EA’s Q3 Financial Performance Falls Short of Expectations
By CEO states that reductions in revenue and net bookings were influenced by the “temporary underperformance” of EA Sports FC 25
Digital Arts has released its financial performance results for the third quarter of FY25, facing declines in revenue and net bookings.
CEO Andrew Wilson remarked that “this was not the financial outcome we anticipated or desired,” which was impacted by the “temporary underperformance” of EA Sports FC 25.
EA disclosed its Q3 results last month, during which it adjusted its full-year and third-quarter projections due to two of its franchises – EA Sports FC and Dragon Age – failing to meet financial targets.
Here’s what you need to know:
The figures:
- Revenue: $1.88 billion (down 3% year-on-year)
- Net income: $293 million (up 1% year-on-year)
- Net bookings: $2.22 billion (down 6% year-on-year)
The key points:
EA Sports FC 25 launched successfully in September 2024, but the momentum did not persist throughout the entire quarter.
The overall Global Soccer franchise saw a “mid-single-digit decrease year-over-year” in the third quarter, leading to “lower-than-expected” sales figures for FC 25.
Wilson noted that this result was due to gamers remaining engaged with earlier franchise versions during the holiday season. The game also experienced “lower-than-expected participation” because of “specific balance issues.”
An update was released on January 16, 2025, coinciding with the Team of the Year event, which Wilson stated received a “strong response” and showed “positive gameplay sentiment indicators from our community.” Consequently, player retention for the title “exceeded expectations” last month.
Regarding Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which debuted on October 31, 2024, Wilson explained that despite having a “strong launch,” its financial underperformance was because the title did not “resonate with a sufficiently broad audience in this highly competitive market.”
CFO Stuart Canfield emphasized that this reinforces “the importance of our measures to reallocate resources towards our most significant and highest-potential opportunities.”
Last week, Dragon Age developer BioWare announced it was “reimagining” its operational strategy, with BioWare staff being “redeployed” to other EA teams as it continues development on the forthcoming Mass Discontinuance title. IGN reported that a “smaller number” of employees from the Dragon Age team were laid off during this transition.
In other news, EA confirmed that the upcoming Battlefield installment is slated for a 2026 release. It also announced the launch of the community test initiative, Battlefield Labs, which Wilson said had been received “well beyond our expectations” during the Q&A portion of the earnings call.
Net bookings for Apex Legends decreased year-over-year, but aligned “with our expectations.” Wilson provided further details on the franchise’s trajectory in that context.