Been yet another busy week, as we finalize budgets for
FY09. EA’s fiscal year begins April 1st, and as with any
business, we have to go through the process of determining
forecasted income and expenditures so that we can build a
budget. Game development and publishing is a little more
complicated than many other businesses, as you have a
portion of your costs (game development expenditures) that
do not necessarily deliver revenue in the same year. Not my
favorite process, but very necessary. I think we in the sports
label are close to getting everything to balance out, so that
we can get back to working with the teams as we get close
to alpha milestones on a number of our titles.


Many of you have posed questions about a wide
range of subjects, some of which I can’t respond to (yes,
as much as you ask about Take-Two, there is really nothing
I can say at this juncture), and others that request
confidential information (sorry – it’s a competitive
business and I can’t provide information ahead of its
formal announcement). Few topics I will tackle, though:


Formula One - This seems to be a popular
question, and it seems many of our fans in Europe are
interested in our thoughts about the game license. This one is
simple. I am personally a huge fan, having grown up
worshipping such great drivers as Graham Hill, Jim Clark,
Jackie Stewart and James Hunt. The excitement that Lewis
Hamilton has brought to the sport, and its vast global appeal,
make it an appealing game license, but as of right now it
is not available. Maybe in a few years the situation will
change, but until then we fully respect the rights held by our
partners at Sony.

NFL Head Coach – You asked, and
the team delivered. I have been watching this game develop
with keen interest since I arrived last fall. Those of you who
love the manager-style games are going to be enthralled
with the level of detail the development team is putting
into this completely overhauled franchise. You others –
give it a try when it hits stores later this year…I think
you will be pleasantly surprised with the depth of the
experience and how much the team has learned from the original
version of NFL Head Coach. Last week, we had a group at
the NFL Combine in Indianapolis showing a select group of
media an early look at the game, and as our friends at
GameSpot noted: “NFL Head Coach 09 is a sequel in name only”.
Keep an eye out for more on this one in the months to come…


PC Games – While we’re committed to the PC as a
sports game platform, it’s certainly not a platform without
its business challenges due in large part because so many
of you have migrated to the console as your primary
platform. I think on-line will give us some innovative new
ways to re-vitalize the PC sports business again, and we’
ll keep pushing from our end to make that happen. But in
the meantime, understand that while we have a limited
lineup of EA SPORTS games coming this summer and fall to
the PC, we do continue to weigh our options on PC.


The feedback posts on specific titles are very
valuable to the teams, and we continue to forward them on. “EA
SPORTS S U C K S” posts are less informative and helpful. You
are very welcome to exercise your first amendment rights
here, but it would be more beneficial for both of us if you
can put some specificity around your gripes.


Fellow Patriot Nation members – Colvin,
Stallworth and now Samuel out the door. No sign of a deal
for Moss? Anybody else getting a tad nervous…?

28
days to opening day for the Red Sox here in the Bay Area
vs. the A’s…after the damn Super Bowl, baseball can’t come
fast enough…

Liverpool began a critical 10-day run
with a good win at The Reebok against Bolton last weekend. 4th
place and a Champions League berth looks like it might be
decided when Everton visit Anfield on March 30th. How sweet it
would be to dash the Toffees hopes with a good old
thrashing by the resurgent Mighty Reds???

-
Peter

PS. I know who’s on the cover of Madden this
year – any guesses????