# EA Mobile

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**EA Mobile Inc.** is an American [video game development](/source/Video_game_developer) studio of the [publisher](/source/Video_game_publisher) [Electronic Arts](/source/Electronic_Arts) (EA) for mobile platforms.

The studio's primary business is producing games for [mobile phones](/source/Mobile_phone). It has also produced other entertainment-related software such as [ringtone](/source/Ringtone) applications, as well as games for other platforms such as [PDAs](/source/Personal_digital_assistant) and [personal computers](/source/Personal_computer). EA Mobile produces games in a wide variety of [genres](/source/Genre), such as [fighting](/source/Fight) games, [puzzle](/source/Puzzle) games, and [sports](/source/Sports) titles. Their most well-known products to date include *[The Sims](/source/The_Sims)*, *[Need for Speed](/source/Need_For_Speed_(series))*, and *[FIFA](/source/FIFA_(video_game_series))* as well as a mobile conversion of the widely known puzzle game *[Bejeweled](/source/Bejeweled_(video_game))*, a conversion for [Pocket PC](/source/Pocket_PC) of the PC game *[Worms World Party](/source/Worms_World_Party)* and their [NFL](/source/NFL), [NBA](/source/NBA), and [MLB](/source/MLB) -branded games, in addition to holding the license for the mobile versions of *[Tetris](/source/Tetris)* and various *[Monopoly](/source/Monopoly_(game))* games. *[Tetris](/source/Tetris_(Electronic_Arts))* by EA Mobile is the [best-selling](/source/List_of_best-selling_video_games) paid [mobile game](/source/Mobile_game) of all time, and third best-selling game of all time altogether.[5][6] They have relationships with all major [North American](/source/North_America) wireless service carriers, such as [Sprint](/source/Sprint_Corporation), [Verizon](/source/Verizon), and [AT&T](/source/AT%26T_Mobility), as well as many minor North American and some major [European](/source/Europe) and [Asian](/source/Asia) carriers. They have offices in [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles), [Montreal](/source/Montreal), [London](/source/London), [Tokyo](/source/Tokyo), [Hyderabad](/source/Hyderabad,_India), [Honolulu](/source/Honolulu), [Bucharest](/source/Bucharest) and [São Paulo](/source/S%C3%A3o_Paulo).

As a publishing company in the wireless video game industry, EA Mobile's primary service is linking game developers, who generally develop the games from idea to playable [software](/source/Software), with [wireless](/source/Wireless) [telecommunications](/source/Telecommunications) service providers or "carriers", who sell the games to their customers. To this end, they maintain strong relationships with major companies in both groups. In addition, they create, purchase, and maintain proprietary [software libraries](/source/Software_library) to aid developers with whom they have working relationships, a common practice among electronic game publishers. They also do the majority of the work regarding [quality assurance](/source/Quality_assurance) for their games.

## History

### Foundation

EA Mobile was founded in 2004 by a group of EA company veterans. The group was formed/led by John Batter (General Manager) and included Linda Chaplin (head of US sales), Lincoln Wallen (CTO), John Burn (head of European sales), Jay Miller (US sales) and Mike McCabe (head of Asian sales). EA Mobile launched the division and products simultaneously in the US, Europe and Asia.

### JAMDAT acquisition

In 2006, EA Mobile expanded its footprint by acquiring JAMDAT Mobile. JAMDAT was founded by Scott Lahman and Zack Norman, two ex-[Activision](/source/Activision) executives, and Austin Murray in March 2000. They were joined in November of that year by [Mitch Lasky](/source/Mitch_Lasky), who had also worked at Activision, who became the [CEO](/source/Chief_Executive_Officer) of JAMDAT. JAMDAT [went public](/source/Initial_public_offering) in late 2003 and gained immediate success after the release of several *[The Lord of the Rings](/source/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_(film_series))* tie-in mobile games.[7] JAMDAT acquired [Montreal](/source/Montreal) game studio Hexacto in May 2003, increasing its game portfolio.[8]

On December 9, 2005, EA announced their purchase of JAMDAT for $680 million. The acquisition closed on February 14, 2006, and the JAMDAT name was retired.

### Further expansion

On August 8, 2007, it was announced that Barry Cottle will join EA Mobile as the new Senior Vice President and General Manager.

In October 2010, EA Mobile announced the acquisition of UK-based iPhone and iPad games publisher Chillingo for US$20 million in cash. While Chillingo publishes the popular *[Cut the Rope](/source/Cut_the_Rope)* game, the deal did not include those properties.

In July 2015, Samantha Ryan became the new SVP and General Manager of EA Mobile replacing Frank Gibeau. And the following year in a restructuring across parent company EA, she also added oversight of [Maxis](/source/Maxis) and [BioWare](/source/BioWare).

As of 2017, EA Mobile have an annual revenue topping almost $700 million and employees around 800 people.[9]

In May 2022, it was announced that EA Mobile along with [EA Capital Games](/source/Electronic_Arts#EA_Entertainment) will partner with [Middle-earth Enterprises](/source/Middle-earth_Enterprises) to release a new mobile RPG titled *The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth*.[10] The game was eventually released on 10 May 2023.[11] It received mixed to positive reviews generally, but was forced to shut down prematurely just more than a year after worldwide launch,[12] amidst the turmoil of the [2023–2024 video game industry layoffs](/source/2023%E2%80%932024_video_game_industry_layoffs) that affected Electronic Arts' development projects.

Months after shutting down *Heroes of Middle Earth*, Electronic Arts then announced the shutdown of *[The Simpsons: Tapped Out](/source/The_Simpsons:_Tapped_Out)* after twelve years of operation. The game shut down on January 24, 2025.[13]

## See also

- [Gameloft](/source/Gameloft)

## References

1. ["EA completes $2.4 billion acquisition of Glu Mobile"](https://venturebeat.com/2021/04/29/ea-completes-2-4-billion-acquisition-of-glu-mobile/). *VentureBeat*. 29 April 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210814153956/https://venturebeat.com/2021/04/29/ea-completes-2-4-billion-acquisition-of-glu-mobile/) August 14, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 1, 2021.

1. Arts, Electronic (29 April 2021). ["Meet Glu Mobile, the Newest Member of the EA Family"](https://www.ea.com/news/ea-welcomes-glu-mobile). *Electronic Arts Inc.*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210429190612/https://www.ea.com/news/ea-welcomes-glu-mobile) April 29, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 1, 2021.

1. Staff, PocketGamer biz (September 29, 2017). ["Top 50 Mobile Game Developers of 2017"](http://www.pocketgamer.biz/list/66597/top-50-mobile-game-developers-of-2017/entry/8/). *pocketgamer.biz*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20191003090608/https://www.pocketgamer.biz/list/66597/top-50-mobile-game-developers-of-2017/entry/8/) October 3, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 25, 2019.

1. Jordan, Jon & Editor, Contributing (February 7, 2017). ["The rise and rise of EA's 'very profitable' $600 million mobile business"](http://www.pocketgamer.biz/data-and-research/65008/the-rise-of-ea-mobile/). *pocketgamer.biz*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20191003071632/https://www.pocketgamer.biz/data-and-research/65008/the-rise-of-ea-mobile/) October 3, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 25, 2019.

1. ["Tetris Game Surpasses 100 Million Paid Mobile Downloads, Was the Best-Selling Mobile Phone Game of All Time"](http://www.ea.com/news/tetris-game-surpasses-100-million-mobile-downloads). *[Electronic Arts](/source/Electronic_Arts)*. January 21, 2010. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100316160204/http://www.ea.com/news/tetris-game-surpasses-100-million-mobile-downloads) March 16, 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 10, 2010.

1. Arts, Electronic (October 19, 2016). ["Tetris"](https://www.ea.com/games/tetris/tetris). *Electronic Arts Inc.*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210610094157/https://www.ea.com/games/tetris/tetris) June 10, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-02-16.

1. ["JAMDAT Mobile Launches Wireless Games Based on New Line Cinema's Critically-Acclaimed *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*"](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20031229005228/en/JAMDAT-Mobile-Launches-Wireless-Games-Based-New). *[Business Wire](/source/Business_Wire)*. 29 December 2003. Retrieved 27 May 2020.

1. Horn, Steven (May 14, 2003). ["E3 2003: JAMDAT Acquires Hexacto"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110713004747/http://uk.wireless.ign.com/articles/402/402596p1.html). *IGN*. Archived from [the original](http://uk.wireless.ign.com/articles/402/402596p1.html) on July 13, 2011. Retrieved March 23, 2008.

1. Nutt, Christian. ["Samantha Ryan takes the reins at EA's mobile division"](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/samantha-ryan-takes-the-reins-at-ea-s-mobile-division). *www.gamasutra.com*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20171003030245/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/248695/Samantha_Ryan_takes_the_reins_at_EAs_mobile_division.php) October 3, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 25, 2019.

1. ["Electronic Arts Partners with Middle-earth Enterprises on the Development of Upcoming Mobile Game The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth™"](https://news.ea.com/press-releases/press-releases-details/2022/Electronic-Arts-Partners-with-Middle-earth-Enterprises-on-the-Development-of-Upcoming-Mobile-Game-The-Lord-of-the-Rings-Heroes-of-Middle-earth/default.aspx). *[ea.com](/source/Electronic_Arts)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230208092848/https://news.ea.com/press-releases/press-releases-details/2022/Electronic-Arts-Partners-with-Middle-earth-Enterprises-on-the-Development-of-Upcoming-Mobile-Game-The-Lord-of-the-Rings-Heroes-of-Middle-earth/default.aspx) February 8, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 25, 2022.

1. ["EA launches The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth on mobile"](https://venturebeat.com/business/ea-launches-the-lord-of-the-rings-heroes-of-middle-earth-on-mobile/). *[Venture Beat](/source/VentureBeat)*. May 10, 2023. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230510172520/https://venturebeat.com/business/ea-launches-the-lord-of-the-rings-heroes-of-middle-earth-on-mobile/) May 10, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 10, 2023.

1. ["An Important Update"](https://www.ea.com/games/lord-of-the-rings/the-lord-of-the-rings-heroes-of-middle-earth/news/an-important-update). *The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle Earth*. Electronic Arts. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.

1. Liszewski, Andrew (2024-09-26). ["The Simpsons: Tapped Out taps out."](https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24255307/the-simpsons-tapped-out-taps-out). *The Verge*. Retrieved 2024-09-26.

## External links

- [EA Mobile official website](https://web.archive.org/web/20080828034550/http://eamobile.com/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [EA Mobile](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EA_Mobile) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EA_Mobile?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.