GOTCHA features a complete collection of Electronic Arts flat box games.  (Not all computer platforms are listed, but all unique titles are listed.)  Today EA is one of the most prolific publishers in the world.  It all started in 1983 with a unique marketing concept.  EA produced games packaged in approximately 9" square, flat boxes.  They are great for collecting because they are unusual, durable and take up little space.  More importantly from a historic standpoint, EA also prominently promoted the developers of these games.  Authors are usually mentioned by name and presented like artists.  The boxes often include pictures and biographies, much like the record albums they mimic.  Somehow this is still a rarity in an industry that depends so heavily upon the creativity of its artists.

The flat boxes were certainly an oddity in the early 80's, but the popularity of EA's games caused many copycats.  Activision, Accolade, Mindscape and Interplay were some of the high profile flat-box copycats.

There are four types of EA flat boxes:

While the flat box games make up a large part of EA's product line during the Golden Age of Computer Gaming (1979 - 1992), they are only one part of their vast library of games.  Flat boxes were only produced for new games through 1988, and more conventional boxes were also used before then.  That is why these unique flat boxes are given their own section here in Collectibles.  For more information on other Electronic Arts packaging, see GOTCHA's tribute to Electronic Arts  and the EA Flat Box Photo Gallery.  By the way, you won't find any EA non-game software on this site (such as Music Construction Set, Cut & Paste or Movie Maker).  Even though these titles come in flat boxes and are stored in a remote corner of the GOTCHA museum, they are not welcome on this gaming-dedicated site.  In fact, merely mentioning those titles now requires a classic game be depicted to help rebalance the site:

Archon: The Light and the Dark.  Open the tri-fold box to reveal a picture of the authors: Jon Freeman, Paul Reiche III and Anne Westfall. EA flat boxes are both employee and environment friendly.

Resources

Markus Brenner's EA Catalog Numbers Page

GOTCHA's Electronic Arts Page

GOTCHA's EA Flat Box Photo Gallery

The Museum

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Last modified: February 20, 2004

Copyright 1998 - 2004 Hugh Falk International Interactive Enterprises Industries Incorporated Limited Etceteras.  All rights reserved.