Digital Distribution Is Growing Fast, but Console Games Are Still Blockbusters, EA Says

Electronic Arts has shared its thoughts on the advent of digital distribution and, while it emphasizes that it’s now one of its most profitable ventures, it still believes that console and PC games will stay popular, as they offer “blockbuster” experiences.

The games industry is changing rapidly and we have seen quite a lot of interesting trends in recent years, with console and retail sales slowing down while digital distribution and mobile devices have become quite popular.

According to Patrick Soderlund, the head of EA’s Games label, these changes are partly owed to the age of the current console generation and the attraction that new gamers feel towards digital distribution.

“I think there's still a large number of console gamers out on the market. It's not necessarily growing at the pace as it has before, but maybe because we haven't seen new hardware for a long time, and the behavior of the consumer is changing,” Soderlund told USA Today.

As of right now, digital distribution is EA’s most profitable venture, largely thanks to its dedicated Origin service.

“What EA has undergone in the last 4-5 years -- the digital transformation that we've been going through has been based on that type of consumer and how that consumer plays. If you look at the volume of revenue coming from what we call direct to consumer digital, that's by far the fastest growing part of EA. So I think EA as a company ... as such, is rapidly changing and adapting to this new type of consumer behavior and new platforms that arise.”

Console gaming will still be popular, however, as many customers still want that “blockbuster” experience, something that can’t be delivered through mobile or free-to-play alternatives, according to Soderlund.

“I do think the console experience now and in the future will always be -- I compare it to the Hollywood blockbuster, the summer movies. We can't get that as of yet on an iPad, iPhone or an Android phone or whatever it may be. You can't necessarily get that on a free-to-play game on PC as well. If you want that experience, that blockbuster feel, you still need to play that on a console and experience that on a console. I don't think that's going to change. It will be the same going forward,” he added.

EA definitely sounds like it’s hedging its bets and trying to make sure all types of gamers are interested in their different experiences.

Via: Digital Distribution Is Growing Fast, but Console Games Are Still Blockbusters, EA Says