New Study (61%) Shows Gaming Can Reignite a Boring Relationship

Watch the Video Directed by Toby Dye of RSA Films Here

Watch the Launch Trailer of It Takes Two on Nintendo Switch Here

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) – To celebrate the launch of the critically-acclaimed co-op adventure game It Takes Two on Nintendo Switch, EA invited couples to put their collaboration skills and feelings to the test. With 50% of all couples worrying about relationship boredom* and another 56% believing other couples have more fun, can gaming get the sparks flying again?

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221122005174/en/

To celebrate IT TAKES TWO's recent launch on Nintendo Switch, EA put couples to the test with the Better Together Experience (Graphic: Business Wire)

Wake up, go to work, shop for groceries, cook dinner, crash on the couch and repeat all over again the next day. Sound familiar? Routine and everyday chores are a slippery slope toward relationship boredom. This is the foundation upon which It Takes Two’s co-op adventure is built. In the game, main characters Cody and May are trapped after a magic spell turns them into dolls; both must work together to overcome unpredictable challenges in order to save their fractured marriage.

Better Together Experience Putting Couples to the Test

To celebrate It Takes Two’s recent launch on Nintendo Switch, EA put couples to the test with the Better Together Experience: inviting two couples to play together, after expressing boredom in their relationship and wanting to try something new.

The couples, Ellie Gibson & Pete Hobden and Rianna Linton & Paige Meade, embarked on an emotional journey in It Takes Two, playing as Cody and May to save the characters' relationship by working together.

This was done because time for each other, encouraging your partners’ passions, and being present are all important lessons learned throughout It Takes Two’s gameplay - the latter being more important now than ever. According to a new survey conducted by OnePoll**, 1,850 US adult (18-40) respondents currently in a relationship find social media and smartphones to be major distractions when engaging together. Additional findings indicate that:

• 61% of respondents are regularly or always using their smartphone when spending time with their partner/spouse.
• 59% said their partner most of the time or always seem distracted when spending time together.
• Respondents said they would be willing to give up social media (33%), tasty food (23%) and sleep (21%) to have more time with their partner, while 16% would be willing to sacrifice a limb in return for more quality time together with their partner/spouse.

If social media and smartphones distract us, could another type of screen time bring us closer?

According to the survey results, 61% of US respondents find that playing video games together can have a positive effect on their relationship.

“Compared to passive pastime activities like watching TV or streaming services, playing a co-op game like It Takes Two cannot be done without fully engaging in the moment. This creates a dynamic where couples can truly enjoy time together, while unknowingly working on their collaboration and communication skills,” said Chloe Dubini, EA Originals Brand Manager & Marketing Lead, EA.

“It’s hard to be distracted by something else when you’re fighting giant wasps together with your partner.”

One of the participants from the Better Together Experience said in the video:

“It's definitely been a positive experience. It's quite rare and special to have a game where you do work together. There are lots of times when you can't do anything unless you listen to the other person. It's not a bad thing.”

With over a quarter (27%) of the surveyed US adults trying a new activity with their partner/spouse every month, this holiday season is the perfect time to introduce your relationship to the joy of co-op gaming.

Watch the video directed by Toby Dye of RSA Films here.

Watch the launch trailer of It Takes Two on Nintendo Switch here.

*50 percent of all couples worry about boredom in their relationship, according to research by Kristen Mark, Professor at University of Minnesota Medical School.

**This online survey of 1,850 US and 1,540 UK adults in a relationship, cohabiting or married (aged 18-40) was commissioned by EA and conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society's code of conduct. Data was collected between 21/10/2022 and 27/10/2022. All participants are double-opted in to take part in research and are paid an amount depending on the length and complexity of the survey. This survey was overseen and edited by the OnePoll research team, who are members of the MRS and have corporate membership to ESOMAR.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers.

In fiscal year 2022, EA posted GAAP net revenue of approximately $7 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, Madden NFL, Need for Speed™, Titanfall™, Plants vs. Zombies™ and F1®. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

EA SPORTS, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Apex Legends, The Sims, Titanfall and Plants vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. STAR WARS © & TM 2015 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. John Madden, NFL, FIFA and F1 are the property of their respective owners and used with permission.

About EA Originals

This is EA Originals. A place where untold stories, unheard voices, and unseen worlds are discovered. Will you turn back? Or press forward? To discover more, visit www.ea.com/ea-originals.

About It Takes Two

Developed by BAFTA award-winning Hazelight Studios, optimized for the Nintendo Switch by veteran studio Turn Me Up Games and published under the EA Originals label, the release allows more players to experience It Takes Two’s gleefully disruptive gameplay challenges, fantastical story and acclaimed co-op experience. The Nintendo Switch version brings new voice-overs in Japanese, French, German and Spanish, as well as subtitles in multiple languages.

It Takes Two is available in retail and digital storefronts for Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, Switch OLED, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Origin and Steam) for $39.99.

For more information and to stay up to date on It Takes Two for Nintendo Switch, visit https://www.ea.com/games/it-takes-two/about/nintendo-switch and the two accompanying blogs that further detail its Co-op Requirements.

Category: EA Studios

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221122005174/en/