Electronic Arts Inc., commonly known as EA, is a major video game publisher founded in 1982. The company’s visual identity has undergone several distinct phases, moving from a geometric symbol to a typographic wordmark.
Design and History
The original Electronic Arts logo, launched in November 1982, was designed by Barry Deutsch of the design firm Steinhilber Deutsch & Gard. The mark paired a square, circle, and triangle rendered with blue stripes against white. The three shapes were meant to stand for the “basic alphabet of graphic design,” and they were rasterized to connote technology. The square represented “E,” the triangle represented “A,” and the circle represented international reach. [1] [2]
In 1997, EA dropped the geometric shapes in favor of a plain typographic treatment set in Albertus Regular, marking the first time the full company name appeared as a standalone wordmark without any symbolic device. [2]
Between 2000 and 2006, the company adapted the EA Sports monogram for the parent brand. Rod Swanson of EA Sports and senior designer Corey Higgins of EA Corporate worked with Thomas Hallgren at Pittard Sullivan on this adaptation. The “EA” letterform combination replaced the full name as the primary corporate mark for the first time. [2]
From 2006 to 2020, the EA monogram was placed within a circular frame, echoing the visual language used by the EA Sports sub-brand. The enclosure gave the mark greater versatility for use on packaging, splash screens, and merchandise. [2]
In August 2020, Skylight Collective redesigned the brand, shifting the color from the previous palette to coral red. MCKL type foundry created the custom Electronic Arts Display typeface, drawing on the three geometric forms of the 1982 logo as structural references within the letterforms. [2] [3]
Meaning and Symbolism
The original 1982 logo’s three geometric shapes carried specific meanings. The square stood for “E,” the triangle for “A,” and the circle represented international reach. The shapes were also meant to represent the “basic alphabet of graphic design,” and their rasterized rendering was intended to connote technology. [1] [2]
MCKL’s 2020 redesign drew directly on this heritage. The custom typeface was inspired by EA’s foundational shapes, with display fonts featuring strong geometric proportions, tight spacing, and sharp apexes. The text fonts were designed with generous spacing and softened edges for improved readability at smaller sizes. [3]
Typography and Design
The 1997 wordmark was set in Albertus Regular, a serif typeface. [2]
The current identity uses the custom Electronic Arts Display typeface created by MCKL in collaboration with Skylight Collective and EA. The typeface family includes display fonts with strong geometric proportions, tight spacing, and sharp apexes, as well as text fonts with generous spacing and softened edges. MCKL also developed a monospaced variant to enhance the system’s versatility. [3]
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