EA Reports Strong Digital Sales, Still Has PC Earnings

The so-called 'Electronic Arts' company has reported very strong sales as it announced preliminary financial results for its first fiscal quarter. And "digital games and services" are outstripping "brick and mortar sales", with Apple iOS titles like The Simpsons: Tapped Out making a crapload of money for EA. Well if you are a games company trying to sell bricks and mortar to people then obviously the Apple products are going to sell better, silly. Can we have more Bullfrog games you amateurs.

I feel a lot like I should be wearing a pant suit like CJ from the West Wing when I say these words, and it makes me feel very important, so bear with me whilst I preen myself.

According to the lovely Mike Rose at Gamasutra, EA COO Peter Moore said, "Our quarter was notable for the high percentage of revenue attributable to digital games and services... To that end, Apple was EA's biggest retail partner measured by sales, and that, is a first."

It is with sadness and much regret that I tell you now that the PC is dead. Apple is now our overlord.

This new information on the way sales are going are strongly directing changes in EA's investments. EA president Frank Gibeau said, "There's still a very active gaming business on Facebook and in the social channels, and we do participate there with several franchises and services. But our emphasis and focus over the next several years is going to be on mobile and HD consoles."

But as you can see from the graphs below, the PC is still a significant earner for EA, so let's hope whilst they are looking at the pretty shiny Apple shinies they don't forget that we are over here getting annoyed at their DRM like proper people.

Here are some charts so you can chart yourselves.

Usually at this point in the press briefing I'd take questions from the floor, but today I'll be asking some maths questions to test your ability to read those charts properly, thereby judging your suitability to be in the RPS community.

How many official members of RPS are there, including columnists? You there at the back.

Okay that was easy. How many cups of tea does Jim drink a day? How many times do I forget to put a 'more' tag on my copy each day?

How many swears does Adam say at tiny men each day? Approximately? And how many words can John type a minute?

Last one: by how many inches does Nathan's magnificent curl-headed mop grow overnight?

Get 'em wrong you are ejected from the press room. Thank you everyone, that will be all.

(Thanks Gamasutra. Thamasutra.)