EA CEO Sends Farewell Letter: 'My Decision To Leave EA Is Really All About My Accountability'

EA Chief Executive John Riccitiello Electronics Arts CEO John Riccitiello announced today that he'll be stepping down from his post. He was at the helm of EA for six years.

Matthew Lynley and Ian Sherr at The Wall Street Journal dug up the farewell memo Riccitiello sent to his employees. In it, the exec addressed the primary reason he's leaving.

"My decision to leave EA is really all about my accountability for the shortcomings in our financial results this year," wrote Riccitiello. "It currently looks like we will come in at the low end of, or slightly below, the financial guidance we issued to the Street, and we have fallen short of the internal operating plan we set one year ago."

"And for that, I am 100 percent accountable."

He also sent a resignation letter to chairman Larry Probst, who's taking the helm until the board can find a suitable replacement: