EA's full-year sales reach $3.1 billion

Electronic Arts has seen sales for its fourth quarter fall by 4 per cent to USD 613 million (EUR 452m), compared to last year's USD 641 million (EUR 473m), with net losses of USD 25 million (EUR 18m), compared to USD 16 million (EUR 11m) in the previous year.

For the full fiscal year ended March 31st, sales reached USD 3.1 billion (EUR 2.2bn), up five per cent from USD 2.95 billion (EUR 2.17bn) the previous year.

Profits for the full year were down to USD 76 million (EUR 56m) compared to USD 236 million (EUR 174m) the previous year.

Sales attributed to digital revenue — online and casual games, in-game advertising and micro transactions — rose 47 per cent to USD 127 million (EUR 93m). EA's Pogo.com reached a subscriber base of over 1.5 million, up 23 per cent from the previous year.

Other highlights for the company included a a seven per cent rise in sales in Europe and five per cent sales rise in the US. Asian sales were down 15 per cent.

Over the twelve month period, seven of the publisher's key titles sold over three million units — Madden NFL 07, Need for Speed Carbon, Need for Speed Most Wanted, 2006 FIFA World Cup, FIFA 07, The Sims and The Sims 2 Pets,

"We have a strong line-up for the year ahead," commented Warren Jenson, CFO for EA.

"We expect to launch more than fifteen games based on wholly owned properties including Medal of Honor Airbourne, Army of Two, Boogie, My Sims, Battlefield Bad Company, Skate and Need for Speed."

Electronic Arts now expects sales for 2008 to reach between USD 3.1 billion and 3.4 billion (EUR 2.5bn), with first quarter sales of USD 300 to USD 360 million (265m).