Report: EA Sports Opening Texas Studio

EA Sports is set to open a new development studio in Austin, Texas, according to media reports. Detailed in an internal company memo, as obtained by news site IGN, the planned expansion is still in the initial stages, as the company is scouting locations in Austin for the upcoming studio. EA Sports COO Daryl Holt highlighted the company's goals, explaining, "We have aggressive plans for expansion, and I will be visiting Austin, Texas, this week to assess potential space for a new EA Sports studio location." "Our goal is to attract, hire and retain the industry's best talent," he continued. He also noted that the new studio will deliver "connected, multi-platform development." Earlier this year, a number of key figures at EA Sports left the company, including executive producer Phil Frazier and creative director Ian Cummings. Holt mentioned this in his memo, stating, "With these departures comes a renewed focus on retention, but also a realization that these departures create new opportunities for our people at all levels within the studio." EA began construction of the first ever EA Sports retail shop earlier this month, which it says will be the first in a chain of stores dedicated to its EA Sports line of sports games.