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Annual
Report
We are also required to pay taxes other than income taxes, such as payroll, sales, use, value-added, net worth,
property and goods and services taxes, in both the United States and foreign jurisdictions. We are regularly under
examination by tax authorities with respect to these non-income taxes. There can be no assurance that the
outcomes from these examinations, changes in our business or changes in applicable tax rules will not have an
adverse effect on our earnings and financial condition.
Furthermore, as we expand our international operations, adopt new products and new distribution models,
implement changes to our operating structure or undertake intercompany transactions in light of changing tax
laws, expiring rulings, acquisitions and our current and anticipated business and operational requirements, our
tax expense could increase.
Our reported financial results could be adversely affected by changes in financial accounting standards.
Our reported financial results are impacted by the accounting standards promulgated by the SEC and national
accounting standards bodies and the methods, estimates, and judgments that we use in applying our accounting
policies. For example, accounting standards affecting software revenue recognition have affected and could
continue to significantly affect the way we account for revenue related to our products and services. We
recognize all of the revenue from bundled sales (i.e., online-enabled games that include updates on a when-and-
if-available basis or a matchmaking service) on a deferred basis over an estimated offering period. The Financial
Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") is currently evaluating the accounting and financial reporting for revenue
transactions. We believe the current proposal by the FASB would require us to materially change the way we
account for revenue by requiring us to recognize more revenue upon delivery of the primary product than we
currently do under current accounting standards.
As we enhance, expand and diversify our business and product offerings, the application of existing or future
financial accounting standards, particularly those relating to the way we account for revenue and taxes, could
have a significant adverse effect on our reported results although not necessarily on our cash flows.
Our stock price has been volatile and may continue to fluctuate significantly.
The market price of our common stock historically has been, and we expect will continue to be, subject to
significant fluctuations. These fluctuations may be due to factors specific to us (including those discussed in the
risk factors above, as well as others not currently known to us or that we currently do not believe are material), to
changes in securities analysts' earnings estimates or ratings, to our results or future financial guidance falling
below our expectations and analysts' and investors' expectations, to factors affecting the entertainment,
computer, software, Internet, media or electronics industries, to our ability to successfully integrate any
acquisitions we may make, or to national or international economic conditions. In particular, economic
downturns may contribute to the public stock markets experiencing extreme price and trading volume volatility.
These broad market fluctuations have and could continue to adversely affect the market price of our common
stock.
In July 2012, we announced that our Board of Directors authorized a program to repurchase up to $500 million of
our common stock. Our stock repurchases may be executed at market prices that may subsequently decline.
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