FOUNDED: 1982
OWNERSHIP: Public (Nasdaq: ERTS)
HEADQUARTERS: Redwood City, California
REVENUES: $3.091 billion for FY 2007
EMPLOYEES: 7,900 worldwide; 5500 in the studio
BACKGROUND:
Electronic Arts (EA) is the world’s leading independent developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software for advanced console systems such as the PlayStation® 3, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP™ (PlayStation® Portable) system, Xbox 360™ and Xbox® video game system from Microsoft, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo GameCube™, Game Boy® Advance and the Nintendo DS™ as well as PC, casual web-based games and games for mobile phone devices.
Since the company was founded in 1982, EA has been a creative leader and today, the company continues to innovate and evolve the interactive entertainment medium. By drawing talent from diverse fields such as computer programming, animation, character modeling, motion capture, 3D face and body rendering, computer graphics and sound engineering with contributions from storywriters, directors, camera-people, actors and musicians, EA uses technology and creativity to develop mainstream interactive entertainment.
EA’s broad portfolio of franchises includes global perennial blockbusters from its EA SPORTS™ brand including: Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, and NBA LIVE. The diverse offering from its EA™ brand features wholly-owned intellectual properties such as Need For Speed™, The Sims™, and Burnout™ franchises, as well, as key Hollywood licenses for games based on The Lord of The Rings™, Harry Potter™, and The Godfather™ properties. Recent EA SPORTS BIG™ hit titles include NFL STREET, NBA STREET and FIFA STREET.
EA operates its global Headquarters in Redwood Shores, California and with regional headquarters in Geneva Switzerland and Singapore. EA’s five hub studios are in Redwood Shores, Los Angeles, Orlando, Vancouver (Canada) and Guildford (UK), along with development studios in Chicago, Fairfax, Salt Lake City, and Montreal (Canada) and boasts a development team that is more than 5500 people strong. The company’s International headquarters are located in Geneva, Switzerland. With an eye on the global marketplace, EA continues to expand its international presence, most recently having opened offices Singapore and Seoul. EA is focused on continuing to grow its business presence in Asia Pacific and Japan.
Additional growth drivers for EA are in online gaming and the mobile phone markets. In 2006, EA acquired Massively-multiplayer Online game developer Mythic to form EA Mythic. The studio is responsible for RPG franchises Warhammer Online, Dark Age of Camelot and Ultima Online. In the same year, EA also acquired JAMDAT Inc, the world’s leading developer of mobile phone games. Today, EA Mobile is the #1 mobile game publisher with a wide selection of sports, simulation, racing and puzzle games.
EA is an active player in online games on PC and consoles. EA’s Pogo.com™ casual gaming site offers web-based games including a Club Pogo™ subscription service which has more than 1.5 million subscribers. EA’s Battlefield franchise is among the most popular PC games to be played online. EA also supports Microsoft’s Xbox Live® service and in 2007 will have launched two Xbox Live Arcade games: Boom Boom Rocket and Wing Commander Arena .
EA BRANDS:
EA markets its products worldwide under four brand logos:
- EA SPORTS™
- EA SPORTS BIG™
- EA™
- POGO™
EA TOP SELLERS:
In FY 2007 EA had 24 titles that sold over 1 million units, and seven titles earned triple-platinum status; Madden NFL 07, Need for Speed Carbon, FIFA 07, The Sims™ 2 Pets, The Sims™ 2, Need for Speed™ Most Wanted and 2006 FIFA World Cup™.
EA STUDIOS:
In addition to the Redwood City, California headquarters and development studio, EA operates development studios in Los Angeles, California; Orlando, Florida; Fairfax, Virginia; Chicago, Illinois; Vancouver and Montreal, Canada; Stockholm, Sweden; as well as Guildford, England and Frankfurt, Germany.
EA SALES OPERATIONS:
EA has a direct sales force in North America and international subsidiaries in Australia, Austria, Barbados, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom.
EA MANAGEMENT TEAM:
John Riccitiello, Chief Executive Officer
Lawrence F. Probst III, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors
Gerhard Florin, Executive Vice President and General Manager, International Publishing
David P. Gardner, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer Worldwide Studios
Frank D. Gibeau, President, EA Games Label
William B. Gordon, Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer
Warren C. Jenson, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer
Joel Linzner, Executive Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs and Interim President of EA SPORTS Label
Peter Moore, President, EA SPORTS
Nancy Smith, President, The Sims Label
Kathy Vrabeck, President, EA Casual Entertainment Label
Steve Bené, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Jon Niermann, Senior Vice President, Managing Director Asia Publishing
Gabrielle Toledano., Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Kenneth A. Barker, Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer