EA earnings driven by 12 million sales of FIFA 13, $100M in digital revenue in Q3

Publisher Electronic Arts sold more than 12 million copies of its soccer sim FIFA 13 during the holiday quarter, a 23 percent increase in sales of the franchise from the previous year, the company announced today.

Sales of the latest FIFA game and more than $100 million in digital revenue from the title helped contribute to quarterly earnings at the "high end of our guidance range," according to EA CEO John Riccitiello. For the company's current fiscal year, EA says it has generated more than $230 million in digital revenue from its FIFA titles, including EA Sports FIFA Online 2 and FIFA World Class Soccer.

EA posted $922 million in revenue and a $45 million net loss for the three-month period ending Dec. 31, 2012. During the same quarter from the previous year, the publisher posted $1.061 billion in revenue and a $205 million net loss.

In addition to its growing FIFA revenue, EA boasted in an earnings announcement that Battlefield 3 Premium generated more than $108 million in sales during its third quarter, with 2.9 million subscriptions. The publisher also announced iOS game The Simpsons: Tapped Out generated more than $23 million in digital net revenue on a non-GAAP reporting basis.

EA says it expects revenue of approximately $1.115 to $1.215 billion for its fiscal year 2013 ending March 31.