EA CEO John Riccitiello Resigns

Surprising news from Polygon this afternoon: EA’s CEO, John Riccitiello, has tendered his resignation, citing the company’s lackluster financial performance as the reason:

This is a tough decision, but it all comes down to accountability. The progress EA has made on transitioning to digital games and services is something I’m extremely proud of. However, it currently looks like we will come in at the low end of, or slightly below, the financial guidance we issued in January, and we have fallen short of the internal operating plan we set one year ago. EA’s shareholders and employees expect better and I am accountable for the miss.

I have been at the helm as EA’s CEO for six years and served as COO for nearly seven years starting in 1997. I know this company well, and I care deeply about its future success. I leave knowing EA is a great company, with an enormously talented group of leaders and the strongest slate of games in the industry. I could not be more proud of our company’s games, from Battlefield and FIFA, to The Simpsons: Tapped Out and Real Racing 3. We have built many great franchises that will serve the company well in FY14 and beyond. In particular, I am confident that the investments we have made in games for next-generation consoles will put EA in a strong leadership position for many years ahead.

In offering my resignation, my goal is to allow the talented leaders at EA a clean start on FY14. I look forward to working with you in the coming weeks on an effective leadership transition. I’m extremely honored to have led this company and proud to have worked with all the great people at Electronic Arts.

Larry Probst, who held the CEO position at EA from 1991 to 2007, will step into the CEO role once more in the wake of Riccitiello’s departure.

14 Responses

  1. Infinitron says:

    I wouldn’t call it “surprising”…

    • MicroMagic says:

      Considering the amount of debt they’ve taken on in the last 2 years, I agree. It’s never a good sign when the CEO resigns like this. Either EA will be much smaller in 2 years, or it’ll be THQ in 2 years.

      • Sslaxx says:

        If EA gets broken up, well… not a surprise. EA being the next THQ? Dunno. Can’t say I don’t hope so, though. And I hope that what’s left gets brought by people with at least marginally more intelligence (and genuine interest) regarding gaming.

      • cor2879 says:

        What a magical day that would be if EA had to sell off some of its IP assets. Portalarium possibly buying up Ultima? Chris Roberts regaining ownership of Wing Commander?

        Will probably never happen, but we can dream.

  2. Sslaxx says:

    Good riddance. Hopefully more are going to follow him.

  3. cor2879 says:

    He’s being replaced by Larry Probst who, based on the timeframe in which he served, I can only surmise is probably a worse CEO than Riccitiello. He is literally the one who oversaw the swallowing and demise of Origin Systems and all the franchises that we love.

    • Sslaxx says:

      EA is just a disaster.

    • WtF Dragon says:

      I tend to agree with cor here; I don’t think Riccitiello’s stepping down is a good thing overall.

      • cor2879 says:

        I think in a world that made any sense, Riccitiello’s resignation would be a good thing as he would be replaced by someone who ‘gets it’ (imagine someone like Richard Garriott taking the helm… that would rock)

        But yeah, insteady we get good old Larry Probst back. Say hello again to everything you hated about EA for the duration of the 90’s and the early 21st century.

      • Sslaxx says:

        Yeah, things are going to just get worse with the previous idiot back as CEO.

      • Infinitron says:

        Isn’t Probst just an interim CEO until they find somebody else?

      • WtF Dragon says:

        I would hope, but I haven’t seen that stated anywhere yet.

        But I really do hope.

  4. Sanctimonia says:

    Spoken like a true suit. May his golden parachute weigh 1000 pounds.