Amen To That: EA Sports Sees Record Week-One Sales For New Tiger Game

EA has sold 225,000 units of "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12"

EA announced yesterday that the latest edition of the "Tiger Woods PGA Tour" video game generated its largest first week (March 29-April 5) at retail in the franchise's 14-year history, driven primarily by this year's edition featuring the debut of Augusta National Golf Club. Internal EA estimates show that the company sold approximately 225,000 units of "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters," bettering the previous one-week sales record for the game's '08 iteration by 17% in North America. In addition, year over year, week one console digital revenue is estimated to have increased more than 200%, and "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12" on the iPhone and iPad was the top grossing sports game application on iTunes the day it launched and throughout the first week (THE DAILY). BLOOMBERG NEWS' Erik Matuszewski notes the inclusion of Augusta National in this year's game was "aimed at boosting sales for EA and increasing the popularity of golf and the Masters among a younger audience." Sales of Woods’ namesake video game "dropped by almost two-thirds last year." Of note, the initial sales figures are "from the week preceding the Masters" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 4/13).

LATER RELEASE DATE FOR "MADDEN": EA Sports yesterday disclosed it will shift the usual release date for "Madden NFL 12" by three weeks to Tues., Aug. 30. The move away from the game's typical release schedule each year on the second Tuesday in August will position the game closer to the start of the NFL season, if it starts on time, and gives more room alone in the market for the publisher's other football simulation video game title, "NCAA Football," which is typically released in July. EA Sports has steadfastly said it will release a new, fully featured version of "Madden" this year, regardless of the status of the NFL labor situation, and an ongoing fan vote for the cover athlete is now down to the final four candidates. Several of EA Sports' other simulation titles are released near or at the start of the respective sports' regular seasons (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).