EA - Electronic arts want to help you get fit with this Nintendo Wii game

Following in the footsteps of Nintendo's popular "Wii Fit," the video game publisher known for the "Madden" football games is jumping into fitness software targeted mostly at women.

Electronic Arts Inc. was set to announce Thursday a new line, EA Sports Active, that runs on the Nintendo Wii console and aims to complement, not compete with, Nintendo's "Wii Fit" exercise title.

Peter Moore, president of EA Sports, called the Active brand, whose first title, "Kickstart Fitness," launches next March, a "somewhat radical departure from the normal game experiences we provide customers."

EA's sports audience has been mostly young men, who have flocked to football, soccer, basketball and hockey titles to make the company the world's dominant player in sports video games.

But to stay competitive with rivals such as Activision Blizzard Inc., whose success with games like "World of Warcraft" and "Rock Band" seems to be weathering the recession, EA needs to continue to expand its audience.

The company's new brand seeks to take advantage of the popularity of the Nintendo console and of exercise games. While the "Wii Fit" is already enormously popular, Moore, a former physical-education teacher, said EA's sports software will run people through an exercise routine with a more Western approach than the Japanese company's product.

"Wii Fit" includes activities like running, skiing as well as yoga, and it emphasizes balance as well as fitness. EA's products will include exercises like running and lunges, as well as simulations of sports such as tennis.

The games use straps to attach the Wii's controller and "nunchuk" attachment to a player's body, so the fitness routines can be performed without holding the controls. EA also plans to include peripherals such as resistance bands. Titles in the line will cost about $60, the same as a regular video game.

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EA Sport active all new heart pumping calorie burnout

Do you find there are too few hours in the day to run a household, hold down a job and fit in a workout? Or, are you just getting bored of the same old fitness routine? EA SPORTS, a label of Electronic Arts today announced the development of EA SPORTS™ Active, an innovative new customizable and personalized fitness product that will get you motivated to move in the comfort of your home. EA SPORTS Active will launch exclusively for the Nintendo Wii worldwide next spring.

Developed in collaboration with fitness experts, including Bob Greene – renowned exercise physiologist, author and Oprah’s personal trainer – EA SPORTS Active is perfect for the whole family, though designed specifically for women seeking a simple, fun and cost-effective way to achieve a healthy lifestyle. The product will be the first in a new line of EA SPORTS fitness and sports performance products in development to improve the well-being of people of all ages.

“EA SPORTS Active and our entrance into the fitness space is an exciting and groundbreaking milestone for EA SPORTS,” said Peter Moore, president, EA SPORTS. “As we continue to expand our brand, we have a real opportunity to redefine the home fitness experience with a more Western cardiovascular approach and exercises that will appeal to a diverse audience, getting people off the couch and into shape while interacting with our products in a way never before possible. EA SPORTS Active costs less than a gym membership, it provides a variety of exercises unlike a one dimensional in-home fitness contraption, and it delivers an interactive experience that you don’t get from a DVD – this is a true fitness revolution and a space in which we intend to be leaders.”

EA SPORTS Active features a wide variety of interactive activities combined into a circuit that target both the upper and lower body as well as cardio, and supports two players to allow family or friends to get fit together. EA SPORTS Active provides a new level of motivation with on-screen, real-time feedback on your workout such as calories burned, while also allowing you to adjust intensity levels. EA SPORTS Active will include two specially-designed leg straps that hold the Wii’s Nunchuk controller to track lower body movements, as well as a resistance band to support a number of upper body strength training exercises.

“One of the most frequent questions I am asked is how to get fit at home – especially from busy mums. EA SPORTS Active provides a fun and effective workout that targets your upper body, lower body, and gets your heart pumping in just 20 minutes a day,” said Greene. “It’s a great way to get moving when you can’t get outside or you only have a short amount of time at home. In addition, I like the variety of exercises that it provides – one of the many reasons it has earned the Best Life seal of approval.”

EA SPORTS Active features a “30 Day Challenge,” a fitness road map for players to reach their fitness goals with the guidance of a virtual trainer. The Challenge provides a new, 20-minute workout every time a player exercises, including clear instruction, feedback on technique and positive encouragement throughout the workout. Each circuit will feel different and increase in intensity as fitness levels improve to help you work up a sweat and work toward your fitness goals. Users can also create their own custom workouts that vary in activity, duration and intensity, and the Wii Balance Board will add functionality to many exercises.

EA SPORTS Active is in development at EA Canada in Vancouver.

Skate It video game on Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS

Award-winning Skate It videogame will hit retail stores starting November 19th in North America and November 20th in Europe for the Nintedno Wii and Nintendo DS. With intuitive Wii remote, nunchuck and DS stylus controls and the optional use of the Wii Balance Board, Skate It delivers a fun and unique skateboarding experience for skate fans and gamers of all ages.

Skate It brings gamers back to San Vanelona, a city that’s been safely evacuated, but left in ruins after being hit by a series of crazy events. Here, players are rediscovering their favourite spots, getting worked in Hall of Meat, and earning the opportunity to travel the world, all on their path to becoming Thrasher Magazine’s Skater of the Year.

In Skate It, gamers will be able to make skate spots their own by moving objects like ramps, rails, and benches to fit their individual skating styles. The game also boasts a variety of multiplayer challenges, including Best Trick and Best Line, which will have players ripping it up with their friends as they prove their skateboarding prowess.

Skate It recently received the “Best Nintendo Wii Game” award at the Games Convention tradeshow in Leipzig, Germany. Skate It was also nominated for Best Sports game for the “Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2008”. Skate It is developed by EA Montreal in Montreal, Quebec and Black Box in Vancouver, British Columbia and is rated “E” for Everyone by the ESRB and 7+ by PEGI for Wii and 3+ by PEGI for Nintendo DS.

Tiger Woods PGA tour 09 video game half a million user clips posted

PLAYSTATION 3 Nearly Triples and Xbox 360 Nearly Doubles Online Usage

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09, the franchise that brought gamers the critically acclaimed EA SPORTS GamerNet and Photo Game Face technology, is having a banner year with over half a million EA SPORTS GamerNet clips posted online since launch of the game in late August. In addition, since Photo Game Face was introduced, over 1.1 million pictures have been uploaded and two new courses, Firestone Country Club and Spy Glass Hill are now available for purchase as downloadable courses on the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3.

In comparison to last year, both the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 are experiencing nearly two and three fold increases of online usage, respectively and over a million EA SPORTS GamerNet clips have been played between the two consoles since launch.



In addition to Spy Glass Hill and Firestone Country Club, Xbox 360 gamers now have the opportunity to purchase downloadable content from a menu of over 65 items, including increases in equipment, maximum stat costumes and increased skill apparel.

The critically acclaimed Tiger Woods PGA TOUR franchise, which appeals to experienced and novice gamers alike, features dynamic, personalized gameplay via Tiger Woods’ personal coach, Hank Haney. The game also includes a more intuitive and customized EA SPORTS GamerNet experience as well as an all-new game engine powering online play.



Tiger Woods PGA TOUR is available on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, the PlayStation 2 and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment systems, the PSP (PlayStationPortable) system and Wii.

FIFA 09 add your video content to EA beta website

EA Sports Football World beta allows user to save and publish their content allowing other to comment and add the best to their sites.

With 'Forums', 'Blogs', 'Polls' and 'My Live Season' EA hope users will built a football community.

Video sample here...

More FIFA 09 posts on gamezplay.org here...

FIFA 2009 The Clubs Questions and Answers Q&A

Q: What is FIFA 09 Clubs?
A: FIFA 09 Clubs is a mode designed for PLAYSTATION 3 and XBOX 360 that enables gamers to form or join user-controlled ‘clubs’. These clubs are ranked within divisions based on total points. Clubs will be relegated and promoted within divisions based on their points. If a club has more points than the second best club in their division and more points than the last club in the division above, they will move up a division and send the last placed squad down a division.

Q: How will the best club be determined?
A: The best club will be the one with the most points. They will hold the Division 1 - Rank 1 position.

Q: How many players can you recruit to your club?
A: FIFA 09 Clubs supports up to 50 players in each club. However, only ten players can play for the team during a match.

Q: Who selects the team each game?
A: The Club Manager can change the club’s team at any point. The team selected will not impact the playing field, since all teams and their players will be set to the same attribute levels. The outcome of the match will be based on the performance of the players on your team.

Q: Will FIFA Clubs support substitutes?
A: The Captain can make substitutes as would be done in a normal match, but only the club members that started the match can play. So if the captain does a sub, the real world player will switch to that virtual player.

Q: What happens to players who aren’t selected for the first team or the substitute’s bench? Do they watch the match in spectator mode?
A: Instead of limiting matches based on the availability of a few club members, a club can play a match as long as 3 members are present. A club can be playing several matches at once based on how many members are available. There is no club spectator mode in FIFA 09.

Q: Can consumers join more than one club?
A: No you can only be in one club at a time.

Q: Who’s going to want to play left-back?
A: There are a lot of people who appreciate the importance of defense on a football team as well as midfield and attack. We hope that the kind of guys who are very good on defense and very disciplined on defense will become a commodity that teams will want to play with and suddenly they will become very valuable. We envision a landscape where teams try to recruit the best players at each position to build their teams into the best in the world. If you want a good buzz in a 10 vs. 10 match you might not necessarily be involved in the action all of the time but for the shorter moments that a real footballer would be in a football match it takes on a whole different level of stress and excitement. When you get your touches at left back, for example, you know you can’t fail because you will be letting down nine human players on your team if you make a mistake. Every interaction takes on an exponentially greater significance. Instead of thinking as an individual you have to play and react as a team.

Q: What happens if you have less than 10 players?
A: The CPU will control players if you have less than 10 players. If you have less than 10 players, say 7, than each user can choose the option of being fixed to a position or being able to switch between their position and the 3 CPU controlled positions. The key is you have to make this decision before the game and choose to be able to swap between your player and CPU controlled players when you are setting up the game. So some users may choose to remain fixed to their player the entire game while others may choose to be able to swap between their player and the CPU controlled players.

Q: What happens if you disconnect during a game?
A: If a user on your team quits mid-game or you disconnect than the CPU takes over that player. If you drop to less than 3 players in a match, the match will be forfeit.

Q: If you get disconnected – can you rejoin your team after being reconnected?
A: No, there is no way to join a match that is already in progress. If you become disconnected then the CPU will take control of your player.

Q: Will there be a fixed schedule? How will consumers schedule a game?
A: No, there is no fixed schedule. Matches can be held at any time. When there are enough players ready to play (minimum of 3) then they will be matched up against another club for competitive play.

Q: Is there a tool for scheduling matches?
A: No see above.

Q: How long is the FIFA Clubs season?
A: The season begins as soon as FIFA 09 hits shelves and ends after the FIFA 10 game releases Please check that this is correct and we will support FIFA09 club up until FIFA10 launches.

Q: How can you recruit players to your club?
A: Managers can scout players based on position, rating, wins, losses and games played. Other detailed information can be reviewed such as shots on goal, passing, tackles, cards, fouls and offsides. When a manager sees a player that fits his or her requirements, they can invite them to join their club.

Q: What stats will you keep?
A: Clubs will track stats for Wins, Losses, Ties and Total Points. Total points is the most important stat for your club.

Q: How have you improved the online play?
A: The framework we established with FIFA 08 Be A Pro: Online Team Play (5 vs 5) is sound and supports 10 vs. 10. The challenge for us is to make sure those rare occasions where the game might go out of sync are eradicated. When you have one console versus one console it happens infrequently. When you have 5 versus 5 the frequency is suddenly significantly more because now you have 10 consoles rather than two. When you look at 20 consoles connected online to each other suddenly the stability of the game and the rareness of the occasions when the game goes out of sync become more manifest so we have really needed to work hard on those issues. We have daily 10 vs 10 sessions in the studio and the game is very stable.

Q: What’s the future for Online Clubs?
A: We envision a time when you have managers, an economy system where players will be able to move clubs, where playing FIFA becomes an alternate reality to the real world of football. The day will come when there are virtual equivalents of Wayne Rooney or Ronaldinho, from different parts of the world, who are expert FIFA gamers and clubs are clamoring to recruit them to represent their side, just like the real world. Ultimately our ambition is to have the best 11 English FIFA football players at each position playing against the best 11 American, German, or Italian FIFA football players at each position to actually stage a virtual world cup to earn the right to be the world’s best FIFA football team.

Q: Was it always in the plan to have 10 vs. 10 this year?
A: We established 5 v 5 last year and the plan has always been to create a virtual 11 vs 11 football game for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. While that has always been an ambitious project we felt this year we could push pretty hard to reach 10 vs 10. This is quite an achievement. It feels like FIFA 09 Clubs is the next great frontier in sports gaming.

Q: Will the strength of the goalie be the same in all clubs?
A: Yes, all players are levelled to an 85 overall.

Q: What kind of strength will the CPU controlled players have? Will a Rooney be stronger than a Pantelic or will all CPU players have the same strength?
A: All players are levelled to an 85 overall. The individual attributes have all been set to relative strengths of the player’s preferred position. So all CBs will have the same set of stats and all RWs will have the same set of stats, but their attributes will be different based on the needs of their position. If a user moves a player out of their preferred position, their overall rating may drop.

All FIFA posts on gamezplay.org here...

FIFA 09 video game platform specific info

PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360 Feature More Than 250 Core Gameplay Enhancements That Deliver Most Responsive, Intelligent and Realistic Action Ever

EA have revealed it has created platform specific experiences for its popular FIFA 09 football franchise from EA SPORTS. FIFA 09 has been designed and customized to deliver a unique gameplay experience that takes advantage of the hardware specifications of each available platform— the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, Wii home video game system, PC, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS, PSP (PlayStationPortable) system and mobile—when it is released worldwide this autumn.

“We have listened and responded to gamers and football fans around the world by building customized gameplay experiences for FIFA 09 on each platform,” said Andrew Wilson, Vice President & Executive Producer for the franchise. “Everyone wants to play a football game that is customized to their system and delivers a unique and enjoyable experience. We understand that and have innovated features, created new modes and designed controls that are tailored to each specific platform.”

With over 250 additions and enhancements to core gameplay, FIFA 09 on the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Xbox 360 deliver an authentic football simulation that enables you to customize the game to suit your style and ability. New animation technology creates more responsive first-time shooting and passing, faster and more controlled dribbling, and improved trapping. New player momentum physics, which exploits the power of these platform engines, delivers realistic player collisions, authentic jostling for the ball, and more variation in tackling.

“We listened to our consumers to make the changes that they wanted,” said David Rutter, Producer of FIFA 09 on the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Xbox 360. “No other game has over 250 feature changes and additions focused on improving core gameplay. We have an absolutely authentic recreation of the real sport through attention to detail.”


For the first time, go inside the game engine to customize the strategy and positioning of your teammates to decide exactly how your team will play in any situation. With new Custom Team Tactics you have all the tools to become a first-team coach. Adjust and customize tactical settings so CPU players and your team perform just like the real-world team plays and make strategic decisions to exploit your opponent’s weaknesses, all on-the-fly. The popular feature innovation Be A Pro has expanded to a career mode called Be A Pro: Seasons where you can choose or create a professional player and then develop his skills at a single outfield position over four years with the ultimate goal of becoming a national legend. The matchday experience is now true-to-life with a referee and linesmen on the pitch. Plus, crowds, stadium atmosphere and commentary have all been regionalized in exact detail.

On the Wii, enjoy FIFA 09 All-Play one of two ways—a Wii-specific take on the authentic ‘11 vs. 11’ simulation or over-the-top ‘8 vs. 8’ arcade action within a stylized environment with Mii™ versions of your favorite superstars, like Ronaldinho and Wayne Rooney. Refined motion and point-and-play controls make playing FIFA 09 All-Play even more intuitive and perfectly balanced for gamers of any ability to enjoy fun, football action. Choose to play the style that best suits your skills from advanced controls for experienced players to new EA SPORTS™ All-Play controls that enables novice players to focus on fun using simplified controls with AI assistance.

“You’ve never played football like this before,” said Kaz Makita, Line Producer of FIFA 09 All-Play. “Our new ‘8 vs. 8’ Footii Match enables you to play an exaggerated style of football where the personality of your Mii comes to life. You can play with your Mii characters against or alongside some of the biggest stars in a truly unique football experience tailored specifically for the Wii version of FIFA 09.”

FIFA 09 on PC now features leading-edge visuals that deliver graphics that exploit the power of hi-spec gaming PCs, as requested by PC gamers. Star players are featured in photorealistic quality with remodeled likenesses for ultra-realistic gameplay. FIFA 09 on PC also features customizable mouse gameplay controls that deliver deeper, more intuitive command over your squad. Plus, customizable widgets are now integrated into the menu system to connect you to the FIFA community and real-world football so you stay connected while playing FIFA 09.

“We are committed to investing and innovating to create a PC specific experience,” said Producer Paul Hossack. “Gamers want a gameplay experience exclusively for PC and FIFA 09 on PC delivers this.”




With 500 new animation sequences and all-new collision and shielding systems—representing the biggest innovations to the multiplatform EA SPORTS football engine in four years— FIFA 09 delivers more responsive, intelligent and realistic physical action on the PlayStation 2 system. The new collision detection system with 360 degree coverage enables players to behave according to their physical attributes where player speed, direction and strength determine everything from the severity of the collision to the outcome of possession. Changes to the animation system reward the skillful gamer during one-on-one situations between attackers and defenders. Tuned acceleration attributes enable swifter virtual players to possess quicker first steps and gain advantage in sprints. Plus, four new skill moves—scoop turns, rainbow flicks, heel-to-heel knocks and ball rolls—give you a total of 32 tricks in your arsenal to perform just like Ronaldinho.

FIFA 09 on the PSP system and Nintendo DS now include the innovative Be A Pro feature, including the unique Be A Pro camera that re-creates the rush and excitement of racing in on goal, designed exclusively for each system.


To learn more about specific features on each platform visit www.FIFA.ea.com.

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Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 - Fact sheet

Tiger Woods' coach is now your coach! In Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09, Hank Haney will be there from the start to assess your skills, help you tune your clubs and give you feedback after every round as you attempt to climb the leaderboards and win the FedExCup.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09 is a highly adaptable game that allows both the rookie and the seasoned veteran the ability to have a personalized and customized day on the links. This year's game also features enhancements to the online experience with a highly integrated EA SPORTS GamerNet experience as well as an all-new online engine powering Simultaneous Play.

• Performance Coach – The TOUR pros have their own coaches and now you do too. Tiger Woods real life coach Hank Haney will guide you through your career right from the start and help you improve your skills as you play each of your rounds. Haney is constantly watching your performance and assessing areas for improvement, providing you tips on how to increase your skills.

• Tune Your Clubs to Maximize Your Swing – With the all new Club Tuner you'll be able to tune your individual wedges, irons, woods and driver to customize your bag and get the most out of every club. But strategy will come into play as you must weigh the risks of club performance versus ease of use. So tune wisely!

• Dynamic Skills — All-new Dynamic Skills eliminates the chore of building your character up from scratch with skills you set at the beginning of your career. Based up on your performance after each round, your skills will go up and down.



• Enhanced EA SPORTS GamerNet — Personalize your experience on EA SPORTS GamerNet like never before. With the all new Instant Challenges you can earn points in any game mode and climb the Daily GamerNet leaderboards. These Instant Challenges - long drive, approach shots and putting, will appear throughout every round, providing a multitude of opportunities to earn GamerNet points while playing other modes.

• New Online Mode - In addition, to turn based play an all-new 4-Player Online Simultaneous Play will allow you to compete in a four person round in the same time it takes to play single player. No more waiting for your buddies to hit their golf shot. You will see ball trails from each of your playing partners as the foursome plays the hole at the same time. Finish the hole first and switch over to spectator mode where you'll see your partners characters as they finish up the hole.

• New Courses and Golfers — New challenges await with exotic new locations including Gary Player Country Club in South Africa, Wentworth Country Club in England, Sheshan Golf Club in China, Wolf Creek in Nevada and Bay Hill Country Club in Florida. Adding international flavor to the available golfers in Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09 are Si Re Pak, Darren Clarke, Nick Dougherty and Rory McIlroy. 2008 Electronic Arts Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Tiger Wood limited to playing his own games Gamezplay post here...

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 with performance coach from EA Sports post here...

Tiger's coach is your coach in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 post here...

Tiger Woods limited to playing his own golf video game

The only golfing Tiger Woods is doing these days is in video games.

"I do play quite a bit," Woods said. "A heck of a lot more now."

The world's top-ranked golfer has been sidelined since winning the U.S. Open in June, recovering from surgery on his left knee to repair a torn ligament.

Woods said in a telephone interview that he plays friends in tournaments on EA Sports' Tiger Woods PGA Tour game. He plays as self-created characters: "One's a really buffed-out dude," another is pudgy.

EA Sports launched the '09 version of the game this week, and also announced a partnership with Gillette. Woods is one of the "Gillette Champions" in marketing for the shaver maker.

Woods said he actually learns from playing the virtual courses.

"I've had certain putts I had in real-life competition break the same way and by the same amount," he said. "It's amazing."

He expects to be out swinging real golf clubs in January, but said it's too soon to know when he'll be able to compete again.

"It's frustrating. I really have no idea," he said.

Source: AP

Electronic Arts announced that the video game Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09, developed by Maitland-based EA Tiburon, has hit stores shelves Tuesday.

The video game is available on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 entertainment systems, as well as on the PlayStation Portable.

The Tiger Woods franchise is among one of many Electronic Arts' EA Sports-branded games including: Madden NFL football, FIFA soccer, NHL hockey, NBA LlVE basketball, NCAA football and NASCAR

EA Sports develop new tennis video game for Nintendo Wii

Electronic Arts announced today that an all-new tennis videogame is in development at EA Canada in Vancouver under the EA SPORTS brand. The EA SPORTS tennis franchise will be available first for the Wii in 2009, followed by other platforms, and it will be the first EA SPORTS game that uses Nintendo’s upcoming Wii MotionPlus accessory for the Wii Remote that will give players a new level of accuracy and responsiveness.

“As we look to expand the EA SPORTS brand and captivate sports fans from around the world with rich new interactive experiences, it was obvious that the renaissance we’re seeing in the sport of tennis provides us with a big opportunity,” said Peter Moore, President, EA SPORTS. “Our new tennis franchise, coming first to the Wii, will put fans right into the action and provide the excitement, tension and drama that true champions feel in legendary matches – like the classic from Wimbledon just last month.”

EA SPORTS will bring tennis to life and allow players to experience the pressure and excitement of competing in the greatest theaters in the game, and it will be the only videogame to feature the All England Lawn Tennis Club – home of The Championships, Wimbledon. The all-new EA SPORTS tennis franchise will offer innovative ways to play, both as or against the greatest players from the past or present, letting you control the ball and work the court like you never have before in a tennis videogame.

Fifa 09 - Adidas Live season with dynamic player updates

EA Secures Exclusive Licensing Agreement with Spanish La Liga BBVA; FIFA 09 Demo Available World Wide on Sept. 11

New premium service for EA SPORTS FIFA 09 called adidas Live Season that will redefine the football videogame experience by dynamically updating player form in-game on a weekly basis so that player attributes mirror real-world performances. FIFA 09 will now feel and play differently throughout the entire 2008-2009 season matching the weekly rhythm of football. The new service will be available for Barclay’s Premier League, La Liga BBVA, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Serie A and Mexican Primera Division on the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and PC.

FIFA 09 is now powered with dynamic real-world data and analytics, lifting the game to new heights of authenticity for football fans and gamers connected online. The adidas Live Season service is based on how real players performed in the most recent real-world matches. Gameplay will change dynamically as the performance of players and football teams in the real world experience the highs and lows during their campaigns.

“This is an ambitious and completely unique feature that has never been attempted before for football videogames,” said Andrew Wilson, Vice President & Executive Producer for the franchise. “The game will feel and play differently each week. With adidas Live Season if Ronaldinho has a great match on the weekend you’ll feel the difference when you pick up the controller as his in-game attributes increase.”

A global network of football scouts will monitor every player in the adidas Live Season leagues throughout the season to supply accurate and in-depth player and team data each week. Player attributes will be impacted and player performance will change dynamically. The adidas Live Season service is downloaded into FIFA 09 each week and will run from the launch of the game to the end of the 2008-2009 season. Gamers will have access to one league of their choice for a free* trial from the moment they activate it to the end of the 2008-2009 season.

Today, EA also announced it has secured an exclusive licensing agreement with the Spanish Liga BBVA and Adelante. The exclusive partnership with the Spanish La Liga grants EA SPORTS sole rights to include every Spanish La Liga club and enables the EA SPORTS FIFA franchise to deliver the most realistic and up-to-date game with current kits, squads and player likenesses.

"La Liga is widely regarded as one of the most exciting leagues in the world and we’re delighted to have been able to secure this deal," said Romain Rossi, Marketing Director, EA SPORTS. "The FIFA franchise has always delivered the most authentic game experience and this relationship will enable us to maintain the high standards fans have come to expect from EA SPORTS."

A FIFA 09 demo will be available for download on September 11 worldwide on the PLAYSTATION Network and Xbox LIVE.

This year FIFA 09 delivers unique, platform specific experiences that takes advantage of the hardware specifications of each available platform— the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS, PSP (PlayStationPortable) system and mobile.

To learn more about FIFA 09 visit www.FIFA09.ea.com.

Developed in Burnaby, B.C., by EA Canada, FIFA 09 is localized in 18 languages and sold in 37 countries–-it is the most popular franchise globally for EA SPORTS. FIFA 09 is rated 3+ by PEGI. It will be available in stores world wide in October.

(* Requires purchase of FIFA 09, internet connection and subscription to Xbox Live or Playstation Network)

Madden NFL 09 - The first sports game that adapts to you!

Celebrating 20 Years of Innovation, Madden NFL 09 delivers its most complete NFL football package ever.

Whether you're a seasoned vet or picking up the game for the first time, players of all skill levels will enjoy a unique, yet challenging experience with the innovative Adaptive Difficulty Engine, which tailors the game to match your playing style.

With more than 85 new features and enhancements, Madden NFL 09 is the most authentic and adaptable game in sports video game history.

NCAA Football 09 video game - out now

The electricity of Big Play Saturday is back!

Powered by the all-new Breakaway Engine and showcasing unique college-style animations, NCAA Football 09 arrives with all the excitement and pageantry of a storied college bowl game.

Develop a loyal fan base with a Home Field Advantage and build your legacy in the Online Dynasty Mode.

With authentic collegiate gameplay and thousands of school specific plays, college Saturdays jump to life like never.

With more than 70 new features and modes, NCAA Football 09 is king of the next-gen gridiron this season!

EA Sports PC video game - Cricket 07 Fact Sheet

Cricket 07 on PC

Thanks to the groundbreaking EA SPORTS Century Stick control system, batting has become more intuitive, responsive and rewarding than ever. For the first time in a cricket game, players can enjoy full control over foot choice, shot, direction, power and timing, all governed through the use of both analog sticks. 

A back or front foot stroke is selected with the left stick, then shot timing and direction are judged with the right stick. Power is determined by how far the stick is moved – a slight tap can nudge the ball for a quick single or a firm push can send the ball fizzing away to the boundary. 

Allied to new cameras that deliver a more natural behind-the-stumps batting perspective and a wider view of the field, cricket has never been so easily accessible. With embellished gameplay, a wealth of tournaments, genuine equipment and authoritative new commentary from Mark Nicholas and Richie Benaud, you won’t experience cricket this authentic without donning whites and walking down the pavilion steps yourself. 

Key Features

• Groundbreaking Control Use the intuitive dual analog Century Stick batting system to select foot choice, shot direction, power and timing. With button controls to loft shots and advance down the track, you're free to crack a full array of shots all around the wicket. Success with the bat also relies upon your batsman's individual skills, allied with his confidence level. A confident batsman maximises his potential to time his shots sweetly - maintaining high confidence can make or break his ability to build a big innings.

• New Cameras Innovative views from behind the batsman offer a realistic batting perspective, and a reworked Broadcast camera gives you a wider view of the play for more authentic coverage.

• Quickplay Cricket Play cricket your way by setting your own pace. Crank up the game speed, ease back the difficulty setting and revel in the razzmatazz of Limited Overs or fully-licensed Twenty20 extravaganzas by playing a fast-blast match of hard-hitting sixes - or slow the pace down, slide the difficulty up and steel yourself for a five day Test.

• Greater Depth A new picture-in-picture display with a shot timing gauge coupled with a running assistance indicator and radar help you make those snap decisions out there in the middle. On-the-fly Dynamic Field Positioning and Quickswitch bowling give you the ability to ratchet up the pressure on the batsmen by changing the field and the bowler's line of attack without a break in play.

• Tournament Options Lead this year's eagerly anticipated 3 mobile Ashes campaign Down Under, replay the legendary 2005 npower Test Series or unlock a stack of rewards by accomplishing Ashes challenges. Take part in the frenzy of the fully-loaded, fully-licensed English and Australian One Day blitz of extreme Twenty20 cricket, dive into a complete schedule of Australian State and English County tournaments, tour the world, win the World Championship or compete for glory in Test matches and One Day Series games with all the top cricketing nations of the world.

• Authentic Content For the first time in an EA SPORTS Cricket title, renowned bat manufacturers Gray-Nicolls, Puma, Slazenger, Kookaburra and Gunn & Moore bring their weight of authenticity to the day's play. Relish the big game atmosphere with new broadcast visuals, wicket textures and astute new commentary from the masterly broadcast team of Mark Nicholas and Richie Benaud as you play out a nail-biter against the faithfully realised backdrop of a legendary international venue or a cherished domestic ground.

FIFA Manager 09 makes your dreams come true

FIFA MANAGER 09 is under development and will be released for PC in the UK in Autumn this year.

EA SPORTS FIFA MANAGER 09 gives football fans full control over the management of their clubs. Whether founding a club, becoming a national coach, or finally leading their favourite club to international glory, all options are open to players in the EA SPORTS football management simulation for PC. The game contains all areas of club management, from signing new players to training to extending stadiums.

A central element of EA SPORTS FIFA MANAGER 09 is the matchday itself. The 3D mode offers new improvements, particularly in the areas of graphics, sound and AI. The new, fully customizable user interface in 3D mode gives players direct access to substitutions, tactical changes, and statistics. The text mode has been completely revamped and now features a unique mixture of traditional live commentary and an Internet live ticker. Lots of exciting and informative tools create a high level of transparency and atmosphere.



Other major features of EA SPORTS FIFA MANAGER 09 are the line-up and tactics sections. Various new team and single-player options offer endless possibilities for every type of coach. New features include a youth transfer market and match prediction tool. Players can put teams together freely and even assign form and fitness values to single players. This allows matches in the real world of football to be simulated under very realistic conditions in order to predict the outcome of a match.



Featuring licensed league, club and player data from 33 countries, EA SPORTS FIFA MANAGER 09 has a comprehensive player data bank containing over 1,500 clubs and more than 25,000 players, with over 7,000 original player photos included in the game. Other players can be added by using the editor tool.

Luol Deng picked for EA Sports NBA Live 09 cover

Chicago Bulls forward, Luol Deng, will be the cover athlete and spokesman for NBA LIVE 09 in the UK. Deng, raised in the UK from 1993, has played in the NBA for three years and is a vital part of the Great Britain national team. This is the first time the UK has worked with a local athlete and highlights the continued growth of the NBA in Europe.

“I’m proud to be the first British athlete chosen to appear on the NBA Live cover in the UK” said Luol Deng. “It’s an honour to be recognized by EA SPORTS as a UK ambassador for NBA Live 09 and I’m looking forward to playing for the Great Britain National team.”

Deng is joined by some of the NBA’s biggest international stars on packaging around the world, including Los Angeles Lakers Pau Gasol (Spain) and Toronto Raptors Andrea Bargnani (Italy).



Additionally San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker will be the cover athlete and spokesman for NBA LIVE 09 globally. In his seven NBA seasons, the 26 year old is a two-time NBA All-Star, has three NBA championships and was named the 2007 NBA Finals MVP. Parker will be the first European born (France) global cover athlete of NBA LIVE. Off the court, Parker is an avid gamer and won an NBA LIVE 08 tournament against fellow NBA stars at the EA SPORTS All-Star Challenge last February in New Orleans.

Player	Territory	Team
Tony Parker	Worldwide	San Antonio Spurs
Andrea Bargnani	Italy	Toronto Raptors
Pau Gasol	Spain	LA Lakers
Luol Deng	UK	Chicago Bulls

NBA LIVE 09 is back with new features like Pick and Roll Control, Defensive Lockdown Control, Signature Playcalling and Quickstrike Ankle-Breakers that will make the NBA LIVE experience fun from beginning to end. For those in need of some extra coaching, NBA LIVE 09 takes you to training camp with the NBA Academy that gives you a chance to hone your skills.



Now featuring 24 authentic FIBA teams with realistic team play styles and rosters, NBA LIVE 09 features a FIBA World Championship Mode using FIBA tournament structure, rules and court dimensions. Take your game online with 5 vs.5 team play, where 10 people can play together on 10 different consoles around the world.

NBA LIVE 09 will be available for the Xbox 360, the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, the Wii, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment systems and the PSP (PlayStationPortable). The game will be in stores on October 7 in North America, and on October 14 worldwide. The game has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI; visit www.esrb.org or www.pegi.info for updated rating information. For more information, log onto www.easports.com/nbalive09. Media can find screenshots of the game at http://info.ea.com.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 with performance Coach from EA Sports

Hank Haney Serves as Gamers Personal Performance Coach

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09 features dynamic, personalized gameplay via Tiger Woods’ personal coach, Hank Haney. An all-new addition to this year’s game, Haney will assist gamers as they hit the links and try to advance their career to win the FedExCup. Right out of the box, Haney will assess your game in four areas: Power, Accuracy, Short Game and Putting and gamers will be given a skill level in each of those four areas.

In Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09, a player’s skill level is dynamic, constantly adjusting throughout the round just as it would during a real afternoon out on the links. Following each round, Haney will deliver customized feedback on a player’s performance. This feedback system allows all gamers, rookies or PGA TOUR pros, to compete and enjoy the game at any level.



Available for download (instructions below) is a video that illustrates Hank Haney’s role in the game and the Performance Coach feature.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR will be available on August 26 on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, the PlayStation 2 and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment systems, the PSP (PlayStationPortable) system and Wii.

EA Sports Fantasy Football is the Complete Fantasy Football Experience for Madden NFL 09

Fantasy Football will be launching a new website, fantasy.EASPORTS.com and will have fantasy football applications specific to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system later this summer. The web-based service of EA SPORTS Fantasy Football is free, while members of Xbox LIVE or PLAYSTATION 3 Network will have the opportunity to download the innovative fantasy football applications for a fee. In addition, for the first time ever, gamers will have the ability to play their fantasy football squad in Madden NFL 09. EA Experts, a team of internal fantasy football gurus, returns and serves as a go-to source for all fantasy football information.

“EA SPORTS Fantasy Football this year takes fantasy football leagues to the next level,” said EA SPORTS Fantasy Football Executive Producer Jeremy Strauser. “Through our draft day and live scoring applications we have made fantasy football a truly interactive and innovative experience. In addition, we have created integration between our EA SPORTS Fantasy Football product and Madden NFL 09 which gives the football gamer the complete football gaming experience.”

Exclusive to EA SPORTS Fantasy Football customers, gamers will have the ability to download the EA SPORTS Fantasy Football Live Draft Tracker application and experience a fantasy draft that includes all of the fanfare and presentation of an authentic professional football draft on their Xbox 360 or PLAYSTATION 3. The days of paper draft boards are over and gamers can view video clips and hear the EA Experts team provide commentary on top players. Moreover, gamers will be able to track their EA SPORTS Fantasy Football teams and leagues through the EA SPORTS Fantasy Football Live Score Tracker application, which is also available via download from Xbox LIVE or PLAYSTATION 3 Network. The fantasy scores can be viewed in two ways: full screen mode with complete rosters and details or picture-in-picture mode which allows gamers to keep an eye on scoring updates while watching live football action.



If you’ve ever wanted to test your fantasy team against others in the Madden NFL franchise, EA SPORTS Fantasy Football now gives you the opportunity. Through the website, players designate which fantasy team will be imported into Madden NFL 09. This fantasy team is a fully-functional created team and can be played in all areas available to created teams, including online head-to-head games, providing the ultimate football gaming experience.

Arcade-Style boxing game - Facebreaker from EA Sports

Electronic Arts' Fight Night games are many things - some of the most visually - impressive titles in existence, the only boxing games that have been taken seriously in recent years, and some of EA Sports' best reviewed games.

But if there's one thing they're not, it's "funny." Since EA Chicago and EA Canada (who took over the franchise starting with Fight Night Round 3 on PS3) have established Fight Night as serious boxing brand, the company saw a gap in the market with room for a more lighthearted boxing game. Enter FaceBreaker for PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii, in development at EA Canada.

Looking somewhat like a cross between Ready 2 Rumble Boxing and Team Fortress 2, FaceBreaker is a cartooney boxing game that will literally let players break each others' faces (one of the features touted by EA is "real-time facial deformation"). According to EA's Peter Moore in a press release, "Arcade boxing takes me back to my roots in this industry, and this game signals our shift to adding more approachable fun to our product lineup."

Rather than use real boxers, the developers created fictional characters such as Romeo, "a Latin lover known for his pelvic thrusts," and Molotov, "an oversized Russian demolitions expert with a penchant for fighting dirty." Players will also be able to use the Game Face technology seen in games like Tiger Woods to transfer personal photos and make themselves into characters in the game.

For detailed information and more screenshots of FaceBreaker, look for an exclusive preview in the March 2008 issue of EGM, heading to subscribers soon and stores in about two weeks.

Text Source: 1up

EA host 2nd annual Rookie Madden Bowl NFL 08

Washington Redskins Rookie Devin Thomas Claims Crown

Over 30 NFL rookies gathered in the Arcadia Ballroom at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel for the EA SPORTS 2008 Rookie Madden Bowl. The second annual Rookie Madden Bowl brought together top NFL rookies to compete on Madden NFL 08 to see who would be crowned the 2008 EA SPORTS Rookie Madden Bowl Champion. The eight-man tournament included New England Patriots quarterback Kevin O’Connell, Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brian Brohm, Washington Redskins wide receiver Devin Thomas, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall, New York Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Dexter Jackson. Devin Thomas came out victorious, proudly taking home the 2008 Rookie Madden Bowl trophy.

Madden NFL 09 marks the 20th anniversary of one of the best-selling and most critically-acclaimed videogame franchises of all time, and the game will feature adaptable gameplay tailored to every type of gamer, online enhancements and a broadcast style presentation delivering an authentic NFL experience. Madden NFL 09 will be available in stores across North America on August 12.

The graphical enhancements of Madden NFL 09 are extremely impressive and bring the emotion of NFL football to life. Madden NFL 09 features amazing detail to stadiums, weather effects, player models and a whole host of other elements.