- Tommy Lee, Medical Tourism and Nasty Santa, Your Emails
- U.S. Markets Gain 3% for the Week Despite 10.2% Unemployment
- Disney's 'Carol' Tests Widest 3-D Release Ever
- Stimulus II? Jobs Tax Credit=Cash For Clunkers
- Rockwell Automation Earnings: What Options Are Saying
- Gold Will Touch Higher Lows and Higher Highs: Analyst
- Is Misery Alive And Well in Your Office?
- Consumers Haven't Changed, They Are Just Pickier
- Watch Foreclosures, Seriously
- Outlook: Dollar Likely to Ride Higher on Bleak Jobs Report
- Holiday Airfare Close to Last Year's and Climbing
- Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Says Net Income Tripled
- Cramer: Earnings, IPOs Dominate Next Week
- Buying Fear: How to Own Volatility
- Administration Rejects Plan to Buy Fannie Mae Credits
- Consumers Haven't Changed —They Just Got Pickier
- Want the Homebuyer's Tax Credit? Here Are Some Tips
- Fears of Bubble Prompt Investors to Seek Exit Strategy
MOST SHARED
- Solar Market Heating Back Up?
- Realty Execs See Pain Ahead
- Want the Homebuyer's Tax Credit? Here Are Some Tips
- Tommy Lee, Medical Tourism and Nasty Santa, Your Emails
- Keith Bergelt: The Case for Market Based Patent Reform
- Oil Next Week
- Buying Fear: How to Own Volatility
- Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Says Net Income Tripled
- Can't Find a Job in Your Town? Here Are the Best Places to Look
- Maria's Market Message
Text Size 
The video and online gaming business is fascinating and definitely addictive. I got a chance to play a game with Jon Niermann, while filming Managing Asia and I was hooked right from the start except that I kept crashing out. But Niermann was nice enough to try and save me every time.
Niermann is quite a character when you meet him. When he's not talking seriously about business, he is able to reveal a side of himself that reminds me so much of American comedian Will Ferrell. Some of that came through towards the end of the interview, when he had me almost in stitches.
But Niermann would tell you it's not all fun and games at Electronic Arts. Unlike the U.S., the online gaming market is huge here in Asia and Niermann has been busy driving the company's transition into this area. That process required restructuring the company's Asian operations and laying off staff. Niermann is also hard at work localizing games for individual markets like South Korea and China. And that's not counting the competition he faces.
Niermann clearly enjoys the ride at Electronic Arts. He's got a job most of us would envy. Given the latest games the company is developing, you can bet he’s never, ever going to be bored.
Comments? Questions? Send them in here.
Catch Managing Asia on CNBC this weekend. First broadcast: Friday @ 6.30pm HK/SIN
Return to Managing Asia Homepage
- Rumors abound that Oprah will leave her show to start a new network. What would this mean for daytime TV?
- Berkeley's Chez Panisse and the trend of eating locally grown, pesticide-free seasonal foods.
- Cramer did the research and found eight stocks that lead the pack. Read on to get his top picks.
- Did Hideki Matsui’s performance make it more likely that the Yankees will pay to have him back?
- Which wines should you bring—or serve—with holiday meals this year? Ask a connoisseur.
- Two competitors in this year’s World Series of Poker in Las Vegas have stories fit for Hollywood.
Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes