Skip to main content



With your Nokia Lumia 920 or Lumia 820, playing games on your smartphone has never felt, looked or sounded better.

Many of those terrific titles you will most likely be playing will come from EA, one of the world’s leading interactive entertainment software companies. 

They’re the brains behind world-conquering favourites such as Monopoly, The Sims 3 and Need for Speed Hot Pursuit

With Windows Phone 8 still sparkly new from its unveiling and the end of 2012 drawing close, it felt like an opportune time to speak with Glenn Roland, VP of New Platforms and OEMs, at EA.

Conversations spoke with him about developing games on the Windows Phone platform, their relationship with Nokia and some of the exciting titles that you can all look forward to.

How important is the Windows Phone platform for EA? 

Glenn Roland

This is incredibly important to us. Our vision for our users is anytime, anywhere. When you look at what Microsoft and Nokia are doing together in the Windows Phone 8 space it is really compelling because of its cross-platform functionality.

Our ability to give users that experience and help them grow that experience whether they are consuming that IP on a Windows Phone, or even on their Xbox, is a part of that. 

What about your relationship with Nokia?

We believe that Nokia gives us access to those markets that aren’t necessarily a big focal point for others. I hate to use the term emerging markets – I think they have already emerged – but it really gives us an opportunity to reach into those markets where we haven’t created raving fans yet, really focus on them and build that customer brand loyalty to EA, to Nokia and Microsoft. 

What have been some of the recent gaming highlights for you?

I’m a big car-racing fan so our racing games are by far my biggest excitement points. Need for Speed, products like that, where you can give the user high adrenaline rushes on an amazing screen like the Lumia 920, would be my number one for Windows Phone. 

Beyond that though you’re talking about such a wide array of games… You’ve got Mirror’s Edge, The Sims, Connect 4, Game of Life… There are so many different genres of products that we really meet the needs of everybody’s gaming inclinations. 

What’s coming up on Windows Phone that people have got to look forward to?

In progress right now we’ve got one of our Real Racing products, which is a further extension of the hardcore racing experience. We’ve got Zuma’s Revenge, which is a great social title from our PopCap label and Flight Control Rocket, which is another popular social experience with a big consumer base.

Lumia 920

What difference has the release of Windows Phone 8 made for you?

Candidly, the shift to Windows Phone 8 was the best thing that could have happened to us. It is a native code base and it has given us the ability to get to the platform much faster and with significantly more ease.

It also gives us the ability to get to Windows 8 on desktops significantly faster. You’re about 80-85% on the way there to delivering a Windows 8 game from a Windows Phone 8 game.

Finally, how big is mobile gaming for EA?

Mobile gaming is the fastest growing sector of the games industry. So it is absolutely critical in EA’s digital transformation. You can’t carry your console in your pocket but you can certainly carry your Lumia device.