EA reported a loss in their fiscal year 2014 results, despite being the number one selling publisher on next-gen consoles.
Despite the loss, EA saw their mobile games division experience rapid growth --
with 130 million active monthly users of their gaming products on mobile platforms. Ultimate team modes generated $380 million in revenue over the past year, with Madden Ultimate Team seeing a 90% yearly rise in revenue generated for the company.
The bad news for EA is that they saw their traditional packaged games sales fall 15% year-over-year. Weakness in current-gen sales and the yet to be established next-gen platforms are likely the major culprits -- as sports titles themselves saw fewer overall sales this year vs. last year.
In other EA related news, it appears they
are ready to partner with Comcast to deliver EA games via Comcast set-top boxes to consumers. The deal would effectively give EA an in to living rooms without the need of traditional consoles of 22 million Comcast subscribers. Comcast would make the games available on X1, and they would be streamed to consumers after being purchased. Reportedly, tablets would be used as controllers.
The goal of the deal would be to make buying games as easy as ordering a pay-per-view movie.
Would you pay to stream EA games via your cable company?