Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson said the company’s forthcoming golf game will focus heavily on legendary courses in the wake of its separation this week from Tiger Woods. Wilson declined to detail a projected release date for the game or its licensing plans in addition to an existing relationship with the PGA Tour. But he suggested that courses will be a more prominent element than licensing with any particular pro golfer. “We’re huge Tiger fans. For many people, he put golf on the map,” Wilson said, the Exec VP of EA Sports before his promotion to company CEO in September. “But for us, it’s all about playing great courses. At the core, we think there’s a lot of interest in being able to play amazing courses around the world, as yourself or some other golfer, in that gaming environment.” The new golf title is being designed specifically for the next-generation PlayStation 4 and Xbox One gaming consoles slated for release later this month. “We’re essentially reworking our entire golf business,” said Wilson. EA, meanwhile, did not disclose in its quarterly earnings release earlier this week unit sales to date for its core “Madden” and “FIFA” franchises, as has been the custom in recent years. Wilson said that was due to the forthcoming console transition and the desire not to confuse the investor marketplace. “This is obviously a very different year given we’re essentially having a second set of game releases this month. So we’re trying to avoid creating the wrong conversation,” said Wilson. “What I can say, though, is that we’re very happy with the sales of ‘Madden’ and ‘FIFA’ so far. And looking ahead to the kind of installed base we see ahead with the PS4 and Xbox One, we think we’re going to do very well.”
