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This financial year EA expects to generate around $750 million from its digital business, the bulk of which comprises of full game downloads and DLC.
It’s a figure which accounts for 20 per cent of the publisher’s total revenue and is expected to become increasingly important in the years ahead.
Speaking at UBS’s 38th Annual Media and Communications Conference, EA CFO Eric Brown spoke of this change, highlighting the revenue generated by the publisher’s FIFA DLC.
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“We see people spending $500, $600, $700 on digital card packs to play Ultimate Team simulation mode,” Brown told investors.
The FIFA 09 edition of Ultimate Team generated revenues of $15 million, a figure which doubled to $30 million with the 2010 edition, and Brown expects this growth to continue with the FIFA 2011 edition.
Brown also pointed to standalone title success, notably Battlefield 1943. The game cost in the single-digit millions to create, but earned the publisher around $16 million after platform holders took their share.
Via GameSpot
Digital content is becoming increasingly important for publishers, in the case of DLC generating revenue beyond the initial sale, while full game downloads enable sales direct to the consumer, bypassing cost associated with a retail release.
In the case of Ultimate Team, the DLC is being sold on the back of huge retail success, but its growth suggests gamers are becoming increasingly willing to make digital purchases.
