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EA Labels President Says Company Will Eventually Go 100-Percent Digital

News

by Jeff Cork on July 03, 2012 at 10:31 AM

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An increased reliance on digital distribution is inevitable, and if EA has its way it's coming sooner than later. Frank Gibeau, president of EA Labels, says a 100-percent digital strategy is in the company's near future.

"It's coming," Gibeau told GamesIndustry International. "We have a clear line of sight on it and we're excited about it. Retail is a great channel for us. We have great relationships with our partners there. At the same time, the ultimate relationship is the connection that we have with the gamer. If the gamer wants to get the game through a digital download and that's the best way for them to get it, that's what we're going to do. It has a lot of enhancements for our business. It allows us to keep more that we make. It allows us to do some really interesting things from a service level standpoint; we can be a lot more personalized with what we're doing,"

Gibeau says that the digital future is broader than simply making its games available on platforms such as its Origin service. Facebook, mobile, and game streaming are all parts of the puzzle, at least as EA sees it.

Email the author Jeff Cork, or follow on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, and Game Informer.

Filed under: News, EA, Electronic Arts, frank gibeau

Comments

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by MentalYinYang Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:41 AM

This is why their the worst company in America.
by DarthNefario Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:41 AM

That's an eventuality I suspect is a long ways off. Considering North America has yet to have decent high speed networks that the population at large use.

It's great to have fiber op though.
by Jake Hredzak Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:42 AM

That is terrible news...
by dodgyboyy Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:42 AM

Does EA analyse cultural progression and deliberately pick the action that is likely to piss the most people off? Cause that's what it seems like. I hope other company's don't follow suit and go full digital, i like my physical copies...
by shmahadle Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:43 AM

Didn't they also say that everything would be free-to-play? They're nuts.
by Water Polo Champ Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:43 AM

We have failed as a species
by GL4DOS Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:43 AM

Although I will miss physical disks, remember that the cost of the game will come down if it doesn't need packaging.
by darkangelvxvx Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:43 AM

Well, if they do go completely digital, then manufacturing costs should (but wont) be removed from the cost of the games selling price, IE., box art, manual printing, DVD, etc.
by alex720 Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:44 AM

No. Digital sales are fine for the PC, but it would feel strange to have a console with no physical games. In that case, why even have consoles? Also, what if your hard drive or storage device gets corrupted and all your saves, profiles, games, etc. are gone? Oh well. Not a good idea IMO.
by DJH Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:44 AM

Digital is fine and all, for small games from indie developers. For big titles they should be physical. There is no way I'm buying all my games digital. Just...no.
by General Obi Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:44 AM

the begining of the end of how we buy a video game and can actually hold it and truly call it our own, now we have to spend real money to buy a copy in digital space that is supposly ours until the company/server goes down then we just are out of luck.
by JeffN89 Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:50 AM

I don't see how this is a good idea at all. Microsoft and Sony Better start working on their 10-TB models then...
by ichigo15 Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:50 AM

EA what is wrong with you?
by arbington Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:51 AM

Ah, but what if the gamer doesn't want to get content via direct download? What then, Mr. Gibeau?
by jeffers3000 Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:55 AM

"If the gamer wants to get the game through a digital download and that's the best way for them to get it, that's what we're going to do." From the creators of origin
by 2pacalypse Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:55 AM

And my boycott of EA games continues!!!
by dadarkheart Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:56 AM

That is so great. Especially for those with no internet connection what so ever.
by Mystt Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 10:57 AM

What if it's not best for (All) consumers? Are they flipping retarded over there, like seriously if EA goes all digital they can forget about myself buying anymore of their games; (not that they appear to care). I mentioned this in a previous article that it's the ISPs that are the main issue in preventing an all digital era so long as they are allowed to impose bandwidth caps with outrageous overage fees. Add to that not every game consumer even has high speed, those in rural areas that are still on dial-up are screwed. Way to go EA, maybe the digital age flop will be the wake up sign to game companies like yourself who think digital-only is the way to go.
by Zebra3 Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 11:03 AM

Digital only is a good way to lose me as a regular consumer.
by Random Ock Tuesday, July 03, 2012 at 11:04 AM

I am not looking forward to gaming without a physical copy. If I am paying a decent amount of money I want something that is truly mine and can be played years later. I highly doubt we would see any significant decrease in prices for digital copies, the companies will find a way to keep the prices where they are.