EA Games Lineup
EA Q2 FY26 Reports Mixed Results Amid Franchise Growth
EA’s Q2 FY26 net bookings dip 13% YoY due to College Football 25 comparison; Madden NFL 26 and Apex Legends drive esports growth.
Highlights
- Net bookings for Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) in Q2 FY2026 fell 13% year-on-year to $1.818 billion, reflecting tough prior comparisons and shifting market trends.
- EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26, Apex Legends, and EA SPORTS FC 26 delivered net bookings growth, offsetting declines from last year's College Football boost.
- Net income dropped 53% year-on-year to $137 million, as the company repurchased 2.3 million shares and declared a $0.19 per share dividend for December 2025.
Electronic Arts reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025, showing a 13% decline in net bookings to $1.818 billion versus the prior year, primarily due to the outsized impact of last year's successful launch of College Football 25. Net revenue reached $1.839 billion, down 9%, and net income fell sharply to $137 million (a 53% year-on-year drop).
Madden, Apex Legends, and FC Drive Growth
Despite softer overall numbers, several major franchises posted gains. Madden NFL 26 saw bookings growth on renewed player engagement, while Apex Legends rebounded with double-digit year-on-year net bookings increases after content updates aimed at deepening user retention.
EA SPORTS FC 26 posted mid-single-digit bookings growth over FC 25, after adjusting release timing for deluxe editions. The launches of skate. and Battlefield 6 were also called out as strategic wins, aligning with EA's longer-term vision for community-driven games.
Financial Metrics and Shareholder Returns
Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $130 million for the quarter. EA continued shareholder returns, repurchasing 2.3 million shares for $375 million and declaring a $0.19 per share dividend, payable December 23, 2025. On a trailing twelve-month basis, total buybacks reached 17.5 million shares at $2.5 billion.
EA management cites ongoing investment in its portfolio, spanning sports titles, live service games, and new IP, as central to its strategy, despite pressure from cyclical releases and mixed industry results. CEO Andrew Wilson noted that "creativity, passion, and innovation" remain core to EA's roadmap, with upcoming launches and content planned across The Sims, Battlefield, and Apex Legends franchises.
EA's latest quarter reflects a change in demand around major launches, but also reinforces the company's ability to drive growth in core franchises, deploy capital to shareholders, and maintain a diversified pipeline heading into 2026. The company currently faces US Senator pushback amidst its $55 billion Saudi buyout.
Author
Abhimannu Das is a web journalist at Outlook India with a focus on Indian pop culture, gaming, and esports. He has over 10 years of journalistic experience and over 3,500 articles that include industry deep dives, interviews, and SEO content. He has worked on a myriad of games and their ecosystems, including Valorant, Overwatch, and Apex Legends.
Abhimannu Das is a web journalist at Outlook India with a focus on Indian pop culture, gaming, and esports. He has over 10 years of journalistic experience and over 3,500 articles that include industry deep dives, interviews, and SEO content. He has worked on a myriad of games and their ecosystems, including Valorant, Overwatch, and Apex Legends.
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