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.