Electronic Arts (EA) fell short of Wall Street expectations for second-quarter bookings, citing uncertain spending on sports titles and tough comparisons to last year’s successful launch of “College Football 25.” The company recently announced a $55 billion acquisition by a group of private investors, including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

EA is banking on core action and sports titles to navigate a challenging gaming market with high console prices and intense competition. The successful launch of “College Football 25” last year boosted spending from loyal fans, making it one of the best-selling games in the franchise.

Following the announcement of the take-private deal, EA released “Battlefield 6” which sold over seven million copies in the first three days. With strong initial sales and rival “Call of Duty” facing player fatigue, investors are eyeing the game’s long-term financial outlook as EA plans to provide regular content updates to maintain player engagement and spending.

Despite some concerns about softer performance, EA reported mid-single digit growth in bookings for its soccer title “FC 26” compared to its predecessor. Analysts predict that EA Sports FC will remain resilient due to soccer’s global popularity, with speculations of a potential reunion with FIFA under its Saudi owners in the future.

In the second quarter, EA’s bookings dropped by 13% to $1.82 billion, falling short of the average estimate of $1.88 billion. The company also reported a net income of $137 million, down from $294 million in the same quarter the previous year. The company’s financial performance and strategic decisions are closely watched by investors and industry experts for future developments.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: ‘Battlefield’ maker EA misses quarterly bookings estimates on uncertain gamer spend