Quality Triumphs at Electronic Arts

Less than a year after he launched the mantra of "quality over quantity" at Electronic Arts, John Riccitiello believes that his efforts in creating a more capable publisher and developer have largely succeeded. Electronic Arts, known for rushing out big games in an effort to create as much value as possible for shareholders, is now taking its time to create value for gamers first and foremost.

Riccitiello said that, "A lot of people in our industry get stuck thinking that their job is to manage a lot of business process, and somehow the games happen down in the trenches. I'm trying to actually get it shifted, so people understand that the most important thing in our company is where the programming, the art direction, the game design and production takes place."

Major titles in the portfolio of Electronic Arts are now taking longer to develop and the top executives are giving videogame studios, like BioWare, more freedom in creating their games, even allowing for delays, if the payoff in quality is significant.

In a wide ranging interview with the Mercury News the EA top man mentioned that the focus on the Xbox 360 and on the PlayStation 3 might be seen as a mistake, considering the Nintendo Wii is selling more consoles than its closest rivals combined, but the newly found flexibility of Electronic Arts means that the company can shift its focus and create games for whatever platform proves to be successful.

Riccitiello also sought to address fears regarding the losses that the company sustained in the previous year, noting that the money went into a better and longer development cycle for the major releases and that the investment will pay off in the near future because "If we make the best games, they'll sell really well, and we'll be really profitable." It already seems that 2008 will end with profit for Electronic Arts.