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EA talks Tiger deal, wants him to start winning
EA may be cool with Tiger Woods using that five wood to knock his balls into every patch of grass he can, but there's one thing it can't put up with forever: a loser. Speaking at the Reuters Global Media Summit, EA CEO John Riccitiello said that what he was expressing wasn't a "threat" against Woods, but that the company has the athlete's name on the game because of his standing in the sport. Riccitiello explained the company has no plans to drop Woods, but it's a business relationship based on the publisher and the athlete bringing their "best." He expressed, "Both of those things need to be true in the long run for the partnership to make sense." Riccitiello says the company is willing to give Woods the opportunity to turn it around "for a period of time," even as other corporations have walked off the green. The executive now keeps a standard alarm clock and a "Tiger Woods patience timer" by his bedside.
Take a swing at this new Kevin Butler commercial
"She's a bad mamma jamma" could take on a whole new meaning for the cast of the latest Kevin Butler PlayStation Move advertisement. Woods' game looks like it might lead this household to domestic violence! How many homes must you divide, Tiger? Answer us! How many?
Moore: Tiger Woods sales 'disappointing'
Unsurprisingly, EA Sports president Peter Moore agrees that sales of Tiger Woods 2011 were "disappointing, in particular on the Wii, " but believes there's hope for the title yet. Moore told Eurogamer that the game will be "well represented as part of the Move launch," and that the upcoming Ryder Cup during the first week of October (and seen in the franchise for the first time this year) will bring it back into the spotlight to tack on some extra numbers. As for whether the golfer's well-publicized personal problems may have affected the video game franchise, Moore says that's a "consumer call," and reiterates EA's support of the star. Moore also talked a bit about the much-reviled Online Pass system, saying that 60 to 70 percent of players have accessed the Online Pass content so far, without going into detail about how many used codes or paid outright. Finally, he believes that we're currently in a mid-cycle market in terms of console sales. Prices are still too high -- especially when you include the Kinect and Move hardware -- he says, to reach the video game console sweet spot of "$199 or below." Until we get there, Moore is convinced, "We're nowhere near mass-market pricing."
PlayStation Move unboxed, demo disc detailed
Joystiq tipster Phil received a promotional PlayStation Move kit, which included two Move controllers, a PlayStation Eye camera and a demo disc. The disc features an interface inspired by the "Now Playing" section of the XMB, allowing you to quickly peruse its contents. Included on the disc are demos for Sports Champions, Start the Party, Kung Fu Rider, TV Superstars, The Shoot, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, Beat Sketcher, and Tumble -- all games demoed at E3 earlier this year. Interestingly, it appears that the demos (at least on this promotional disc) cannot be launched directly from the disc; you must install each demo to your PS3 hard drive. According to our tipster, each demo is about 1-2 GB in size, meaning you'll need at least 8GB of free space if you want to play everything off the disc at once. In addition to the demos, the disc includes an installable "Setup Guide," which may be the most enjoyable part of the entire collection. It includes some helpful tips, like "don't use the camera upside-down" and "don't smack people around you." Truly, advice for winners.
EA Sports Online Pass redeemed by 60% of users, says EA
During EA's Q1 financial conference call, COO John Schappert discussed the success of the company's "Online Pass" initiative. According to Schappert, early results from NCAA Football 11 and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 indicated that "sixty percent to seventy percent of online connected users" have redeemed a code for Online Pass. He noted further that "the level of online play is up" over last year, as is revenue from paid downloadable content. When asked how Online Pass has impacted used game sales, Schappert noted that it's "too early to tell" but that EA is "encouraged by" the number of people playing online, and that the "extra gift" offered by Online Pass is "driving some of that adoption." EA announced its Online Pass program earlier this year -- bundling a code with new copies of NCA Football 11 and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 -- which allows access to online features like multiplayer (among other things). Those who choose to buy used copies of the games can purchase an Online Pass for an additional $10. The Online Pass program operates as part of "Project Ten Dollar," created to stop losses generated by the used game industry. Based on the numbers touted by Schappert, as well as those reported by EA for the quarter, the strategy just might be working.
PlayStation Move Starter Pack includes nine demos in the UK
The PlayStation Move is set to launch in the US on September 19 alongside several bundles. The Starter Pack -- a $99 bundle including one PlayStation Move controller, a PlayStation Eye camera and a copy of Sports Champions -- is apparently going to be a bit different when it launches in the UK on September 15. MCV reports that the UK Starter Pack won't include a full copy of Sports Champions, instead giving gamers a taste of nine different titles. The nine demos included in the package include snippets of six retail Move titles: Sports Champions, Start the Party, The Shoot, EyePet: Move Edition, TV Superstars and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11. The remaining three demos will be for PSN games: Echochrome 2, Tumble and Beat Sketchers. In the UK, the Starter Pack will have a suggested retail value of £49.99.
Madden 11 demo leads rush of Xbox Marketplace content
The Xbox 360 forecast is absolutely droughtful this week at retail, with the Clash of the Titans theater DVD release tie-in drying up store shelves. Thankfully, the Xbox Live Marketplace is overflowing with new content this week, including today's release of the new Madden demo. Additionally, DLC for a pool of recent releases -- Alan Wake, Lost Planet 2 and Transformers, to name a few -- flowed out today, and the "Summer of Arcade" shines on tomorrow with Hydro Thunder Hurricane. (Did you read our review yet?) Finally, Borderands' trio of add-ons is on sale through Sunday. Check out complete details of the week's XBLM content after the break.
NPD: Tiger Woods 11 sales way down compared to Tiger 10
The NPD figures for June show that Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 didn't have a debut comparable to the previous year's game. In fact, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 only managed to unload 32% of the copies sold during Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10's initial launch month, Venturebeat offers. We contacted the NPD, who told us the same thing: "The new Tiger Woods release sold only 32 percent of what last year's release sold in its introductory month at retail. That said, last year's game saw a huge sales increase over previous versions, but still, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 did not break into the top 10 games for the month." Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is Tiger's promiscuity -- a likely factor behind Tiger's waning popularity. But, EA's Rob Semsey contributed that the slowing Wii market and Tiger's performance on the course as of late are also contributors to the dip in sales. Now the real question is: with the drop in sales, will EA still stand by its man?
Review: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 (Wii)
I've played a lot of golf games over the years, from the arcadey Hot Shots series to my all-time favorite, Links 2004. But I've never played anything quite like Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11. For someone new to the series on Wii, its MotionPlus controls aren't just a revelation -- they're the only way I want to play golf games from now on. Sorry, Links. %Gallery-87857%
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 swings onto XBLM
Attention, virtual linksmen: A demo for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. This trial version offers players a chance to experience "a fully customizable Ryder Cup match that includes three holes on Celtic Manor Resort." In addition to the Celtic Resort holes, players can also try out three holes of the Liberty National course. The demo also has a unique feature, allowing players to earn in-game experience points by sharing the demo with friends. Using the "console messaging system" to share the demo, players will earn XP for each friend that downloads it. This XP can then be used to upgrade golfer stats in the retail version of the game that launches next month. Just make sure you buy the game new if you want to make the most of that XP online. Xbox.com: Add Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 demo to your Xbox 360 download queue
EA introduces one-time-use 'Online Pass' for sports games
EA just announced the next step of its "Project Ten Dollar" initiative, one that's likely to affect a lot of people much more deeply than the allure of some extra DLC. Starting with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, out June 8, EA Sports games for PS3 and Xbox 360 will include a title-specific "Online Pass" that enables access to "online services, features, and bonus content." If the code has already been redeemed (i.e. if you bought the game used) additional Online Passes will be available for (you guessed it!) ten dollars. Each game will include a seven-day free trial. The online services under the Online Pass vary by game, but an EA rep told us they can include basic online multiplayer, as well as group/league features, roster and playbook updates, downloads of user-created content (like Photo Game Faces) and tournament support. We'd think GameStop would be most upset about this plan, given that it's basically the destination for trade-ins of last year's sports games toward the new model, but CEO Dan DeMatteo offers a cheerful quote in the announcement. "GameStop is excited to partner with such a forward-thinking publisher as Electronic Arts," DeMatteo said. "This relationship allows us to capitalize on our investments to market and sell downloadable content online, as well as through our network of stores worldwide."
EA: Rumors of lawsuit over South Park episode are 'nonsense'
Today, a recent post on Daily Informer was brought to our attention, which reports that EA has decided to sue over a recent South Park episode, "Sexual Healing." The episode in question shows a mock-up of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, mixing in some ridiculous fighting elements (involving the wife he cheated on) into the golf sim portion of the game. It's really over-the-top, akin to the show's usual satire practices. We contacted EA to get to the bottom of this, to which an EA spokesperson commented the rumored impending lawsuit is "nonsense." So, there you have it: EA is not suing over the episode. Nothing else to see here -- move along.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 trailer shows off online team play
EA Sports' latest attempt to breathe new life into the Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise's eleventh installment is an online multiplayer mode, previewed in the "Ryder Cup" trailer posted above. Players will be able to align themselves into teams, and go head-to-head (to-head-to-head, and so on) in an attempt to dominate the lush, rolling greens. The only question that remains is what team you'll choose to enlist in. Will it be team Tiger Woods, who's repeatedly proven his prowess for hitting golf balls into faraway holes? Or will it be team Rory McIlroy, who is exactly one vowel away from being totally awesome?
EA: No Project Natal support for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
When Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 was revealed to have PlayStation Move support, we wondered why EA would support every other motion-controlled peripheral (all two) and not Microsoft's Project Natal. So we hit up EA for an answer. As it turns out, EA just wasn't "in a position" to add Natal support to Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 -- but the company doesn't rule out implementation in future installments of the franchise. "We are always evaluating new technologies and Natal would be a perfect fit for the Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise," an EA spokesperson told Joystiq, "however we are simply not in a position to do so with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11." There you have it: Natal is a "perfect fit," but Tiger Woods 11 won't have that functionality. Our guess? The Natal dev kits haven't shipped and a post-release implementation patch would not be cost effective.
Tiger Woods 11 to support PlayStation Move
Much like the star it's named for, it seems the Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise isn't adverse to trying new things. EA has announced that the next iteration, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, will support the PlayStation Move motion controller to "give gamers an authentic interactive swing experience." There aren't any other details about Move implementation at the moment, but the game is slated for release on June 8 -- well before Sony's motion controller's projected fall release. (And before you ask, no mention has been made of support for Microsoft's Project Natal.) It may be less flashy, but series fans may be interested to hear the game will also feature the Ryder Cup, allowing for two 12-man teams to face off against each other. We say 12-man, but we guess it could be 12 women against 12 men, right? Heck, maybe even 12 women against one man. Can you imagine, one guy trying to keep up with all those women? We sure can't. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 will be available on June 8 for Wii (with MotionPlus support), Xbox 360, PS3 and iPhone. Update: Changed "PlayStation Motion Controller" references to "PlayStation Move," the now official name for Sony's device. [Editor's Note: EA's press release only included a box art asset for the Xbox 360 version. Go figure.]
EA Sports Wii/DSi accessory bundles announced
Because your EA Sports games need that extra oomph, EA has signed a deal with Sakar International to produce a lineup of attachments for your Wiimote and -- wait, DSi? Sure enough, the press release mentions "realistic-looking EA Sports golf clubs, tennis rackets and baseball bats for the Wii and Nintendo DSi as well as fitness gear for use with EA Sports Active" as part of a deal EA announced last month. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 and 11 on Wii will get a series of golf club attachments for kids on up to adults -- extendable up to 24 or 36 inches depending on the set you acquire -- and Sekar will also offer baseball and racquet accessories for other Wii games like Grand Slam Tennis. As for the DSi, the press release mentions five-in-one carrying kits themed around football, baseball, basketball and soccer -- each kit will include a game case, skin, stylus, and clip-on earphones or headphones. Then there's the EA Sports Active stuff, which comes in two flavors: Starter Kit and Gym Kit. The first will retail for $19.99 and comes with a Wii Balance Board bag, yoga mat, fitness cord, armband and legbands, while the Gym Kit will set you back a bit more at $39.99 and includes a gym bag, yoga mat with a fitness cord and wrist and ankle weights. While we can't really comment on these proposed attachments without at least seeing them first, we just hope EA reads the internet every now and then. Some attachments are great, while others are just a painful memory you wish you could forget.
It's official: EA sticks with Tiger, announces Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
Though we've already twice confirmed EA's steadfast dedication to Tiger Woods -- and, subsequently, sequels to his popular sports franchise -- EA Sports has gone ahead and announced Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11. Coming in "June 2010" to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and iPhone, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 features the philandering golf star (as per usual) and others from the PGA Tour circuit. No screens or an official release date were given out, but ... umm ... you could always play Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online for free right this minute! It's a browser-based version of the game you know and love! Wait, where are you going?
