Pixel P&L: EA Levels Up Q4 Earnings, CEO Teases 'Next Generation of Blockbuster Entertainment
Welcome to another Pixel P&L edition. This issue takes 5 minutes to read. If you only have one, here are the 5 most important things:
EA Sports titles drive strong Q4 despite annual decline — Madden and College Football generated over $1 billion.
Apple appeals Epic Games ruling on App Store payment restrictions.
Middle East leads mobile gaming growth in 2024, up 18% to $1.2 billion.
Nazara's subsidiary acquires wrestling news sites for $1.25 million.
Ubisoft launched an online shop for Rainbow Six Siege esports merchandise — read more below.
Let's get into it.
EA's Sports Titles Drive Strong Q4 Despite Annual Decline
Electronic Arts Inc reported fourth-quarter net bookings of $1.8 billion, up 8% year-over-year, exceeding analyst expectations despite a 1% decline in annual bookings to $7.36 billion for fiscal year 2025.
The video game publisher said its American football franchises, including Madden NFL and College Football, generated over $1 billion in net bookings, representing 70% growth from the previous year.
"The incredible success of College Football and the enduring strength of FC drove another record year for EA Sports, while The Sims capped FY25 with a historic Q4," CEO Andrew Wilson said in a statement.
EA's quarterly earnings per share reached $0.98, up 46% from the same period last year, while quarterly net revenue rose 7% to $1.9 billion.
The publisher reported that its new title Split Fiction sold nearly 4 million units, while The Sims franchise achieved its strongest fourth quarter to date with double-digit growth in net bookings.
EA's battle royale title Apex Legends continued to struggle, with the company forecasting a 40% decline for the game in fiscal 2026.
The company is preparing to unveil its next Battlefield game at a major industry event. "EA is on track to reveal Battlefield at a major summer event," Wilson told analysts during an earnings call.
Wilson expressed confidence in the company's future, citing "a deep pipeline — beginning this summer with the highly anticipated reveal of Battlefield, a pivotal step in delivering on our next generation of blockbuster entertainment."
For fiscal year 2026, EA projected net bookings between $7.6 billion and $8 billion, representing growth of 3% to 9% year-over-year, with free cash flow expected to increase 6% to 17%.
Apple Appeals Epic Games Ruling on App Store Payment Restrictions
Apple filed an appeal against the recent U.S. court ruling favoring Epic Games that prevents the tech giant from collecting fees on purchases made outside its App Store, according to court documents.
The ruling, issued last week by the Northern District of California Court, prohibits Apple from blocking developers who direct users to alternative payment methods outside its ecosystem. The judge's decision described Apple's actions as an attempt to "maintain its anticompetitive revenue stream worth billions in direct defiance" of a previous injunction.
In an unprecedented move, the court referred Apple and its vice president of finance Alex Roman to local U.S. attorneys for possible criminal contempt investigation, with the judge claiming Roman "outright lied under oath."
Despite the appeal, Apple has already updated its App Review Guidelines to comply with the ruling.
⚡Quick Bytes
Middle East leads mobile gaming growth in 2024, Sensor Tower data shows
Mobile game spending in the Middle East grew 18% to $1.2 billion in 2024, making it the fastest-growing region worldwide despite its small market size, Sensor Tower reported at Dubai GameExpo Summit. It was the only region to post download growth while industry giant Asia saw revenues decline 3% to $38 billion.
Nazara Unit Acquires Wrestling News Sites for $1.25 Million
Absolute Sports, a Nazara Technologies subsidiary, agreed to purchase wrestling news sites TJRWrestling and ITRWrestling for $1.25 million cash. The deal strengthens Sportskeeda's position in combat sports content, targeting 1.7 million monthly users primarily in the U.S. market.
Ubisoft Launches Online Shop for Rainbow Six Siege Esports Merchandise
Ubisoft unveiled a browser-based store for Rainbow Six Siege's esports cosmetics, offering players direct access to 32 team-branded bundles using in-game currency. The new platform streamlines purchases while continuing to share revenue with partnered organizations like G2 and FaZe Clan.
CyberPowerPC Supplies Hardware for ApeCity
CyberPowerPC has partnered with Indian esports organization Orangutan to supply gaming computers for ApeCity, a dedicated space for the gaming and esports community in Navi Mumbai. The arena will house high-performance systems for competitive play and casual gaming.
⚔️Side Quest
📺 Watch: Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke details the studio's post-Baldur's Gate 3 future, detailing how they're leveraging lessons from BG3's success to develop two ambitious RPGs simultaneously while maintaining their indie spirit and storytelling focus.
🎮 Play: We recently tried out Masala Games’ Detective Dotson and we’re happy to say that it delivers a charming, pixel-art mystery that blends vibrant Indian culture with clever puzzles, as you navigate colorful streets solving cases while pursuing Bollywood stardom.
📚 Read: Despite 'influencer marketing is dead' claims, Stream Hatchet's data suggests otherwise - indie devs have atleast three viable approaches to streamers.
💡Did You Know
Nintendo has published 17 of the 50 best-selling video games of all time! From Mario to Zelda to Pokémon, their first-party dominance is unmatched in the industry. While other publishers fight for market share, the Big N has consistently created generation-defining titles that move consoles and capture players' hearts. That's why despite having smaller hardware install bases than PlayStation or mobile platforms, Nintendo's legendary game design keeps them atop the sales charts decade after decade.
📜 Quote of the Day
"I've seen your kind. Time and time again. Every fleeing man must be caught. Every secret must be unearthed. Such is the conceit of the self-proclaimed seeker of truth. But in the end, you lack the stomach.... for the agony that you bring upon yourself."
-Sir Vilhelm, Dark Souls 3
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