EA: “We made wrong call by betting on PS3 & Xbox 360″

Mercury News: How would you assess how this console cycle has gone so far from EA’s standpoint? Is there anything you would like to see the console makers doing that they’re not doing right now?

John Riccitiello, CEO of Electronic Arts: The cycle is a lot like the past. There is a lot of innovation, probably more this cycle than even the last cycle; a lot of growth; a lot of exciting things. And we can choose to take advantage of those things.

One thing that’s different is we typically figured out who the market leader was going to be before the start of the cycle and bet with our development resources on that platform. We made the wrong call there (by betting on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360), which made this transition harder than it would otherwise be. But now we’re catching up, and I think we’re fine. We’ve got some incredibly innovative Wii titles, incredibly innovative DS titles coming. And so I think that issue’s sort of behind us. I am very happy that (the console makers) continue to drive an expanded install base, so I’ve got a bigger universe to sell into. But we’ve also transcended them a little bit. We’ve got a big mobile business, a big PC business, a big direct to consumer business, increasing advertising business, microtransaction business, subscription business – all things that live outside the world of (selling console games).

[Nintendic]



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  • Wii fanboy for ever

    I think this article is some bullshit couse i thnik EA is making more money on Ps3 and Xbox than wii

  • http://wiinintendo.net/ hattrick

    I’m not sure about that, Wii fanboy (btw, you’re not living up to your name). I think EA has some true potential to make more money on the DS and Wii. Each system has a bigger install base, which means more potential buyers. Also, because of the innovative controls, that opens up more possibilities for different types of games/control.

  • Beximus

    Also the profit gained from making a wii game is significantly higher.

    all the money and time they invest in making games for 360 and ps3 they sometimes never see returned.

    however when they develop for the wii EA squats down and a game comes out of their ass. of course its profitable to them.