Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Bene Stephen G
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
10/11/2004		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ELECTRONIC ARTS INC [ERTS]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O ELECTRONIC ARTS INC., 209 REDWOOD SHORES PARKWAY		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Sr. V.P. and General Counsel
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

REDWOOD CITY, CA 94065		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Non-qualified stock option   (1) 10/05/2011 Common Stock 9,000 $ 23.27 D  
Non-qualified stock option   (1) 09/08/2010 Common Stock 4,000 $ 24.75 D  
Non-qualified stock option   (2) 10/07/2012 Common Stock 30,000 $ 31.315 D  
Non-qualified stock option   (2) 06/20/2013 Common Stock 20,000 $ 37.46 D  
Non-qualified stock option   (2) 10/05/2014 Common Stock 20,000 $ 45.33 D  
Non-qualified stock option   (2) 10/24/2013 Common Stock 24,000 $ 48.785 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Bene Stephen G
C/O ELECTRONIC ARTS INC.
209 REDWOOD SHORES PARKWAY
REDWOOD CITY, CA 94065		       Sr. V.P. and General Counsel  

Signatures

Flora B. Lee as Attorney in fact for Stephen G Bene 10/15/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Options becomes exercisable on a monthly basis over a period of 50 months.
(2) Options granted will first vest and become exercisable as to 24%, 12 months from Date of Grant and will then vest 2% on the first calendar day of each month thereafter for 38 months.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

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