The flops are piling up for videogame titans

In recent years, the videogame industry looked like it had found the antidote to the boom-bust cycles that had long plagued the business. 

Publishers focused on a few well-known titles and extended their lives through in-game purchases, expansion packs and online tournaments. Electronic Arts Inc, one of the largest players, doubled its market value to almost US$45bil (RM182.99bil) last year as a new era of steady, predictable revenue seemed at hand. Then, like a wrong turn in Pac-Man, it was game over.