NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Strong sales of soccer, boxing and Harry Potter games gave Electronic Arts a boost in its first fiscal quarter.
The world's top video game publisher reported a profit of $24 million, a 32 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Earnings, at 8 cents per share, were 3 cents higher than analyst expectations.
Between April and June, three of the company's titles attained "platinum" status, selling more than 1 million copies: "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (which sold 2.5 million copies) "Fight Night" (which sold nearly 1.5 million) and "UEFA Euro 2004" (which sold 1 million). Sales of catalog titles remained strong as well.
The company expressed optimism for the second fiscal quarter as well, noting that first-week sales of "NCAA Football 2005" were more than 50 percent higher than they did last year. And pre-orders of "Madden 2005," the company's juggernaut football title, were at record levels. Last year's Madden game sold more than 5 million copies and was the year's best-selling videogame.
EA said it expects second-quarter earnings per share to fall between 28 and 34 cents per share, with revenue coming in between $680 million and $715 million.
As the current generation of consoles hits midlife, EA is spending more in preparation for the next generation of systems. First-quarter research and development costs were up 43 percent.
Microsoft is expected to release the successor to its Xbox Console system late next year, with Sony and Nintendo releasing new systems in the U.S. in 2006.
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