah EA, suck s*** and die!”
Maybe I’ve just been conditioned to dislike those sell-out mass produced behemoths, even if they still publish some great games >_>
I mean, I’d not think that if it was Shovels-R-Us Ubisoft…
What is wrong with me? o_o
metalisticpain
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 1:33 PMEA, dont fire John Riccitiello as has been rumored. EA has really done an about face, no longer are we getting a crap tonne of shovel ware, we are getting gems like Dragon Age, Dead Space, mass effect, Skate, bad company.
So many good games.
Simeon
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 1:39 PMNo Mirror’s Edge 2.
Sad.
Dunnowhathuh
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 2:17 PMWell seeing as activision is now on the top of my hate list, I guess hearing news like this isn’t so bad.
Glen Bruton
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 5:00 PMActivision, will have their day. There is no way you can keep flogging the same IP forever.
Fracture
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 2:25 PMlets hope they NEVER make another need for speed … everytime I enjoy it a little bit but hate it for all its foibles even more
mambodog
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 2:35 PMSupposedly the next NFS game is being done by the Burnout developers (Criterion). Bit more hopeful now?
Jay
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 6:31 PMI read their are two one by Criterion and by the usual dev’s.
But i agree with an above comment, EA have become one of my fave publishers. Funnily enough – a lot of people whinging about EA have most likely played/bought a lot of the titles they thrash EA for thrashing and milking.
This is a business and industry about MAKING money not losing. What do you expect them to do? Dish out a successful game and not release a sequel or two. Hmmmm what business course did you come from?
Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Mirror’s Edge and Dead Space – some of the best games i’ve played over the past 2 years. That alone makes me like EA.
Whether the fact that their Sports Line is chucked in out faces year after year. WE continue to buy it and they kinda do, do a good job of making them. ’10 series seems to be their most successful in sales and critically acclaimed… so really the haters opinion means well, nothing?
mambodog
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 2:32 PMI dunno, I have to say I think EA have been turning things around. EA haters, become accustomed to your new target for hatred: Activision.
WaveOfMutilation
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 2:40 PMIts not suprising that them and every other publsiher except activision made a loss last quater after pulling all their games for fear of MW2.
Cerberus
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 3:23 PMlol @ fear of MW2, was it a good game? EA needs to actually release some games thats the problem, but personally the whole industry needs to stop delays or shut up about games until they are atleast ready, but looks like no delays next year with a $3.70 billion estimate.
Lochie Wilson
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 4:42 PMea just need a robert bowling. whenever i think about ea i just think of douchebags who sit around john madden going ‘okay, this year we’ll release 3 madden games and announce 6′.
Craig
Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 1:22 AMLochie, that’s not really a good analogy for the mainstream EA hater opinion. Madden is released once every year and has been for a over a decade (besides 06 which had a 360 version and first gen version).
As other people have said, not a fan of the mass produced games, and unfortunately in rushing people to make games it forces games to be released well below what they could be, but they have released a lot of my favourite games so I wouldnt say I hate em.
Peter Richards
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 5:25 PMSo if they just cut back the execs pay packets a bit, they would have turned a profit this year.