Electronic Arts Pitches Sports-Game Promotion

Feeling pressure on prices for sports video games, Electronic Arts (ERTS Quote) is firing back.

The video-game software giant will launch a promotion next week that will award customers a free sports game for every two they buy, company CFO Warren Jenson said at an investor conference Thursday. EA will offer the promotion for "a limited time," Jenson said, but did not elaborate.

The company is attempting to balance profitability with maintaining its dominant share in the sports game market, he said.

EA's move follows Take-Two Interactive's (TTWO Quote) attempt to carve out some of EA's share of the sports game market. Earlier this summer, Take-Two signed a deal with Sega to co-publish Sega's line of ESPN-branded sports games. The two companies are offering the ESPN games, which include football, basketball and hockey titles, at about $20 a game. ...