Andrew Wilson, CEO of Electronic Arts, shares insights on the booming gaming industry, emphasizing its role as the fastest-growing entertainment medium. He discusses the evolution of gaming during the pandemic and the shifting motivations behind it. Wilson also addresses cultural challenges, such as harassment and diversity, within the industry. He explores the metaverse's origins and its significance for future gaming spaces, advocating for community engagement and safety while navigating the competitive landscape of virtual worlds.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Family Integration During Pandemic
Andrew Wilson's kids would sit on his lap during virtual town halls and investor calls.
He embraced family presence during the pandemic instead of segregating work and family.
insights INSIGHT
Games as Social Connection
COVID accelerated the shift of social interactions from physical to digital.
Games are primarily about social connection, not just escapism.
insights INSIGHT
Strategic Acquisitions
EA's recent acquisitions focus on mobile gaming and sports, recognizing their growing importance.
The pandemic highlighted the role of sports games as a substitute when real sports were shut down.
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Published in 1992, 'Snow Crash' is a science fiction novel by Neal Stephenson that delves into a future where the United States has fragmented into corporate city-states and the internet has evolved into a virtual reality called the Metaverse. The story follows Hiro Protagonist, a pizza delivery driver and part-time hacker, and Y.T., a teenage skateboard courier, as they navigate a complex world threatened by a mysterious computer virus and a powerful drug known as Snow Crash. The novel explores themes of history, linguistics, anthropology, and computer science, and is noted for its prescient vision of the metaverse and its influence on Silicon Valley innovators[2][3][5].
Ready Player One
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In 'Ready Player One', Ernest Cline introduces Wade Watts, an 18-year-old living in a dystopian future where people escape their harsh reality through the OASIS, a vast virtual reality world. The story revolves around Wade's quest to find an Easter egg hidden by the OASIS's creator, James Halliday, which would grant the finder immense wealth and control over the OASIS. Wade, known as Parzival in the OASIS, must compete against other 'gunters' and the corporate-sponsored Sixers to achieve this goal. The novel is filled with 1980s pop culture references, adventure, and social commentary, making it a deeply engaging and nostalgic read.
Hollywood may build stars, but gaming is "the biggest, fastest-growing entertainment medium in the world," says CEO Andrew Wilson of Electronic Arts. That's why businesses from Netflix to Disney to Facebook are eyeing the space, along with creators and startups eager to tap into the entrepreneurial opportunities posed by the still-evolving "metaverse." Wilson, who oversees franchises from Apex Legends to FIFA to The Sims, explains how he's playing in this ever-changing field – and how an industry-wide cultural referendum on harassment keeps him up at night.
Masters of Scale 
