EA Sports general manager Daryl Holt (left). Photo illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios. Photos: EA Sports
The biggest player in sports video games has plans to get even bigger — on mobile, in football, maybe even with basketball again — EA Sports general manager Daryl Holt said in an exclusive interview with Axios.
Why it matters: Sports gaming doesn’t get much press, but it’s a surging market with increased competition and lots of players up for grabs.
Between the lines: EA is known for its success with American football (“Madden NFL”), soccer (“FIFA”) and pro hockey (“NHL”).
In the U.S., EA Sports’ flagship is its “Madden NFL” series, which remains popular but got hammered by reviewers last year.
On mobile, EA’s realistic sports games do fine, but more casual, quick-play options tend to top the charts.
What’s next: EA Sports’ long-running business model involves annual releases, but much of gaming is moving toward fewer releases that are expanded upon more often — hence the reason there’s always new “Fortnite” content but never a “Fortnite 2.”
The most conspicuous hole in the EA Sports portfolio is basketball, where its once-annual “NBA Live” console series has skipped five of the last 10 years.
What they’re saying: “We've got some next-generation HD basketball projects that we have been talking about and designing and working on,” Holt said, using “high definition” as shorthand for non-mobile games on console and/or PC.
Fun fact: EA also still owns the rights to “NBA Jam,” the arcade classic it picked up over a decade ago, though it last released a game in that series in 2011.
