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REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) announced that starting today, fans around the world have the opportunity to shape the face of the [ EA SPORTSa" NHL ] franchise, by participating in the first ever EA SPORTS NHLCover VoteCampaign a" sponsored by BlackBerry and hosted on [ NHL.com ].The voting process will consist of two preliminary rounds, followed by a 16-player bracket as a field of 60 NHL players is narrowed down to one. The winning player will be unveiled as the EA SPORTS NHL 13 Cover Athlete at the 2012 NHL Awardsa" on June 20 at the Wynn Las Vegas in Las Vegas.

"The announcement of the cover athlete has become an event unto itself, and every year we look to grow the platform and innovate around the launch"

The first round of competition pits teammate against teammate and starts today and runs until April 11, the first day of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Fans can vote for their favorite player to represent their team in the next round.

NHL 13 Cover Athlete Voting Schedule:

• March 29 a" April 11: Round of 60: one representative from each team plus two wild card selections advance*
• April 12 a" April 22: 32-Player Leaderboard: fans vote for their favorite 16 candidates; top 16 vote-getters advance
• April 24 a" June 4: Round of 16: single-elimination playoff bracket decides NHL 13 cover athlete

Fans worldwide are able to vote an unlimited number of times and are encouraged to vote as often as possible at [ NHL.com/CoverVote ] to ensure their favorite player advances through the rounds. Fans can also show their support by tweeting their picks using [ #NHL13Cover ] on Twitter.Visit the [ EA SPORTS NHL Facebook page ] for insider updates and additional content.

aThe EA SPORTS NHL Franchise has had a rich tradition of outstanding cover athletes including Conn Smythe Trophy and Stanley Cup Winners, NHL All-Stars and Hall of Fame Members,a said David Le, Marketing Director, EA SPORTS. aWith fans selecting the cover athlete for NHL 13 they now control who gets to join that prestigious club.a

aBeing the EA SPORTS NHL cover athlete is an honor that is coveted by many NHL players,a said Adam Larry, NHLPA Director of Licensing. aWith the EA SPORTS NHL 13 cover athlete being selected by the fans, the honor is now even greater. This vote campaign will be exciting for both the players and the fans, as they will be engaging online, and through social media, while the bracket narrows towards the fansa selection for the cover of NHL 13.a

The star-studded list of candidates participating in the campaign features NHL scoring leader Evgeni Malkin, 2011 Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry, NHL All-Stars and some of the most popular players in the NHL. The complete list of matchups can be found below:

aThe announcement of the cover athlete has become an event unto itself, and every year we look to grow the platform and innovate around the launch,a said Keith Wachtel, Senior Vice President Integrated Sales, NHL. aThe creation of the NHL 13 Cover Vote campaign, sponsored by BlackBerry, does just that by building an exciting new platform for players to connect with fans while bringing together two of our valued partners.a

Assets:

To download assets, please visit the EA press site at [ http://info.ea.com ].

NHL 13 is in development at EA Canada in Vancouver and has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI; visit [ www.esrb.org ] and [ www.pegi.info ] for more information. Become a fan of EA SPORTS NHL on Facebook at [ http://www.facebook.com/easportsnhl ] and follow us on Twitter via [ http://www.twitter.com/easportsnhl ].

For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game communities, please visit [ www.easports.com ] to connect, share and compete.

EA SPORTS is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, fan programs and cross-platform digital experiences. EA SPORTS creates connected experiences that ignite the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR golf, SSX, and Fight Night boxing. For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit [ www.easports.com ].

*Wild card selections will be made by EA.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Companyas game franchises are offered as both packaged goods products and online services delivered through Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets. EA has more than 100 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.

In fiscal 2011, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.6 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster franchises such as The Simsa", Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speeda", Battlefield, and Mass Effecta". More information about EA is available at [ http://info.ea.com ].

EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Active, The Sims and Need for Speed are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Mass Effect is a trademark of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. John Madden, NFL, NBA, NHL NCAA, Tiger Woods, PGA TOUR and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

NHL 13 is an Officially Licensed Product of the NHL and the NHLPA. NHLPA, National Hockey League Players' Association and the NHLPA logo are trademarks of the NHLPA. NHLPA. NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League.

NHL, the NHL Shield and the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup are registered trademarks and NHL Awards name and logo are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. NHL 2012. All Rights Reserved.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited.RIM assumes no obligations or liability and makes no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services.

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