NEWS ABOUT: Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts stories: 27 news briefs
Los Angeles Times Apr 13, 09 9:43 AM CDT
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The videogame industry, recently geared toward churning out bigger and bigger blockbusters, is shrinking its ambitions down to iPhone size, the Los Angeles Times reports. Thanks to Apple’s App Store, the iPhone and iPod Touch have become surprisingly popular gaming devices—and developers have taken notice. Electronic Arts, for example, will release 14 iPhone games this year.
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'Stupid Fun Club' incubator will partner with video-game giant
San Francisco Chronicle Apr 9, 09 7:14 AM CDT
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The creator of The Sims is departing Electronic Arts to focus on "strange products and ideas," the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Will Wright plans to work full-time at his Stupid Fun Club think tank, which develops ideas for film, games, and TV. Wright says he has already cooked up some ideas for toys and TV shows and is looking for ways to commercialize them.
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Business Insider Mar 11, 09 1:21 PM CDT
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EA has a new poster boy: Mike Tyson. The infamous boxer will adorn the cover of Fight Night Round 4 alongside Muhammad Ali and will be a playable character within, Silicon Alley Insider reports. As the star of Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out! for the original Nintendo, Tyson was once the face of video-game boxing. Then he was convicted of rape and took a bite out of an opponent’s ear. Chances are, nostalgic gamers won’t care.
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Game maker plans line of products to get couch potatoes into shape
USA Today Nov 14, 08 8:10 AM CST
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Electronic Arts has become the latest game maker to target the Wii-as-personal-trainer market, USA Today reports. EA Sports Active, developed with experts including Oprah Winfrey's trainer, hits the shelves in March and aims to help users lose weight through more than 20 exercises that work the upper and lower body and boost cardio fitness. Nintendo remains the industry leader, selling 2.3 million versions of Wii Fit.
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MARKET opener
Scary Halloween ahead for Wall Street?
Wall Street Journal Oct 31, 08 8:51 AM CDT
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Stocks took a small slide this morning, as spooked investors bid farewell to one of the worst months in market history. The Dow fell 21 points, while the S&P and Nasdaq were off 0.3% and 0.9% respectively, the Wall Street Journal reports. Among the scary news was a predictably grisly consumer spending report, which took its biggest hit in four years, and a slashed outlook from Electronic Arts.
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Under 20% of workers are women—a demographic games have barely tapped, either
Los Angeles Times Oct 21, 08 9:40 PM CDT
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The video-game industry has yet to really tap into the female audience, the Los Angeles Times reports, and a big reason looks to be how male-dominated the business is. Women make up fewer than 20% of the industry’s total workforce, and a mere 3% of programmers. Some fault education, while others blame a “college fraternity” atmosphere, including recruiting parties that have strippers.
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Billboard in online racing game marks another first for Dem's campaign
GigaOm Oct 14, 08 4:12 PM CDT
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Barack Obama’s campaign has been lauded for its online efforts, but in the race to make high-speed connections with voters, the Democrat has taken another “new media” leap, placing a campaign billboard inside an Xbox 360 online racing game. While politicians have promoted themselves online before, this is hands-down the most prominent use of the medium, Wagner James Au writes on GigaOM.
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NEW RELEASE
Game delivers on 'universe in a box' hype, but that doesn't mean it's great
San Jose Mercury News Sep 5, 08 6:18 PM CDT
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Most critics are positive about Spore , but you’ll likely get a different answer from each about why. Troy Wolverton, writing in the San Jose Mercury News , found the game “engrossing,” though he wonders whether it will live up to the “massive hype.” In the New York Times , Seth Schiesel criticized some of Spore 's gameplay, but called it “probably the coolest, most interesting toy I have ever experienced.”
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Gamers get chance to face in-the-flesh stars in Xbox confrontation
Boston Globe Aug 29, 08 6:03 PM CDT
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Shaving giant Gillette has announced a partnership with Electronic Arts to sponsor an online gaming tournament where the prize will be competing against real-life sports stars, the Boston Globe reports. Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, and Derek Jeter are the celebrity champions, who will be challenged by players on the Xbox 360’s Tiger Woods PGA Tour , NASCAR , Madden NFL , NBA Live, and FIFA Soccer .
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ANALYSIS
Makers can't use players' names, but gamers willing to pay to get data
Ars Technica Aug 27, 08 2:40 PM CDT
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College-sports video games offer players and teams carefully designed to mirror real-world counterparts, but NCAA regulations bar use of college athletes’ names in-game. But, Ars Technica finds, fans are willing to pay those who put in the time-consuming work of compiling rosters, with one company grossing $150,000 last year selling memory cards and downloadable files that put names to players in Electronic Arts’ football franchise.
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Philadelphia Inquirer Aug 11, 08 8:20 PM CDT
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With the clock ticking down to the midnight release of the 2009 edition of EA Sports’ mega-popular "Madden NFL" video game, millions of eager gamers are excited to dig in—but not as excited as the manufacturer, which has made $2.4 billion from the franchise since 1995. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on the anticipation on both sides.
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EA risks millions on 5-in-1 evolutionary computer game
CNET Aug 4, 08 8:40 PM CDT
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Spore will face scary expectations when the one-of-a-kind computer game goes on sale next month, CNET reports. Electronic Arts has poured untold millions into it; fans of Will Wright's last all-new creation, The Sims —the best-selling game of all time—hungrily await a new diversion; and analysts ask if gamers will glom onto the premise of Spore , which offers five games in one.
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Facebook's official Scrabble application could oust popular game
TechCrunch Jul 8, 08 4:27 PM CDT
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Facebook users anticipating a goodbye to the site’s popular unofficial Scrabble game may finally see it happen when an official one comes out later this month. Hasbro and Electronic Arts are preparing the alternative to Scrabulous, which Hasbro says infringes on its copyrights. “We are keeping our legal options open,” a Hasbro rep told TechCrunch regarding its on-again, off-again battle against the hugely popular rogue version.
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Game blows away sales records, jacks up profit forecasts
MarketWatch Jun 6, 08 3:34 AM CDT
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Profit forecasts have shot through the roof at Take-Two Interactive Software, thanks to the runaway success of Grand Theft Auto IV, reports MarketWatch. The company is boasting a $100 million second-quarter profit, up from a $50 million loss for the same period last year—even though the blockbuster game was released just two days before the quarter ended.
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EA games expected on board with Sony; product placement to be updated via Web
Wall Street Journal Jun 4, 08 3:14 PM CDT
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Sony has struck a deal to bring in-game advertising to its PlayStation 3 console, the Wall Street Journal reports. Many games have already toyed with product placement and ads, but thanks to the deal with IGA Worldwide, those digital billboards can now be updated in real time. Electronic Arts will be the first game-maker to take advantage of the deal.
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NEW RELEASE
Boom Blox hopes to engage kids and adults alike
ABC News May 12, 08 4:02 PM CDT
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As if the release of the next Indiana Jones film wasn’t enough to keep him busy, Steven Spielberg launched a new video game for the Wii last week, called Boom Blox , ABC News reports. A puzzle game with cute characters and engaging animations, it was created with the intent of "bringing grownups and kids together with a great activity," Spielberg says.
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Controversial game could change math in EA takeover bid
Wall Street Journal Apr 29, 08 8:55 AM CDT
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Everyone’s favorite controversy magnet is coming back to consoles—and it’s going to make a lot of money. Grand Theft Auto IV went on sale today, and it’s expected to shatter sales records, the Wall Street Journal reports. One analyst predicts $400 million in its first week. An opening like that could change the fortunes of its producer, Take-Two Interactive Software, which is in takeover talks.
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Expect more options for videos soon—including watching them on TiVo
MIT Technology Review Mar 14, 08 1:12 PM CDT
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YouTube is opening up to software developers, the company said Wednesday. Programmers can create new interfaces to play videos, for example, or let users upload clips to YouTube directly from other sites. And later this year, viewers will be able to watch YouTube videos via TiVo. The open platform won’t create revenue, Technology Review reports, but YouTube hopes it will attract more users.
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Video game maker plans to bypass Take-Two management
Wall Street Journal Mar 13, 08 10:21 AM CDT
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Electronic Arts is renewing its $2 billion bid to take over rival Take-Two Interactive—but this time the offer will go directly to the video game maker's shareholders, in a sign the potential deal may be turning hostile, reports the Wall Street Journal. EA’s initial offer was rejected by Take-Two management, who said it undervalued the company, even though the $26 per share represented a 50% premium at the time.
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Video game giant pushing $2B hostile bid for rival Take-Two
Wall Street Journal Feb 25, 08 8:08 AM CST
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Video game kingpin Electronic Arts disclosed yesterday a $2 billion hostile takeover bid to acquire rival Take-Two Interactive Software, and capture the popular “Grand Theft Auto” franchise. EA, publisher of Madden NFL titles, said the $26-a-share offer represented a 50% premium over Take-Two’s closing price on Friday, but Take-Two’s chairman complained the offer was “woefully undervalued.”
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