EA to 'double down on live services' as FIFA and The Sims 4 help outperform goals

Electronic Arts has closed out the second quarter of its 2019-20 fiscal year, reporting a year-over-year jump in revenue and a strong showing from games like Ultimate Team, The Sims 4, and FIFA Online.

Over the past 12 months, digital net bookings have risen 8 percent to $3.88 billion, a feat CEO Andrew Wilson calls out alongside the rest of the company’s Q2 results as an example of “the power of our live services and core franchises.”

A handful of live games hit notable milestones this quarter as well. In particular, EA called out that the free-to-play Apex Legends has surpassed 70 million worldwide players. The Sims 4, meanwhile, saw a 40 percent year-over-year increase in monthly active users and, as a franchise, surpassed $5 billion in lifetime sales.

“Looking ahead, we are doubling down on live services combined with our core franchises,” continues Wilson in a press release. “We’re investing in games that people play for longer and engage with much more deeply. This focus will continue to drive growth and profitability for the company through the remainder of this year and beyond.”

As a whole, EA reported $1.35 billion in net revenue for the quarter ending September 30, 2019, up from 1.286 the year prior. Net bookings meanwhile reached $1.27 billion this quarter, most of which came from digital sources.

Looking just at this quarter, EA reported $790 million in digital net bookings, up 24 percent from the year prior. On a platform by platform basis, both console and PC net bookings have grown year-over-year, while mobile has decreased by 20 percent from Q2 last year. Console alone brought in 468 in net bookings, followed by $200 million from PC, and $122 million from mobile.