Top video game publisher EA yesterday announced the financial results for the fiscal year and quarter ended March 31, 2004. Net revenue for the fiscal year was up 19 per cent, at $2.957 billion, and net income was up 82% over the previous year at $577 million. EA had twenty-seven platinum titles (those titles selling over 1 million copies) in fiscal 2004, and six franchises selling over 5 million copies ("The Sims", "Need for Speed", "Medal of Honor", "FIFA Soccer", "The Lord of the Rings" and "Madden NFL Football").

EA's fourth quarter reports were also up. Net revenue for the quarter ending March 31, 2004 was up 29 per cent at $598 million, with sales driven by "James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing"; "Need for Speed Underground"; "NFL STREET"; "MVP Baseball 2004" and "Final Fantasy X-2".

Looking into the future, EA expects net revenue for the current fiscal year, ending March 31, 2005 to be up 10-15% over fiscal 2004.

During an open conference call discussing the latest numbers, EA confirmed support for both the PSP and Nintendo DS. EA's CEO Larry Probst went so far as to say he had expectations that the PSP will be "as big as the GameBoy at some point in the future". Without providing titles, Probst confirmed EA's intention to release four to six EA titles for the PSP this fiscal year. He declined comments on the development of any Nintendo DS titles.