In a stinging note to investors, Pacific Crest Securities analyst Evan Wilson took EA to task for declining review scores, an issue they say will hurt the company as competition increases, according to Gamespot.

Citing dropping review scores for EA's stable of yearly roster updates disguised as new games (Madden, NCAA, NBA Live), Wilson says that if scores continue to fall it could spell financial trouble for EA:

The widespread industry belief is that one or two bad iterations can ruin the long-term value of a license, and we agree.

Kicking them while they're down, he also writes of "EA's continuing woes", pointing to slightly-better-than-crap reviews for games like Marvel Ultimate Alliance and movie tie-ins Batman Begins and Superman Returns, as well as the company's "excessive employee turnover" and, well, a host of other things.

Typical EA bashing or BAIL OUT NOW warning to investors? I appreciated the publisher's commitment to "prioritizing game quality" but want to know when it will pay off. Michael McWhertor

Analyst: EA brand tarnished [Gamespot]

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