EA has high expectations for the digital channel in 2011

EA, a game publishing giant, expects that 20% of its income will come from full game downloads and downloadable content (DLC) in 2011. At the UBS Media and Communications Conference in New York, EA’s Chief Financial Officer Eric Brown predicted a bright future for digital sales in the years to come.

EA is not alone in perceiving this trend. Microsoft, for example, sees continuous growth in its Xbox Live distribution channel.

The use of micropayments and in-platform currencies appears to be an important driver of growth. Brown cites that for FIFA ’10 Ultimate Team Mode, one user went as far as to buy DLC for 700 dollar. 

The digital growth so far complements more than replaces offline sales. Most often, people first buy a disc and than acquire downloadable add-ons through digital channels.

Source: Joystiq