EA Sports FC 25 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard Underperform, EA Revises Fiscal Forecast

Electronic Arts Lowers Financial Outlook as EA Sports FC 25 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard Struggle to Meet Expectations Electronic Arts (EA), a global powerhouse in interactive entertainment, has revised its financial forecast for the current fiscal year following underwhelming performances from its flagship releases, EA Sports FC 25 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Both titles, expected to bolster the publisher’s net bookings, have instead contributed to a more conservative revenue outlook. EA Sports FC 25, the latest installment in the immensely popular football simulation series and a recent addition to the Nintendo Switch catalog, debuted with a burst of momentum.

The title followed two consecutive years of robust double-digit growth for the franchise.

However, according to EA’s most recent financial disclosure, the game could not sustain its initial surge.

The company described this as the series experiencing a notable slowdown after launch, marking a contrast to prior year-over-year performance. In parallel, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, developed by BioWare and released in late October 2024, reached approximately 1.5 million players soon after launch.

While impressive by industry standards, EA indicated that this user base represents a figure nearly 50% lower than pre-release expectations.

The action-RPG, set in the storied Dragon Age universe, was anticipated to be a major driver for engagement; instead, its numbers have contributed to the company’s recalibrated financial stance. As a direct result of these challenges, EA now expects net bookings of roughly $2.215 billion for the third fiscal quarter and a fiscal year 2025 guidance of between $7 billion and $7.15 billion.

This marks a shift from previous projections and signals a mid-single-digit decline in the company’s live service business, a reversal from earlier estimates of mid-single-digit growth. Andrew Wilson, CEO of EA, emphasized the company’s resilience and commitment to quality, stating that, “During the third quarter, we delivered high-quality games and experiences across our portfolio, though Dragon Age and EA Sports FC 25 did not meet our net bookings expectations.

Our teams have responded by implementing a comprehensive gameplay refresh and delivering the annual Team of the Year content update in FC 25.

Positive player feedback and early results from these changes are promising.

We remain confident in our long-term strategy and anticipate a return to growth in FY26 as we execute our future pipeline.” Despite slower sales, EA Sports FC 25 has garnered solid critical reception, particularly for its Nintendo Switch version, with review outlets describing it as a strong follow-up to prior entries and a welcome improvement over previous 'Legacy' editions.

Bioware’s Dragon Age series, meanwhile, continues to maintain a loyal fanbase despite the lower-than-expected player turnout for The Veilguard. The revised forecast reflects EA’s responsiveness to shifting market conditions and player engagement, underscoring the importance of adaptability in the evolving landscape of game publishing across platforms such as the Nintendo Switch and eShop.

Stakeholders and fans alike will be watching for EA’s next moves as the company aims to regain momentum in the upcoming fiscal year.

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