EA reveals plan to become Asia's top publisher
Electronic Arts hopes to become the leading interactive entertainment company across Asia, according to regional boss Jon Niermann, who has outlined a plan to leverage significant amounts of local content to reach this goal.
Speaking exclusively with GamesIndustry.biz, Niermann explained that a transition is underway between having a simple distribution operation in Asia, and running a fully-fledged local publisher in the region.
EA Asia plans to introduce locally-developed content created in partnership with local firms as well as in its own development studios in Singapore, Shanghai and Tokyo, and is already working on a FIFA Online title with a top Korean firm.
"We have online game development happening, we have mobile distribution and development happening, and then we have local content development happening," Niermann explained. "We've put in those three pillars to really get us to where we need to be; to lay the foundation for future growth in Asia."
EA Asia seems set to drive much of the firm's global strategy in the online space, and Niermann revealed that the firm is looking into other local opportunities which would be inconceivable for the firm in the West.
"We're always looking and exploring through the Internet game rooms and also in the arcades, seeing how we can get involved in everything from the Pachinko rooms in Japan to all the various arcade settings," he revealed. "People do go out and they play, and they're a viable part of the business."