05/28/2026
On May 28, 1982, Electronic Arts (EA) was officially founded by Trip Hawkins. Up until that point, the engineers making video games were invisible, buried behind corporate labels. EA changed the playbook completely.
3 Ways EA Transformed the Entertainment Industry:
The "Software Artist" Movement: Early EA games were sold in elegant, vinyl-record-style packaging that prominently featured the designer’s face and signature, completely shifting how creative talent was valued.
Sports Culture Dominance: They built a literal sub-industry with EA Sports, securing licensing deals that bridged the gap between real-world sports and digital entertainment.
Scale and Acquisition: From a small startup funded by Hawkins' personal savings, they mastered the art of studio acquisition, bringing legendary teams like BioWare and Respawn Entertainment into a massive global network.
For any business owner or creator, EA’s founding is a powerful reminder of what happens when you build a business around respecting the artist. When you treat your team's craft like high art, the rest of the world will too. 🥂🏆