Expect fewer industry mergers, says Riccitiello

Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello believes that there will be less consolidation in the videogame market as the majority of viable businesses have already been acquired.

Instead, he points toward emerging business models such as in-game advertising and microstransactions as future areas for growth.

"Is it ripe (for mergers), or has it already been picked? I would argue that it's been largely picked," said Riccitiello, reports Reuters.

"That doesn't mean it's done. I think there will be more consolidation to come. But let's just say a lot has already happened," he added.

Riccitiello returned to Electronic Arts earlier this year, and since then the publisher has acquired Elevation Partners, home of developers BioWare and Pandemic.

Riccitiello said earlier in the year that videogame business models need to change, pointing to the market in China where games are given away free, and yesterday reiterated his thoughts at the Reuters Media Summit.

"There's a lot of growth in what is the non-traditional arena, so that would be microtransactions, subscriptions revenue, ad revenue, new types of models, casual games," he said.