Digital sales help EA make $1.1bn during Q3 period

FIFA Ultimate Team and SimCity BuildIt helped EA generate $1.1bn in GAAP revenue in the quarter ending December 31st 2014.

Revenue from boxed products was up year-on-year – packaged goods made $585m, up from $398m during the same period last year.

Digital sales represented around half of the publisher’s net revenue, generating $541m – a huge increase on the $410m made in Q3 2014.

All of this is rather impressive given that the firm didn’t release any new Battlefield or Need for Speed titles – two of its biggest franchises – during this period, unlike Q3 2014.

Among EA’s most popular titles for the quarter is mobile construction title SimCity BuildIt, which launched in December, but has already been downloaded 22m times.

Meanwhile the publisher’s digital sports games continue to grow, with the firm’s FIFA, Hockey and Madden NFL Ultimate Team modes collectively generating 82 per cent more non-GAAP net revenue year-on-year.

The firm has also revised its financial projects for the full 2015 fiscal year.

EA now expects to generate $4.485bn in GAAP net revenue and $4.253bn non-GAAP – up from the $4.375bn GAAP and $4.175bn estimated in the publisher’s previous quarterly report.

EA delivered amazing experiences to our players in Q3, from the award-winning Dragon Age: Inquisition to SimCity BuildIt to our live services for FIFA, Madden NFL and more,” said EA CEO Andrew Wilson.

Great execution with our leading IP, new mobile hits and continued strength in our catalogue of top games and services were the foundation for an excellent performance in Q3.”

Chief financial officer Blake Jorgensen added: EA has driven another quarter of record-breaking financials.

Our ongoing digital transformation, including live services like EA Sports Ultimate Team, coupled with ongoing cost discipline, enables us to deliver consistent cash flow and earnings growth.”