Electronic Arts' revenue rose more than expected in its third quarter on strong sales of the military-themed game Battlefield 3 and the highly anticipated Star Wars game.

Adjusted for the deferral of digital revenue, the company said net income rose 71 percent to $334 million, or 99 cents per share for the quarter ended December 31.

On a non-adjusted basis, the company narrowed its net loss to $205 million, or 62 cents per share, from $322 million, or 97 cents per share, a year earlier.

Revenue rose 17 percent to $1.65 billion, beating analysts' average estimate of $1.62 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

The company sold 2 million units of Star Wars: The Old Republic. The online game was the most anticipated and expensive title in EA's history, and had generated 1.7 million active subscribers, the company said on Wednesday.

(Reporting By Liana B. Baker; Editing by Richard Chang)

Star Wars