While EA may have a mixed reputation among some gamers (understatement of the century) it undoubtedly still has some of the best and most beloved series in its iron grasp. Case in point, our usual subject of the Sims franchise which is still driving EA financials 25 years on!
The Numbers
As noted in the financials, The Sims franchise as a whole reported double-digit growth in the the Quarter which ended on March 31st. Not surprising given the release of a major new expansion, the 25th anniversary of the franchise and hotly-anticipated features such as the Thief making a return. And while it only warranted a brief mention in comparison to upcoming heavy hitters like Battlefield releasing this year, it was still called ‘historic’ by the bigwigs at EA.
The expectation is that The Sims is going to be a major driver of growth going into 2026 (yes, financial calendar dates are weird, we know). This is in comparison to the flagging performance of the Titanfall spin-off Apex Legends. In essence, despite the age of the franchise and its most recent entry, The Sims 4 is still a lynchpin for EA’s continued success despite a push for newer series to take the reins.
The Breakdown
What does this mean for you and me? Well, very little obviously. I doubt that any of us are investing heavily in EA stocks. But at the same time it does offer plenty of security for the future of the series and is indicative of why it still receives so much focus from EA in terms of merchandise, spin-offs and potential sequels.
Remember, for a while it looked as if Apex Legends was going to be the new hotness (and live services as a whole but I digress), and yet in the past year it seems that a 25 years old, single-player series with its most recent entry being over a decade old still rules the roost.
In this way, I think we’ll find out more about what EA has planned and whether something like The Sims 5 is on the docket when the next financials roll around. And indeed, whether Project Rene with its controversial new multiplayer focus is going to be what the future of the series looks like, especially with EA always looking for new ways to build their fabled ‘forever game’.
