'Battlefield' maker EA misses quarterly bookings estimates on uncertain gamer spend

Core Insights - Electronic Arts (EA) missed Wall Street expectations for second-quarter bookings, reporting a decline of 13% to $1.82 billion, compared to the average estimate of $1.88 billion [5] - The company is facing challenges due to uncertain spending on its core sports portfolio and difficult growth comparisons to the previous year's strong launch of "College Football 25" [1][2] - EA's second-quarter net income decreased to $137 million from $294 million a year earlier [5] Company Strategy - EA is heavily investing in its core action and sports titles to navigate a challenging gaming market characterized by high console prices and competition [2] - The company launched "College Football 25" last year, which became one of the best-selling games, reviving the franchise after a long hiatus [2] - EA's take-private deal, valued at $55 billion, was announced just before the launch of "Battlefield 6," which sold over seven million copies in its first three days [3] Market Performance - Bookings for EA's soccer title "FC 26" increased in the mid-single digits compared to its predecessor, despite some analysts predicting softer performance [4] - The global popularity of soccer is expected to support the resilience of "EA Sports FC" in the coming years [4] - Investors are now focused on the long-term financial prospects of "Battlefield 6," especially as EA plans to release regular content updates to maintain player engagement [3]