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Live services make up nearly three-quarters of EA's business

Executives discuss FIFA and Madden performance, rationale behind taking Sims 4 free-to-play

During Q2 EA's earnings call yesterday, executive vice president and chief operating officer Christopher Suh revealed trailing a 12-month period, live service titles account for 73% of the firm's gaming business.

He added that digital title sales made up 66% of full game units sold, an increase of 5% year-over-year.

Suh also noted the performance of the firm's latest sports titles and their own live service components.

"In the first 4 weeks, FIFA 23 sell-through unit sales were up 10% versus the comparable period for FIFA 22 and [FIFA Ultimate Team] players are up 6%. With the launch of Madden 23, Madden Ultimate Team players and net bookings are both up double digits year-on-year," he explained.

The company's executives also addressed the decision to convert The Sims 4 to a free-to-play model.

"As we look to the last 12 months, about 90% of all revenue was from extra content, not the base game," said CEO Andrew Wilson.

He added that while the game is nearly a decade old, "we felt that this was the right time."

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Jeffrey Rousseau

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Jeffrey Rousseau joined GamesIndustry.biz in March 2021. Based in Florida, his work focused on the intersectionality of games and media. He enjoys reading, podcasts, staying informed, and learning how people are tackling issues.