Not content with simply having a presence in the lucrative Asian gaming market, Electronic Arts is looking at everything from Pachinko parlors to arcades in an effort to spread its influence across the Far East. GamesIndustry.biz spoke with EA regional boss Joe Niermann at E3 to get an idea of how the top game publisher is shifting its consoles-centric strategy overseas. The former Disney Asia executive cites online development, mobile projects, and localized content as being the "three pillars" that will help the gaming giant's future growth across the Asian markets.According to Niermann, "Our strategy is really build to buy. We have to build the expertise, we have to build that ability to make the games locally, to publish the games ourselves, to operate the games if it's online. We can bring in great tools, great technology, great IP, great management - but we need the other half of the equation, which is somebody that has actually built a game in the local market. I think together, that makes us much more powerful."
To that end, EA is teaming with Korean developer NeoWiz for an online version of the popular FIFA franchise. Time will tell if the Shandas and Webzens of the world agree to play along with EA's plan for global domination.
