EAAND STEVEN SPIELBERG TEAM UP
TO DEVELOP THREE ORIGINAL VIDEOGAMES
CHERTSEY, UK, - October 14, 2005 - In a ground-breaking long term agreement, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that Academy Award® winner Steven Spielberg will be collaborating with the game makers at EA's Los Angeles studio (EALA) to create three new original franchise properties. Beginning this year, with offices located on site at EALA, Spielberg will work directly with EA's development teams to offer his signature style of storytelling to the concept, design, story and artistic visualization of the new games. EA will own the intellectual properties and the game franchises will be developed, published and distributed worldwide by EA. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
"I have been playing EA games for years and have watched them master the interactive format." said Steven Spielberg. "Having watched the game industry grow from a niche into a major creative force in entertainment, I have a great deal of respect for EA's understanding of the interactive format. I'm looking forward to working closely with the team in Los Angeles."
"There is no greater storyteller than Steven Spielberg," said EA Chairman and CEO Larry Probst. "In addition to his gift for pleasing movie audiences, he has an innate understanding of games and how to immerse players into a fantastic world of action and characters."
"It's incredibly exciting to be collaborating with Steven Spielberg," noted Neil Young, VP and Studio Head at EALA. "He shares our vision for the potential of the medium and has the passion and creativity to help us finally deliver on the promise that a game can not only engage and compel you with its interactivity, but can also move you emotionally."
The mission at EALA is to be the definitive creative destination for game makers and game development in Southern California. It is home to the award-winning Medal of HonorTM, Command & ConquerTM and The Lord of the RingsTM franchises. EALA drives innovation in technology, art and game design by employing a first-class studio of game-makers at its campus in Playa Vista, CA. The studio is also home to EA's Worldwide Music and Music Marketing group and EA Mobile.
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About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for videogame systems, personal computers and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS BIGTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2005, EA posted revenues of $3.1 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at www.electronicarts.co.uk/press
Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG, POGO, Medal of Honor and Command & Conquer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U. S. and/or other countries. "The Lord of the Rings" and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks or registered trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a/ Tolkien Enterprises ("SZC") under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.