Electronic Arts COO Laura Miele on Gaming’s Big Moment: ‘We Have Significant Runway Ahead of Us’

variety.com:

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorLaura Miele knows that video gaming is having a big moment.The industry veteran, who was named chief operating officer of gaming giant Electronic Arts in September, also knows that well-heeled competitors are ready to barrel into the sector that is becoming ever-more intertwined with Hollywood’s core businesses.On the latest episode of Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” Miele says EA is fortified for heightened competition from streaming platforms by its 40-year history of creating game franchises ranging from “The Sims” to “Madden NFL” to its partnership with Lucasfilm on “Star Wars” titles. (And this conversation was held before Microsoft unveiled its blockbuster $69 billion bid on Jan.

17 to acquire EA’s biggest rival, Activision Blizzard.) In fact, EA has been preparing for some time for streaming giants and Silicon Valley to dive deeper into the gaming marketplace, which Miele pegs as a $180 billion business worldwide.

Netflix, for one, is taking steps to integrate game offerings into its basic subscription.“We are going to compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon for people’s time and people’s engagement.

I love our position that games have — it’s incredibly engaging. It is interactive. And it’s very social,” she says. “I genuinely believe that even though we are the largest form of entertainment, we have a significant runway ahead of us still.”Click here to sign up for Variety‘s free Strictly Business newsletter covering media earnings, financial and investment news and moreMiele, who previously ran the EA Studios unit housing its many game development labels, emphasizes that making a successful video game is no easy feat, even for experienced content creators.“We’ve been.