
Electronic Arts (EA)
FOUNDED: 1982
OWNERSHIP: Public (Nasdaq: ERTS)
HEADQUARTERS: Redwood City, California
REVENUES: ?3.1 billion for fiscal 2005
EMPLOYEES: 6,100 worldwide
BACKGROUND: Electronic Arts (EA) is the world?s leading independent developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software for advanced entertainment systems such as the PlayStation?2 computer entertainment system, the PlayStation?, the PSP? (PlayStation? Portable) system, Xbox? video game system from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCube?, Game Boy? Advance and the Nintendo DS? as well as PC. EA is also developing or planning to develop games for next generation consoles including Xbox 360?, the PlayStation?3 and the next console from Nintendo.
EA has been a leader in its field since the company was founded in 1982. Since its inception, EA has been a creative leader, and today, the company continues to innovate and improve interactive gaming. By combining diverse media such as computer animation, video, photographic images, motion capture, 3D face and body rendering technologies, computer graphics, and stereo sound with contributions from storywriters, film directors and musicians, EA uses technology and creativity to develop mainstream entertainment through an interactive medium.
EA?s broad portfolio of franchises includes global sports 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? , James Bond?, Harry Potter?, and The Godfather? properties. Recent EA SPORTS BIG? hit titles include NFL STREET Vol 2, NBA STREET V 3 and FIFA STREET.
EA?s five hub studios are in Redwood Shores, Los Angeles, Orlando, Vancouver (Canada) and Chertsey (UK), along with development studios in Chicago, Montreal (Canada) and Tokyo (Japan) and boasts a development team that is more than 4,100 people strong. With an eye on the global marketplace, EA continues to expand its international presence, most recently having opened an office in Hong Kong. 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 cell phone markets. EA supports both the PlayStation 2 console from Sony and Microsoft?s Xbox Live? capabilities on the console, and continues to build out its PC online functions. EA?s Pogo.com? site offers web-based games, including a Club Pogo? subscription service which has more than 840,000 active players, including approximately 780,000 paying members. EA launched a mobile cell phone games initiative in 2004 which produces and develops a line-up of games drawn from its deep roster of hit franchises.
EA BRANDS: EA markets its products worldwide under four brand logos:
EA SPORTS? EA SPORTS BIG? EA? POGO?
EA TOP SELLERS: In FY 2005 EA had 31 titles that sold over 1 million units, including games from the Need for Speed, Madden NFL Football, The Sims, FIFA Soccer, Harry Potter, NBA LIVE, EA SPORTS? Fight Night, Burnout, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR?, The Lord of the Rings, NCAA? Football, James Bond and NBA STREET franchises.
EA STUDIOS: In addition to the Redwood City, California headquarters and development studio, EA operates development studios in Los Angeles, California; Orlando, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; Vancouver and Montreal, Canada; Tokyo, Japan; and Chertsey, Guildford, and Warrington, England.
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:
Lawrence F. Probst III, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer V. Paul Lee, President, Worldwide Studios Gerhard Florin, Executive Vice President and General Manager, International Publishing David P. Gardner, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer Worldwide Studios Frank D. Gibeau, Executive Vice President and General Manager, North American Publishing 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 J. Russell (Rusty) Rueff, Jr., Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Facilities Nancy L. Smith, Executive Vice President and General Manager, North American Publishing Steve Ben¡§¦, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Erick Hackenburg, Senior Vice President, Global Online Publishing Jon Niermann, Senior Vice President, Managing Director Asia Publishing Kenneth A. Barker, Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer
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