EA is awaiting the release of Sony and Nintendo's new consoles

Announcing its results for its fourth quarter, the three months to 31 March, the world's largest maker of computer games made a net loss of $16m (�9m).

This compares with a net profit of $8m for the same period last year.

Analysts said gamers were saving their money for the launch of new consoles by Sony and Nintendo later this year.

They also said that shortages of Microsoft's Xbox 360, which was released in November, had also hit Electronic Art's (EA) sales.

EA's fourth-quarter revenues rose to $641m from $553m a year earlier, helped by price cuts of 20% on new titles such as "The Godfather The Game" and "Black".

For the full year to 31 March 2006, EA now forecasts revenues in the range of $2.7bn to $2.95bn, below existing market expectations.

Following the release of the figures, EA's shares dropped 5% in after-hours trading in New York.