Q2 2025 Summary
Published Jan 10, 2025, 5:10 PM UTC| Topic | Previous Mentions | Current Period | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
Apex Legends performance | Q1 2025: Year-over-year decline but in line with expectations. Q4 2024: Engagement strong early, returned to prior norms. Q3 2024: Underperformance with some successful crossover promotions. | Fell short of expectations due to extended freemium access in Season 22 Battle Pass; monetization recovered after second-half release. EA plans systematic changes to drive growth. | Facing challenges yet remains a strategic focus; sentiment remains cautiously optimistic. |
American football ecosystem | Q1 2025: Madden NFL 24 outperformed; College Football launch brought in new and lapsed players. Q4 2024: Madden recognized as highest selling in years; ecosystem expansion planned. Q3 2024: Strong Madden sales in NA. | Record Q2 with College Football 25 as the best-selling HD title in NA, MVP bundle success, and a doubling of players year-over-year. Net bookings expected to exceed $1B in FY ‘25. | Continuing robust growth; strong synergy between Madden and College Football fuels the ecosystem. |
The Sims expansions | Q1 2025: 15+ updates planned focusing on UGC and social features. Q4 2024: Surpassed 85M players, double-digit growth YOY. Q3 2024: 1.8B hours played, up ~30%. | Emphasis on varied gameplay and UGC; “life and death” expansion pack for The Sims 4 launching Oct 31 and Creator Kit rolling out in November. | Consistent expansions continue to drive engagement and broaden the community. |
Dragon Age: The Veilguard | Q1 2025: Touted as a blockbuster storytelling experience for fall launch. Not mentioned in Q4 2024 or Q3 2024. | Launching within days; strong early reviews and seen as BioWare returning to its core strengths. EA confident in its breakout potential. | New AAA release with positive sentiment, potentially a major RPG success. |
EA Sports app initiative | Not previously discussed in Q1 2025, Q4 2024, or Q3 2024. | Soft launch in Spain, blending real-world sports content with interactive features to attract both gamers and general sports fans; a phased global rollout is planned. | New initiative aimed at unifying sports fandom and broadening EA’s audience. |
Potential industry strikes | Q1 2025: Limited impact expected; striking only affects future game productions. Not mentioned in Q4 2024 or Q3 2024. | Not mentioned in Q2 2025. | No longer mentioned, possibly resolved or deprioritized. |
Mobile gaming market challenges | Q4 2024: Highlighted high user acquisition costs and modest growth expectations; portfolio optimization under way. Q3 2024: Strategic focus on biggest opportunities (FC, Madden, Sims). | Not discussed in Q2 2025. | No longer mentioned after Q4 2024, overshadowed by more profitable segments. |
EA Sports FC rebranding | Q1 2025: Successful relaunch driving growth. Q4 2024: Called a “profound moment” with strong net bookings. Q3 2024: Brand transition yielded high retention, net bookings up. | Rebranding itself not specifically discussed in Q2 2025; franchise continues strong under EA Sports FC 24. | Rebranding no longer highlighted; franchise focus persists on gameplay and community growth. |
Stock repurchase program expansions | Q4 2024: Authorized increase from $2.6B to $5B. Q1 2025: Returned $425M to shareholders, up 13% YOY. | Not mentioned in Q2 2025. | No further updates post-Q1 2025. |
Operating margin expansion forecast | Q4 2024: Projected 300–350 bps GAAP margin expansion by FY ’27. Q1 2025: No explicit mention. | EA expects material margin expansion from FY ’25 to FY ’27. | Continues, though less detailed than in Q4 2024. |
Cross-media expansion | Q3 2024: Apex Legends crossover events hinted at cross-media potential. No specific Q4 2024 mention. | Film adaptation for The Sims with Amazon MGM in development, exemplifying broader IP growth beyond traditional gaming. | Expanding IP through film and collaborative events, signaling future synergy. |
AI and machine learning in game development | Q1 2025: Used to create 11,000 player heads for College Football. Q4 2024: Over 50% of dev processes could benefit; stadium creation time drastically reduced. Q3 2024: No mention. | EA views generative AI as a powerful driver of new kinds of experiences and business models. | Rapidly evolving technology with significant long-term impact on efficiency and creativity. |
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Q4 Bookings & College Football
Q: What's driving Q4 bookings acceleration, and impact of College football on Madden?
A: The Q4 bookings acceleration is driven by differences in release schedules and seasonality, including a new title launching in Q4 that wasn't there last year, contributing to higher bookings. Regarding College football's impact on Madden, both properties are performing strongly, and EA expects continued strength in both College and NFL titles, which contributes to the raised guidance midpoint. -
Live Services Growth
Q: Can you break down live services growth between sports and non-sports?
A: Live services are expected to grow mid-single digits in the back half of the year, driven by strong performance in sports titles. EA anticipates over $1 billion in net bookings from American football live services. Growth is expected in the FC franchise over a record prior year. Non-sports live services will contribute less, but overall live services will remain at mid-single-digit growth with a heavier mix on sports. -
Apex Legends Revitalization
Q: Is Apex being rethought incrementally or through a full rebuild?
A: EA plans to continue supporting Apex Legends with incremental innovation and creative content on a season-by-season basis. They don't believe a complete overhaul is necessary and aim to avoid forcing players to choose between past investments and new content. The focus is on delivering progressively bigger seasons and introducing key changes without separating the experience. -
American Football Momentum
Q: How will you sustain momentum in American football titles?
A: EA aims to transform the Madden franchise into a football fan platform that serves fans year-round. By integrating both NFL and College football, they plan to build a symbiotic relationship between the franchises, leveraging community-driven events and real-world events to engage fans 365 days a year. The goal is to become the preeminent football fan platform in the U.S., growing both Madden and College football titles. -
Dragon Age: Veilguard Potential
Q: How might Veilguard compare to recent successful fantasy games?
A: EA believes Dragon Age: Veilguard has breakout potential, similar to Dragon Age: Inquisition, which won Game of the Year a decade ago. They've given the BioWare team extra time to create a rich world with compelling stories and nuanced characters. Critical reviews have been incredibly strong, and EA is confident about the game's positioning in a market with limited competition in this category. -
BioWare's Future
Q: How has BioWare been positioned to deliver Veilguard, given recent challenges?
A: BioWare has returned to focusing on what made it great: creating rich worlds, nuanced characters, and compelling stories where decisions matter. After less successful ventures like Anthem, which tried to do something different, BioWare refocused on their strengths. EA gave the studio time to deliver on these strengths in the Dragon Age world, resulting in a game like Veilguard.