Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company and one of the world's largest and most influential publishers of interactive entertainment software. Founded in 1982 by former Apple executive Trip Hawkins, EA pioneered the concept of treating game developers as "software artists" and has grown into a global powerhouse with a portfolio of some of the most recognizable gaming franchises in history. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, the company employs approximately 14,500 people worldwide and serves millions of players across console, PC, and mobile platforms.

EA's business is organized into two primary divisions: EA Sports, which includes the company's sports simulation franchises such as EA SPORTS FC (the rebrand of FIFA following the end of the FIFA licensing agreement in 2022), Madden NFL, NHL, and the massively successful EA College Football 25, and EA Entertainment (formerly EA Games), which encompasses non-sports titles including The Sims, Battlefield, Apex Legends, and Dragon Age. This reorganization in 2023 reflects EA's strategic focus on its core competencies and largest revenue drivers.

For fiscal year 2024 (ending March 31, 2024), Electronic Arts generated $7.56 billion in revenue, representing the company's best annual result ever and a 6% increase over the prior year. This growth was driven primarily by strong performance in full-game downloads, EA SPORTS FC 24, Madden NFL 24, Apex Legends, and The Sims 4. However, fiscal year 2025 presented challenges, with revenue declining 1.31% to $7.46 billion due to underperformance of EA Sports FC 25 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Despite these headwinds, EA maintains a strong market position with a market capitalization exceeding $50 billion as of late 2025.

The company faces intense competition from other major publishers including Activision Blizzard (known for Call of Duty and World of Warcraft), Take-Two Interactive (Grand Theft Auto, NBA 2K), and Ubisoft (Assassin's Creed, Far Cry). EA has navigated significant industry changes including the shift to digital distribution, the rise of live services and free-to-play models, and the consolidation of the gaming industry. In a landmark development, EA agreed in September 2025 to be acquired by a consortium including Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners in a $55 billion deal that would take the company private, with shareholders receiving $210 per share in cash—a 25% premium over the pre-announcement share price. This transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of EA's fiscal year 2027, marking a new chapter for one of gaming's most storied companies.