EA tops the NZ software game charts

Electronic Arts
Media Release

For Immediate Release

16 October 2003

Electronic Arts NZ (EA) tops the software game charts with record market share.

Electronic Arts announced today a 32%* distributor market share of the entire game software market in New Zealand, for the week ending 7 December 2003. EA have a clear dominance over all major platforms, with a record percentage of market share and titles in the top 10.

Distributor: Week 1 – 7 December 2003 *
PS2 Electronic Arts #1 – 36% Mkt Share (4 of the top 10 titles)
XBOX Electronic Arts #1 – 36% Mkt Share (4 of the top 10 titles)
PC Electronic Arts #1 – 35% Mkt Share (5 of the top 10 titles)
GAMECUBE Electronic Arts #1 – 40% Mkt Share (5 of the top 10 titles)

* Source Inform Data 10 December 2003

With Christmas being the most competitive time in the gaming market, this success further cements EA as New Zealand’s leading distributor and publisher of electronic games.

Mike Wynands, Managing Director EA NZ comments “This success can be contributed to the quality of EA releases and our effective ‘Beat This’ marketing campaign. This quarter our key titles have been second to none, releasing some of our strongest game franchises to date”.

Titles include Medal of Honor™ Rising Sun, Lord of the Rings™: Return of the King™, Need for Speed™ Underground, Harry Potter™ Quidditch™ World Cup and EA Sports™ Rugby 2004. EA also expect big things from EA Sports™ Cricket 2004, releasing this Thursday 18 December.

This has been a big year for Electronic Arts overall, so far owning over a quarter of the software games market in New Zealand. For the year to date EA are the #1 PC and console software distributor, with 32% and 21% market share respectively.

Wynands adds “As a company Electronic Arts continues to grow form strength to strength. Looking ahead at 2004 our intellectual property looks to be better than ever and I expect our position in the market to only get stronger”.

~Ends~

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of $2.5 billion for fiscal 2003. The company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under three brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA GAMES™, and EA SPORTS BIG™. 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 http://info.ea.com.

Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG, and EA GAMES are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. ‘Medal of Honor’ and ‘Need for Speed’ are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries for computer and video game products. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc.

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HARRY POTTER and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s03)

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