Feb 3 (Reuters) - Electronic Arts EA.O beat expectations for third-quarter bookings on Tuesday, buoyed by strong sales of its new "Battlefield" title and signs that the videogame publisher's big bets on its best-selling shooter franchise were paying off.

The results reflect a return to form for one of EA's most valuable intellectual properties, with "Battlefield 6" selling millions of copies during the busy year-end period and finishing as 2025's best-selling game, according to industry tracker Circana.

The strong performance of "Battlefield 6" also bodes well for the publisher's future owners, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and other investors, as they seek to leverage the company's strong portfolio of properties to make headway in the lucrative gaming space.

While "Battlefield" sales have been strong, focus turns to how the company will retain the game's user base and monetize its features in a compelling way that does not turn fans away. EA relies heavily on in-game spending to extend the life cycles of its titles and derive consistent revenue.

EA reported third-quarter bookings of $3.05 billion, beating an estimate of $2.86 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Net income for the reported period came in at $88 million, compared with a profit of $293 million a year ago.

(Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai)

((Zaheer.Kachwala@thomsonreuters.com;))