EA targets 40 game releases for 2010

Electronic Arts has said that it will release around 40 titles in the next financial year, down from the 50-plus released during fiscal 2009.

Last month the company indicated it had cut around a dozen titles from its portfolio as it looked to reduce costs and focus on higher quality products – at the same time it revealed plans to axe 1500 jobs.

Speaking at the Reuters Global Media Summit, CEO John Riccitiello also added that the number of published titles could drop further, stating: "Thirty wouldn't shock me at some point in the future."

Speaking in a video interview, Riccitiello also said he was pleased with the uplift in hardware sales due to the big three console manufacturers dropping the price of their machines, and he expects an even bigger boost in the market once home consoles drop to around USD 149.

"We actually have seen a pretty substantial pick-up in hardware sales in particular for the PlayStation 3. The pick-up is pretty much in-line with what we'd anticipated.

"The lowest price hardware out there is $199. In the history of our industry most hardware sells for $149 or below and so that's still in front of us. So that makes us feel good about the longer term as hardware manufacturers get to that price point we'll see yet again a big pick up in sales."