EA trims its 2010 lineup, focuses on high-profit games
As the mushroom cloud still hangs in the air after Electronic Arts' devastating quarterly report, which also brought with it 1,500 layoffs, the publisher plans to focus on games that are sure bets. MCV notes EA CEO John Riccitiello's statement, made during an investor conference call yesterday, that the company will release approximately 30 titles in its 2010 fiscal year, a 50 percent cut from fiscal year 2008.
Develop picked up on the executive going on to say that EA has a "core slate" that it will "iterate on an either annual or bi-annual basis ... all of them are selling or have sold in their most recent edition two million units or more." He continued that any game that can't be expected to be a "very high profit contributor and high unit seller" is out from "this point going forward." What a difference a year makes.
It sounds like the "old EA" might be making an unwelcome, albeit economically enforced, return. We can hate it as much as we want, but EA's accountants, stockholders and surviving employees probably prefer the security.
Source -- EA slashes release slate in half [MCV]
Source -- EA going cold on new IP [Develop]
