Electronic Arts (EA) shares have been on the rise ever since CEO John Riccitiello resigned in March, following a six-year stint as the company's leader.
While EA is still searching for a new CEO, Riccitiello's departure marks a big shift for the company. For years, EA has been the lead video game maker for consoles, such as Sony's (SNE) Playstation, Microsoft's (MSFT) Xbox and the Nintendo Wii. Now, it's making a big push into mobile, as gaming on smartphones and tablets gains popularity.
Investors have so far been pleased with the EA's performance. During the most recent quarter, the company reported a smaller-than-expected loss, and revenue improved as growth in digital sales offset declining sales in packaged games.
Investors are also optimistic about EA's future, following deals with Disney (DIS) to develop games based on Star Wars, and with Hasbro (HAS) to make board games like Monopoly, Scrabble and The Game of Life available on mobile devices.
