In response to a question at the Pacific Crest Technology
Leadership Forum in Vail, Colorado earlier today, Electronic Arts
Chief Financial Officer Eric Brown offered EA's most definitive
statement yet on a possible deal between Take Two Interactive Inc.
and EA.
"That's a deal whose timeframe has, you know, come and long
gone. And so we're just not interested in a large-scale,
traditional packaged-goods publishing deal." Brown said. He
continued, "the types of things that we're interested in in terms
of acquisitions are smaller scale, they tend to be more oriented to
specific geographic opportunities."
He stated they were specifically interested in franchise
acquisitions, acquisitions that would allow them more access to the
Asian market, and acquiring online publishing technology.
On general industry weakness, Brown emphasized that NPD numbers
underrepresent EA's digital direct model and online sales, which he
said grew 38% year over year in the first quarter.
About EA Sports' Madden franchise, "demand metrics are tracking
well," he said.
Disclosure: No position in
TTWO or ERTS