Starting at EA Canada
This month, I'm starting a new chapter in Canada thanks to a new role at EA. There, I'll work as a Technical Artist for AI Solutions; I feel thrilled and honored to be selected. But… What exactly is EA? And a more fundamental question for me, in which circumstances am I arriving at this huge company?
The current state of videogames in 2026
Worldwide revenues from videogames increased last year to all-time highs; however, studios are shutting down. More games are being released each year than the previous one, but engagement time continues to be dominated by a few titles such as Roblox or Fortnite. In other words, companies are struggling to grow and games, as a viable capital asset, may have started to be seen as a highly risky venture instead. The rise of popularity of more sophisticated in-game features such as UGC (User Generated Content), the eruption of new non-Western competitors, especially China; and the competition from other interactive media such as social media, online gambling and others are stealing away user attention from videogames. [1]
Pleased to meet you, EA
In this context, Electronic Arts has made some moves. But first, who are they?
This is one of the big fishes of the videogame industry. Known as the developer and/or publisher of many renowned games such as EA Sports (the FIFA games, now EA Sports FC), Apex Legends, The Sims and the Battlefield saga. EA has offices across many countries; mine will be in Burnaby, British Columbia.
In an environment of investment contraction and stakeholder pressure, EA was bought due to a buyout (which means investors financed this operation by using a mix of their own money and an amount of borrowed money - debt -). So now EA has to generate enough money to pay back loans! Now, in my view, I see two forces mixing up in this situation:
Force 1: Predictability. ROI. Doubling down on proven revenue streams while finding and integrating new ones into the scheme. Investors' objectives could also mean reorganization and restructuring game development efforts into some genres over others, and even with the disinvestment or cancellation of projects considered 'non-essentials'. [2]
Force 2: And this impacts my job directly. AI could cut / reduce costs significantly. As quoted from this article: 'This technological adoption represents a move toward more sustainable development models that prioritize efficiency without necessarily sacrificing scope or ambition' [3]. I was hired not despite financial pressures, but as an answer to that situation. EA is looking for someone who can help them shape a transition towards a more efficient media generative pipeline for both production costs reduction and a better scalability for large projects.
Now, there are many actors in play when it comes to the investors. And I assume that will partly shape the nature of my job. For instance, the Saudi Arabia stakeholders may want a more regionalized and precise cultural representation of EA games advertised in their region. Regardless of this, a more localized strategy for EA games marketing is at the core of my work now.
Are we winning?
What are the prospects not only of EA, but of videogames in general? In this chaotic yet intriguing environment, anything could happen. After reading some articles, I thought I was the only one taking the risk accepting this job offer, but now I can see that EA, as an entity, has recently taken a decisive action that will impact their future directly. Although some economical prospects for the video game industry are looking bright for the rest of this 2026, I prefer to remain calm, do my best and empathize with my new colleagues and heads. [4]
Subjects discussed in this article: my arrival to EA, financial strains in the videogame industry, current state of Electronic Arts, my assumptions on what circumstances will drive the direction the company takes, hopeful closing thoughts.
Ideas for my next post: Attachment, more than attention, as a key asset for creative marketing campaigns.