EA: We Dropped The Ball - But We're Still the Best
Online pass and free-to-play concepts making money.
A man of epic business.
EA boss dog John Riccitiello has admitted that the company has fallen foul to many mistakes, but has pulled through and come out swinging with a portfolio he believes is the best in the business.
Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference in San Francisco, Riccitiello said, "If you go back seven years, we were the leader. And we dropped the ball.
"Our IP deteriorated, our costs went up, and we didn’t really have an answer for the rise of digital. Need for Speed ended up flat on its back. That annual sequel thing got to us. That was a very tough business run. We just didn’t have the portfolio."
Today, the exec said that EA has "the strongest intellectual property portfolio by far in the games industry today," and that its stake in free-to-play and Online Pass initiatives are paying off. Games are staying in disc trays. In comparison, other companies in the traditional console market consist of "half a dozen companies, several players and… the riff-raff.” Bitchy.
"[Digital is] the fastest growing part of our business, and we’re one of the fastest growing businesses in the industry today. But what’s surprising is that it’s starting to monetise. People seem to like paying for games. Play first pay later – that’s a very compelling model for today’s gamer."
Via VG247
Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference in San Francisco, Riccitiello said, "If you go back seven years, we were the leader. And we dropped the ball.
"Our IP deteriorated, our costs went up, and we didn’t really have an answer for the rise of digital. Need for Speed ended up flat on its back. That annual sequel thing got to us. That was a very tough business run. We just didn’t have the portfolio."
Today, the exec said that EA has "the strongest intellectual property portfolio by far in the games industry today," and that its stake in free-to-play and Online Pass initiatives are paying off. Games are staying in disc trays. In comparison, other companies in the traditional console market consist of "half a dozen companies, several players and… the riff-raff.” Bitchy.
"[Digital is] the fastest growing part of our business, and we’re one of the fastest growing businesses in the industry today. But what’s surprising is that it’s starting to monetise. People seem to like paying for games. Play first pay later – that’s a very compelling model for today’s gamer."
Via VG247
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Comments
Canadian 16 Feb 2011 18:35
1/1
EA’s decision not to develop and publish games for the Dreamcast was a major contributing factor in its early demise. Ten years later I would not want a EA game on any system not even Coleco Vision. EA sucks and Peter Moore is a sell out.