Electronic Arts Inc. today announced the formation of EA Casual Entertainment, dedicated to developing and publishing games for consoles, PCs, handheld devices and mobile phones. Kathy Vrabeck has been appointed to lead the group as President of EA Casual Entertainment.

“All over the world, consumers are playing games that don’t require hours of intense concentration,” said Kathy Vrabeck, President of EA Casual Entertainment. “The common denominator is casual fun. Whether it will be playing Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ on the Wii™ with the family or downloading Madden NFL 08 on a phone, quick-to-the-fun games are bringing new players and new demographics to interactive entertainment.”

“EA is aligning talent and resources to focus on the growing market for highly accessible games,” said EA CEO John Riccitiello. “We’re fortunate to have recruited a dynamic executive like Kathy Vrabeck to lead this team. She’s got a proven success record in our industry and the ability to help EA lead this fast-growing genre of entertainment.”

Kathy Vrabeck has a distinguished background in management, marketing, sales and development. She served as President of Activision Publishing, a position which included oversight of that company’s worldwide studios. She has also held management positions in marketing and sales for Pillsbury Company, Quaker Oats and ConAgra.