Electronic Arts (EA) announced at its investor day conference that it anticipates hitting the high end of its annual bookings forecast.
The video game publisher also unveiled the next installment of its iconic multiplayer shooter series, “Battlefield.” The new game will return to a modern-day setting, marking a shift from the last three titles, which explored different historical periods. This move positions EA to compete directly with Activision Blizzard’s popular “Call of Duty” franchise.
EA’s focus on the long-standing “Battlefield” series comes at a time when many consumers are cutting back on discretionary spending due to inflation, sticking with well-known titles instead of exploring new releases. In July, the company projected its fiscal 2025 bookings to range between $7.30 billion and $7.70 billion.
CFO Stuart Canfield highlighted the success of EA’s American football games, which are expected to contribute $1 billion in net bookings for fiscal year 2025. In addition, EA unveiled a new “EA Sports” app that will integrate sports content, messaging, and gaming, aiming to capitalize on the popularity of its franchises like “EA FC” and “Madden NFL.”
The company also announced an upcoming film adaptation of its life simulation game “The Sims,” in collaboration with Amazon’s MGM Studios. EA aims to double its annual bookings from “The Sims” within the next five years.
The push toward film and TV adaptations follows the success of Sony’s “The Last of Us” series. However, not all adaptations have been successful—Take-Two Interactive’s recent “Borderlands” movie underperformed at the box office, grossing $32 million against a budget of $115 million.
