Electronic Arts: EA Sports FC 24 stabilizes sales

Even after brand new replacement EA Sports Club Football simulation remains Electronic Arts’ No. 1 revenue stream.

As if the current quarterly numbers didn’t sufficiently document this, CEO Andrew Wilson made the point again to analysts afterwards: Live services were, and will continue to be, the foundation of the business model for US publisher Electronic Arts.

Live services refer to revenue generated from in-game purchases in games and online modes Apex Legendss, battlefield, Sims & Co.: Two-thirds of the latest $1.91 billion (about €1.77 billion) comes from this sector – with the remaining third coming from classic sales of PC and console games. Throughout the year, the ratio is 3:1.

If published at the end of September FIFA 23-successor EA Sports FC 24 From an EA’s point of view, it’s good for both components to come together: The soccer game costs between 70 and 80 euros in stores and download stores – the actual sales and margin leverage come from the game’s digital currency and digital player packs. With 14.5 million players in the first four weeks, the company’s expectations were exceeded – the game was sold more than 600,000 times in Germany in just a few days.

The booming live services business also ensures that Electronic Arts also has failures such as its fantasy first-person shooter game The Immortals of Avium (which will receive a comprehensive update soon) can be easily handled. Secondly, the company is able to stand apart in the upcoming Christmas business Sims-Extension to develop any other innovations.

For the full year 2023/24, which runs to March 2024, the US toy manufacturer (which also operates a subsidiary in Cologne) expects total sales in the aisle to reach $7.3-$7.7 billion.