Description Of Business And Basis of Presentation

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Description Of Business And Basis of Presentation [Abstract]

Description Of Business And Basis of Presentation

(1) DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Electronic Arts is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. We develop, market, publish and deliver games, content and services that can be experienced on game consoles, PCs, mobile phones and tablets. At our core is a portfolio of intellectual property from which we create innovative games and content that enable us to build on-going and meaningful relationships with a community of players, creators and viewers. Our portfolio includes brands that we either wholly own (such as Apex Legends, Battlefield, and The Sims) or license from others (such as Madden, Star Wars, and the 300+ licenses within our global football ecosystem). Through our live services offerings, we offer our players high-quality experiences designed to provide value to players and extend and enhance gameplay. These live services include extra content, subscription offerings and other revenue generated in addition to the sale of our base games and free-to-play games. In addition, we are focused on reaching more players whenever and wherever they want to play. We believe that we can add value to our network by making it easier for players to connect to a world of play by offering choice of business model, distribution channel and device.

Consolidation

The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Electronic Arts Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Fiscal Year

Our fiscal year is reported on a 52- or 53-week period that ends on the Saturday nearest March 31. Our results of operations for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 contained 52 weeks and ended on April 2, 2022. Our results of operations for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2021 and 2020 contained 53 and 52 weeks and ended on April 3, 2021 and March 28, 2020, respectively. For simplicity of disclosure, all fiscal periods are referred to as ending on a calendar month end.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Such estimates include offering periods for deferred net revenue, sales returns and allowances, provisions for doubtful accounts, accrued liabilities, relative stand-alone selling price for identified performance obligations in our revenue transactions, losses on royalty commitments, estimates regarding the recoverability of prepaid royalties, inventories, long-lived assets, discount rates used in the measurement and recognition of lease liabilities, assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business combinations, certain estimates related to the measurement and recognition of costs resulting from our stock-based payment awards, unrecognized tax benefits, deferred income tax assets and associated valuation allowances, as well as estimates used in our goodwill, intangibles and short-term investment impairment tests. These estimates require us to make judgments, involve analysis of historical and future trends, can require extended periods of time to resolve, and are subject to change from period to period. In all cases, actual results could differ materially from our estimates.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (Topic 740). The amendments in this update simplify the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740. The amendments also improve consistent application of and simplify GAAP for other areas of Topic 740 by clarifying and amending existing guidance. We adopted ASU 2019-12 in the first quarter of fiscal year 2022. The amendments did not have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements upon adoption.

The amendments clarified and amended existing guidance with respect to transactions in which a taxpayer realizes a step-up in tax basis of goodwill. As we integrate acquired intellectual property into our global operating structure, we may realize a tax basis step-up in goodwill. In such situations, we are required to assess whether the integration relates to the acquisition or is a separate transaction. When the integration is a separate transaction, we may be required to recognize deferred tax assets to the extent the stepped-up tax basis exceeds the associated U.S. GAAP basis. This assessment requires judgment around key indicators such as whether the tax basis step-up was contemplated as part of the original acquisition to which the intellectual property relates, whether the integration results in cash taxes, and whether the integration is achieved through a simple tax

election. See Note 11 — Income Taxes for a discussion of the prospective application of this standard to our intra-entity transfers of recently acquired intellectual property during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022.

Other Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-08, Business Combinations: Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers (Topic 805). The amendments in this update require that an acquirer recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with Topic 606. This update is effective for us beginning in the first quarter of fiscal year 2024. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the timing of adoption and impact of this new standard on our Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures.

In November 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-10, Disclosures by Business Entities about Government Assistance (Topic 832). The amendments in this update establish Topic 832 and require additional disclosures regarding government grants and money contributions when entities accounted for transactions with a government by analogizing to a grant or contribution accounting model. This update is effective for us beginning in the first fiscal quarter of fiscal year 2023. Early adoption is permitted. We plan to adopt this provision in the first fiscal quarter of fiscal year 2023. This update is not expected to have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements or related disclosures.