Electronic Arts - EA

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Electronic Arts - EA

• Game Industry Giant

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Founded in 1982

• BACKGROUND Electronic Arts (EA) is the world's
  leading independent developer and publisher of
  interactive entertainment software for advanced
  entertainment systems such as the PlayStation2
  computer entertainment system, the PlayStation,
  Xbox video game console from Microsoft, the
  Nintendo GameCube and the Game Boy Advance as
  well as the personal computer.
• EA has been a leader in its field since the
  company was founded. EA has and continues to
  innovate and improve interactive gaming.
  Combining diverse media such as video,
  photographic images, motion capture, 3D face and
  body rendering technologies, computer graphics,
  and stereo sound with contributions from
  storywriters, film directors and musicians, EA
  uses technology and creativity to create
  mainstream entertainment through an interactive
  medium.

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Why it is 1

• Last year, more than 22 EA titles sold over 1
  million units, including The Sims, Medal of
  Honor Frontline, Harry Potter and The Chamber of
  Secrets, James Bond 007 Nightfire, FIFA
  Soccer 2003, NBA LIVE 2003 and Madden NFL
  Football 2003.
• Revenues 2.5 Billion for fiscal 2003
• In addition to the Redwood City, California
  headquarters and development studio, the company
  has development studios in Austin, Texas Los
  Angeles, and Walnut Creek, California Orlando,
  Florida Vancouver and Montreal, Canada Tokyo,
  Japan and London, England.
• EA markets its products worldwide under three
  brand logos
• EA SPORTS
• EA SPORTS BIG
• EA GAMES

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Partnerships

• Electronic Arts Partners (EAP) is EA's publishing
  studio that co-publishes and distributes
  third-party products throughout the world. In
  2002, EAP and its co-publishing partner Digital
  Illusions, C.E. won the Academy of Interactive
  Arts and Sciences' Game of the Year for
  Battlefield 1942. EAP, which ranks as one of the
  industry's top 10 publishing companies based on
  revenues, currently has worldwide co-publishing
  agreements with Digital Illusions, C.E., Disney
  Interactive, Fox Interactive, Krome Studios, LEGO
  Interactive, IO Interactive, Warner Brothers
  Interactive and Sunflowers Interactive
  Entertainment Software. EAD also has regional
  partnerships including NovaLogic in North
  America Capcom, NovaLogic, NAMCO and other
  partners in Europe LucasArts, Square Enix Co.
  Ltd., NovaLogic, and other partners in various
  countries of the Asia-Pacific region and
  LucasArts in Japan. The EAP Business Unit also
  works with EA Studios to bring franchises to EA's
  internal development studios. Such franchises
  include the James Bond Franchise from MGM, Medal
  of Honor from DreamWorks Interactive (later
  acquired by EA), and The Lord of the Rings
  Trilogy from New Line Cinema.

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History

• 1982 Electronic Arts was founded.
• 1991 EA acquires Distinctive Software, Inc.
• Jun, 1997 Maxis was acquired by Electronic Arts
  in a US 125 million dollar stock transaction as
  a "fully-owned subsidiary" of EA.
• Jul 28, 1998 EA acquired ABC Software to
  establish direct sales org in Switzerland and
  Austria.
• Aug 04, 1998 EA enters into long term
  development agreement and makes investment in
  software developer Kodiak Interactive, who will
  develope WWF wrestling titles for EA.
• Aug 17, 1998 EA announced intention to buy
  Westwood Interactive from Virgin Interactive
  Entertainment.
• Aug 25, 1998 EA Ships Madden NFL 99 for PSX.
• Aug 26, 1998 EA ships Tiger Woods 99 PGA Tour
  Golf.
• Sep 10, 1998 EA ships NASCAR 99 for N64
• Sep 14, 1998 EA ships Jane's Israli Air Force

• Sep 16, 1998 EA ships "Future Cop LAPD" for PSX
• Sep 17, 1998 EA Ships Moto Racer 2 for PSX
• Sep 22, 1998 EA ships NASCAR 99 for PSX
• Sep 23, 1998 EA sponsors 2nd Annual EA Sports
  Internet Tour with 65000 in prize money.
• Oct 12, 1998 EA opens Subsidiary in Korea.
• Oct 15, 1998EA ships Fighter Pilot for PC
• Oct 29, 1998 Origin Systems ships Ultima Online
  The Second Age
• Nov 02, 1998 EA ships "Small Soldiers" for PSX
• Nov 10, 1998 EA ships NVA Live 99 for PC, PSX
  and N64
• Nov 16, 1998 EA secured 8-year exclusive license
  to top world soccer licenses, include FIFA and
  EURO cups.
• EA ships ESPN Digital Games' X Games Pro Boarder
  for the PSX, with PC to follow.

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History cont

• Nov 17, 1998 Bullfrog Productions launch
  Populous The Beginning.
• Nov 23, 1998 EA/Jane's ships Jane's WWII
  Fighters
• Nov 24, 1998 EA ships Tiger Woods 99 PGA Tour
  Golf, Knockout Kings, and FIFA 99 for the PSX.
• Nov 25, 1998 EA ships "Future Cop LAPD" for PC
  and Mac, as well as Moto Racer 2 for the PC.
• Dec 15, 1998 Ultima Online claims 100000 active
  playing players.
• Jan 11, 1999 Maxis releases Simcity Classic
  available for free playing on their website.
• Jan 12, 1999 EA Sports signs Sammy Sosa to be
  spokesman and coverman for Triple Play 2000.
• Jan 14, 1999 EA recalls PSX version of Tiger
  Woods 99. A bootleg episode of Southpark was
  found on the CD in normally unused space. The
  file was only readable via a PC, and was
  invisible to the PSX console. Recall was issued
  since Southpark is offensive to some people.
  Roughly 100000 copies were affected.

• Jan 19, 1999 EA / Maxis announces that Simcity
  3000 has "gone gold".
• Feb 09, 1999 EA / Firaxis ships Sid Meier's
  Alpha Centauri.
• Feb 22, 1999 EA signs multi-year Formula One
  license
• Mar 03, 1999 EA ships Superbike World
  Championship for PC.
• Mar 11, 1999 EA/Origin brought Wing Commander to
  movie screen.
• May 05, 1999 EA ships Jane's Fleet Command
• Jun 08, 1999 EA ships over 1 million copies of
  Simcity 3000.
• Jun 10, 1999 EA signs three year Supercross
  sponsor agreement.
• Jun 16, 1999 EA announces release of Need for
  Speed High Stakes for the PC.

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History cont

• Jul 27, 1999 EA receives first "Online Privacy
  Seal" under ESRB Privacy Online certification
  program.
• Jul 28, 1999 EA signs licensing agreement with
  Major League Soccer. EA/Firaxis announced Sid
  Meier's Alien Crossfire, expansion to Alpha
  Centauri.
• Jul 30, 1999 EA ships Simcity 3000 for the Mac
• Aug 31, 1999 EA will sponsor Las Vegas Bowl.
• Sep 02, 1999 EA signs Michael Jordan to appear
  in future basketball games.
• Sep 08, 1999 EA acquires Playnation, ships NHL
  2000 for the PC.
• Sep 17, 1999 EA/Looking Glass Studios ships
  Flight Unlimited III.
• Oct 18, 1999 EA enters into exclusive
  development agreement and invests in Bottle
  Rocket. EA/Jane's ships Jane's USAF
• Nov 05, 1999 EA ships SimThemePark

• Nov 08, 1999 EA ships Michelle Kwan Figure
  Skating
• Nov 22, 1999EA announces agreement to acquire
  Kesmai, the online game unit of NewsCorp. EA
  creates Internet Business Division to develope
  content for AOL and Internet. EA/Origin release
  Ultima IX Ascension
• 2000 EA ships Tiger Woods 99 PGA Tour Golf,
  Knockout Kings, and FIFA 99 for the PSX.
• Jan 26, 2000 EA licenses Quake IIIArena 3D
  engine to be used in several games, including
  "The World is Not Enough", American McGee's
  Alice, and others.
• Feb 04, 2000 EA/Maxis ships "The Sims"
• Feb 14, 2000 EA signs Mike Piazza of New York
  Mets to be the spokesman for EA Sports Triple
  Play 2001.

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History cont

• Feb 17, 2000 EA announces SSX Snowboard Super
  X, their first title for Playstation 2.
• Feb 24, 2000 EA acquires Dreakworks Interactive
  from Microsoft and Dreamworks SKG. EA/Origin
  announces that Ultima Online has reached 150000
  paying subscribers.
• Apr 27, 2000 Westwood Studios and EA announce
  Command and Conquer Red Alert 2.
• May 04, 2000 EA/Origin releases Ultima Online
  Renaissance.
• May 18, 2000 EA/Maxis releases Simcity 3000
  Unlimited.
• Jun 12, 2000 EA ships "Shogun Total War" for
  PC.
• Jul 26, 2000 EA signs Daytona Speedway for a
  4-year deal.
• Jul 27, 2000 EA/Maxis' The Sims is top-grossing
  PC Game of first half of 2000 by PC Data
• Jul 31, 2000 Chris Vrenna, founding member of
  "Nine Inch Nails", will produce and compose score
  for "American McGee's Alice".

• Aug 10, 2000 EA wins worldwide interactive
  rights for Harry Potter books and films.
• Aug 18, 2000 LucasArts signs distribution
  partnership with EA in Asia-Pacific Territory.
• Oct 26, 2000 EA releases their first Playstation
  2 title, SSX, under the new brand, EA Sports BIG.
• Oct 29, 2000 EA/Maxis releases first expansion
  pack to The Sims, titled Livin' Large.
• Feb 01, 2001 The Official US Playstation
  Magazine prints the first info on SSX DVD, Sled
  Storm 2 and NBA Street, all of which are part of
  the next wave of EA Sports BIG titles.
• Feb 20, 2001 EA teams with horror writer Clive
  Barker for first person shooter Clive Barker's
  Undying.

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History - Current

• Mar 23, 2001The Academy of Interactive Arts and
  Sciences awards SSX with 5 awards, including
  Console Game of the Year, Outstanding Achievement
  in Visual Engineering, Outstanding Achievement in
  Game Play Engineering, Racing Game of the Year,
  and Sports Game of the Year.
• Mar 28, 2001 Second expansion pack to The Sims
  released, titled House Party
• Jun 11, 2002 EA acquires Black Box Games and
  makes it a wholly-owned subsidiary of Electronic
  Arts.
• Feb 06, 2004 EA acquires the rights to develop
  new fighting games that will feature Marvel
  Comics' heroes
• Feb 13, 2004 EA acquires the development studio
  NuFX, Inc.
• Feb 18, 2004 EA announce that they hired the
  services of Fonix to develop voice-command
  interfaces for upcoming games.
• Jun 30, 2004 EA ends development on Ultima X
  Odyssey, an upcoming 3D MMORPG, so they can focus
  their online efforts on the 2D Ultima Online game.

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Company Overview

• Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts have built an
  empire of brand lables, making them a successful
  developer and publisher in interactive
  entertainment.
• EA publishes it's titles under three different
  logos, EA Sports, EA Games and EA Sports Big.
• EAD, Electronic Arts Distribution, is EA's third
  party publishing house, which distributes titles
  from the likes of Disney Interactive, Lego,
  LucasArts, Squaresoft and more through-out
  Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific (Australia).
• EA Studios is EA's development arm, which
  consists of studios dotted around the US, with
  the more common studios in use in Seattle and
  Canada. EA also has developement studios in Japan
  and London.