EA launches an eSports division led by Peter Moore
Expect more focus on competitive 'Battlefield,' 'Madden' and 'FIFA.'
Electronic Arts, the studio responsible for Star Wars: Battlefront, SimCity and the Battlefield franchise, has launched a new Competitive Gaming Division led by former COO and EA Sports President Peter Moore. The goal of the new business is to cultivate eSports opportunities within EA's library, most notably in the Battlefield, Madden NFL and FIFA franchises. EA's CGD will develop live events and broadcasting featuring eSports, plus create new, officially branded competitive experiences, CEO Andrew Wilson says in a blog post.
Former EA Senior Vice President of Product Marketing Todd Sitrin also gets a new job, heading up strategy and operations as SVP and General Manger of the new division.
Professional gaming, otherwise known as "competitive gaming" or "eSports," is big business, bringing in an estimated $612 million in revenue and 134 million global viewers in 2015 alone. Even independent studios are getting in on the action, thanks in large part to livestreaming sites like Twitch and YouTube Gaming.
