EA's Gamescom 2011 keynote, live from Germany

We're here in line waiting for the soon-to-start EA press conference, kicking off Gamescom 2011. What will we see inside? Well, we already see some Storm Troopers, so chances are ... the conference is being run by the Imperial Forces? Oh no!

[And we're off! Join us after the break!]

5:11PM XOXO - Next up: Sony! Be back soon.

5:08PM That's it, folks! But check out some more shots of the BF3 sizzle!

5:06PM The level is called "Caspian Border." Jets, helicopters, open spaces ... this looks crazy!

5:05PM 64-player conquest mode on PC, featuring jets, will be playable at the show floor of Gamescom.

5:03PM The two are talking it through with night vision on, killing the guys who ambushed them.

5:02PM Karl is down, Patrick runs over to revive him. A circle slowly fills. Get outta there, guys!

5:01PM The pace is methodical, giving time for players to talk things through, but the action keeps moving forward ... like when the armored vehicle just blew up! OUCH!

4:59PM Karl and Patrick are now talking through the mission. Silenced pistols, selecting targets and moving forward.

4:58PM Battlefield 3 is adding co-op. Ground and air vehicle missions. Including "tight" ground fights with players trying to grab a defector and bring him to the green zone.

4:56PM Battlefield 3 is here. Patrick Soderlund, EVP of EA Games and Karl Magnus from DICE. Battlefield will ship October 27 in Europe.

4:53PM On September 20th you can visit easportsfootball.com and begin making your team. The game's out on Sept. 27 in North America, Sept. 29 in Europe.

4:52PM FIFA 12 will include EA's online Friendlies mode that will let you track your friends. The challenge system will include real-world incidents in the game. FIFA Ultimate Team will be included on disc with FIFA 12.

4:47PM "The Secret World" is true. You have to choose between working with the Illuminati, Dragon or Templars. At Gamescom they will present the game's PvP mode. The game doesn't have classes or levels, but a "deep skill system." Official beta registration will open on August 26. The game will launch in April 2012.

4:42PM Okay, Mr. Caffeine, this is how you do eccentric! February 10, 2012 is when Reckoning comes to Europe.

2:42PM More Ken Rolston pleeeeaaaase! This man can speak!

4:41PM Roll a D6, roll a D6! "With this enemy-pounding fun fest..."

4:41PM Ken Rolston, the game designer of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is bringing the dungeon master feel to his presentation.

4:39PM Now it's time for the family pic.

2:38PM RiderNet? More like SnowLog, amirite?

4:37PM SSX hits the slopes of your living room next January.

4:36PM Ridernet is a new mode, inspired by the Autolog engine in Need for Speed.

4:35PM You can also earn points and in-game money for competing against your friend's ghost. In Global Events you play against multiple people across the globe, with 100K riders playing at once. You can play against people or ghosts.

4:34PM SSX is going to "revolutionize" social competition. We'd prefer if it made cocoa. Explore and Global Events are two of the modes in the game. Explore lets you free play, and will allow you to upload a ghost of your play, that your friends can compete against.

2:33PM You'll excuse us if, before we get to SSX, we share that wonderful screen from a new trailer with you. We'll have the trailer live on Joystiq as soon as possible, of course.

4:32PM You know what bites? Being the EA Sports guy who has to follow up Mass Effect 3 with SSX.

4:30PM Effects retail in Europe March 9, 2012. March 6, 2012 in North America.

4:29PM "The scale of the action and emotion are at an all time high," says Muzyka. "The ultimate action RPG."

4:28PM Now it's Mass Effect 3 time. Let's get our Shepard on!

4:27PM Now a giant mech descends, sorry, droid. Annihilation Droid XRR-3, previously used to wipe out civilizations, now used to protect the Eternity Vault ... and froyo machine.

4:25PM The Eternity Vault is an ancient prison, with the greatest force wielder in 20,000 years locked in there. The team of eight are now charging on a snow planet. The Juggernaut (tank) initiates the battl, with the rest of the team providing support. Healing, EMP blasts, jet packs going on.

4:23PM The Eternity Vault is now being shown, with eight folks playing the operation. It's the first live demonstration. Operations are for eight to 16 players to team up.

4:22PM [German stuff happens here]

2:21PM And it's just as wonderful as you might imagine seeing Star Wars aliens speaking in German.

4:21PM The Old Republic will be an "ongoing, living experience." Muzyka says they are looking for it to be smooth right from the start. Now we get to see a cinematic, but this time in German.

4:20PM Ooops, coming this fall. Beta available soon.

4:20PM Three-team combat, a big selection of heroes, 6v6v6. "Coming Soon"

4:19PM Dragon Age Legends for Facebook is now on Google+. He announces Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes, 18 heroes go to battle on the fly. Time for the video.

4:18PM Dr. Ray Muzyka from BioWare steps on stage, talking about four games.

4:17PM Need for Speed The Run arrives in Europe 11-18-11.

4:16PM Now rocks are smashing all over the highway and the tunnel used to escape has all the lights out. OK, this is super intense. Now, when does he run?

4:15PM The demonstration shows the car driving through an avalanche. It's pretty intense AND LOUD.

4:14PM You have to drive through blinding "deathstorms" or dust storms? Death storms sounds so much scarier. New planet DLC?

4:13PM To New York ... $25 million payout ... winning is the only option ... so is running for your life while hitting the X button. Need for Speed The Run is up.

4:11PM Digital Download. DIGITAL DOWNLOAD. The term just keeps ringing in pain. It's drowning out the FIFA Street premiere trailer.

2:11PM This certainly has a certain European ... flavor. Wait, Football and Soccer are the same thing?

4:10PM EA Season Ticket will grant an early "digital download" of FIFA Street.

4:09PM Twice as many moves as FIFA 12, 5v5, 6v6. With street courts all over the globe, from Barcelona to Tokyo.

4:08PM EA Canada Vancouver will work on it, available in early 2012.

4:07PM Out comes Gary Paterson, Creative Director -- Andrew Wilson, EVP introduce FIFA Street coming next year.

4:06PM New game from EA Sports ... lots of people playing soccer in the streets ... still playing soccer in the streets ...

4:04PM Jens Uwe Intat, senior VP of EA Europe is now going to show us 10 of the best games we'll see this year (bold claim!).

4:02PM And away we goooooooo...

3:55PM Charming gentlemen, surely.

3:53PM Photo time: EA CEO John Riccitiello and COO Peter Moore.

3:51PM EA CEO John Riccitiello is so close, we can smell the Project 25 Dollar -- new scent from Calvin Klein.

3:48PM Oh my, now I'm a fire starter. Vicious fire starter!

3:44PM All I do is click, click, click and take your money.

3:43PM Just got inside, jammin' to some M.I.A.. Or is it MIA?