ea sports
Latest
EA is finally improving Career Mode for 'FIFA 20'
Even though 'Street' soccer will be the biggest addition to FIFA 20, hardcore fans of the franchise know the importance of Career Mode. And this year, with the new game launching on September 27th, developer EA Sports is promising to make the feature more authentic and customizable than ever before. Not only will you be able to change the body type, skin tone, clothing, hairstyle of your managers, but in FIFA 20 you'll now have the chance to create and choose female characters. In addition to that, taking a cue from Football Manager, your coach will be able to have a direct impact on team morale based on his or her press conferences, squad rotation, chats with players and more.
Madden 20 Championship Series ties its schedule to NFL events
Just a few months after EA announced its Madden NFL 19 bowl set new viewership records, it's laid out a schedule of events for the 2020 season. Madden NFL 20 launches next week on August 2nd -- or three days earlier for people who pre-order a special edition -- and it's touting the ability for players to go "from couch to champion." EA has announced that it's increased the number of spots available in online eliminations, with its first Classic event scheduled to occur starting August 30th. There, fans will compete to represent one of the NFL's 32 teams at the Club Championship in December. Then there's the Madden NFL 20 Challenge during Super Bowl weekend and the Madden NFL 20 Bowl during next year's draft. The NFL and EA have aligned the esports schedule to work along with the league, seeing it as a way to keep viewers and gamers engaged. NFL VP of Gaming & Esports Rachel Hoagland said in a statement that "We view esports as a key accelerant to growing the NFL. It enables new ways for young fans to engage in the sport through Madden NFL competition." The league has also snagged sponsors including Pizza Hut and Snickers, and this year signed up the first "virtual stadium rights deal in esports" that will put MCS Major live events in Pizza Hut Stadium. In a world where Fortnite exists, making sure gamers still tune into your sport any way you can is probably a good strategy. More details about the esports events were announced tonight during a Twitch stream that you can watch right here.
Watch EA's Play 2019 event in 19 minutes
E3 effectively began on June 8th with the start of EA's Play event, but we won't blame you if you missed out. With roughly three hours of game previews, that could have taken a large bite out of your weekend. Thankfully, you don't have to watch the whole thing to get a feel for what was new. We've compiled all the best bits of the Play presentation into an easier-to-digest 19-minute clip. And there's a lot to digest. Between Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order gameplay, Apex Legends' second season, the reveal of FIFA 20 and updates on Battlefield V, Madden NFL 20 and The Sims 4, you'll know tons about EA's 2019 plans by the time everything is said and done.
'FIFA 20' is a lot more than just street soccer
For the first time since 2012, street soccer is coming back to the FIFA franchise. Today, at E3 2019, EA Sports revealed a new mode called Volta that will bring small-sided play to FIFA 20, which takes a cue from the FIFA Street series that launched in 2005. While we saw a glimpse of street football in FIFA 18, as part of The Journey campaign, this year's game will feature a fully fledged mode. In Volta, you can create your own character and play in cages and futsal pitches all around the world, including London, Amsterdam and Tokyo. The teams will be made up of three-to-five players, which you can play with your custom character or professional players, and you'll have both story and league modes.
Watch EA's pre-E3 Play event starting at 12:30PM Eastern
EA is about to kick off E3 in earnest with its pre-expo Play event, and it's unsurprisingly offering gamers a chance to tune in. The company is streaming Play starting at 12:30PM Eastern with a slew of news on the slate. You won't hear more about Anthem, but you can expect more news on Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, the second season of Apex Legends, as well as updates for Battlefield V and The Sims 4. Logically, you can expect to hear about EA Sports titles like FIFA 20 and Madden NFL 20. You'll find both the stream and the schedule below.
'FIFA 20' revives 'Street' soccer games on September 27th
EA has explored seemingly every angle of official soccer (yes, football) pitches in the FIFA series, so what's left to do? Take it to unofficial pitches, of course. The company is releasing FIFA 20 on September 27th for PC, PS4 and Xbox One, and its centerpiece will be a new Volta league that takes its cue from the streets -- it's really a spiritual successor to the FIFA Street series. You play in much smaller three- to five-person teams, with customization that ranges from your players' outfits through to the walls. You can play story and league modes, or even throw professional players into the fray.
'FIFA 19' eChampions League group stages are underway
The inaugural FIFA 19 UEFA eChampions League just got serious. After weeks of online knockout play, the in-person Group Stages are underway at Manchester's Victoria Warehouse. The more definitive phase has 64 pro FIFA 19 PS4 players challenging each other between April 26th and April 27th to become one of just eight people who'll reach the league final in Madrid on May 31st.
Nike and EA bring back 1994 with 16-bit soccer shoes
Every year since 1994, EA Sports has added a new game to its FIFA video game line-up. Next week marks the release of FIFA 17, its 24th instalment, and to celebrate, the company has teamed up with Nike to create a limited edition Mercurial Superfly cleat (or boot if you speak the Queen's English). According to Nike, these slick soccer shoes chart the advancements of the game over the past two decades -- nerdy they are not.
EA shows off its stable of upcoming sports blockbusters
As expected, EA took the stage at E3 2015 to showcase the next installment of its popular sports franchises. That, of course, includes FIFA 16, Madden 16, NBA Live 16, NHL 16 and Rory McIlroy PGA Tour. This year, like most others, EA Sports is focusing on evolution rather than revolution, so people familiar with these titles won't notice any major change. But that's not to say some things haven't changed. In the case of FIFA 16, for example, there are all-new defensive mechanics, which will help you defend better ground against attacking players. For NBA 16, EA Sports revealed an app that can take your picture and then use it as a custom character's face -- the most impressive part about this is how it only takes a couple of minutes.
Here's how to watch EA's event at E3 2015
Now that Microsoft's done for the day with Xbox news, it is EA's turn to give us a glimpse at some of its future products. There's no doubt we'll learn more details about the company's upcoming sports titles, including FIFA 16, Madden 16 and UFC. Beyond that, though, EA will likely share additional info on Mirror's Edge: Catalyst, Star Wars: Battlefront and Mass Effect 4. And hey, don't be shocked if there are a few surprises along the way. EA is going to kick off the event at 4PM ET, and you can watch it live on its E3 Live to Play webpage as well as Twitch or YouTube -- video embed after the break.
Madden predicts Patriots over Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX
With Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday, it's time again to gaze deep into the crystal ball that is the latest version of EA Sports' Madden NFL to see how the game will shake out. End result? Patriots beat Seahawks, 28 to 24, thanks to four touchdowns from Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady. [Image: EA Sports]
Dos Anjos among cuatro fighters added to EA Sports UFC
A new content pack for EA Sports UFC is now available to download, adding four fighters to the mixed martial arts game's roster. The new fighters include light heavyweight bruiser Anthony "Rumble" Johnson and women's bantamweight fighter Holly Holm. The latest update also introduced two lightweight fighters: Eddie Alvarez and Rafael Dos Anjos. EA Sports offered sixth other free content updates for its introductory UFC game since it launched in June 2014. The last update for the game added big-name legendary fighters to the mix in December, such as Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Mark Coleman and Brock Lesnar. Past updates introduced new game mechanics to EA Sports UFC as well, such as Finish the Fight, kick catching and manual taunts. [Image: EA Sports]
Lawsuit alleges EA infringed on sports stadium update patent
White Knuckle IP filed a lawsuit late last week against EA, alleging that the publisher infringed on a patent that focuses on methods for updating sports games based on real-life changes. The suit referred to U.S. Pat. No. 8,529,350, which described methods that record real-world parameters, then store those elements on a server so players can download them to update their games. The patent dates back to October 2002. While the patent is related to another one that deals with updating an athlete's statistics and skills based on real-life performance, the lawsuit focuses on changes to the appearance and attributes of stadiums and venues. The lawsuit specifically targets games in EA Sports' NCAA Football and Tiger Woods PGA Tour series, from NCAA Football 10 and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 through the last respective entries, NCAA Football 14 and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14. According to Patent Arcade, White Knuckle "did not identify any specific feature in its complaint." [Image: EA Sports]
EA Sports to send prizes to cheated junior Lions fan
On a scale from one to "wow, really?", where would you rank someone representing a football team who denies a copy of Madden 15 to a child for wearing the jersey of the opposing team? We ask because that's precisely what happened when the Dallas Cowboys took on the Detroit Lions last week. Amarillo radio station KISS FM 96.9 reports that prior to the football showdown, 10-year-old Roman participated in a game of musical chairs in hopes of snagging the grand prize: a copy of Madden 15 for PS4. Roman won fair and square, but when it turned out he was wearing a Detroit Lions jersey, he was promptly denied his prize and made to re-do an (almost surely rigged) round, where he lost. This was on a stage in front of a crowd of gathered spectators, by the way. As if that wasn't humiliating enough, his consolation prize seals the deal: the first season of Batman: The Television Series (the Adam West version, to clarify) and a Led Zeppelin CD. Because what kid doesn't enjoy '60s camp while listening to "Immigrant Song"? Roman's story has a happy ending, though. After learning of the incident, EA Sports tweeted the picture you see above. So Roman will now be receiving not only a copy of Madden 15 for PS4, but a console to play it on and a Lions mini-helmet signed by receiver Calvin Johnson. So, to come back to our original question, what value would you assign the contest organizers? [Image: EA Sports]
Canada celebrates Boxing Day with two-game PS4 bundle
Boxing Day, the festive day following Christmas in which folks shop even more is upon us, friends. To celebrate, Sony will offer Canadian players a new PS4 bundle that includes two games. For $450, players can pick up the 500 GB PS4 console with NHL 15 (because Canada) and LittleBigPlanet 3 this Friday, December 26. Pre-orders for the Boxing Day bundle open on Wednesday, and it will be available through "major retailers." Canada's Boxing Day bundle's value compares fairly well to previous ones: Sony offered a PS4 for $400 earlier this month that packed in the buyer's choice of one game out of four options, LittleBigPlanet 3 being one of them. Walmart later sweetened that deal by tacking a $50 gift card onto the offer. While NHL 15 wasn't received well at its launch due to a number of missing modes, some of which returned in via patches, the platforming sequel starring Sackboy did get praise in our review for its "vibrant and inviting" world. [Image: Sony]
This week's UK charts are last week's UK charts
It's nearly the time for merriment, which means it's nearly time for the Christmas Doctor Who special. The UK gaming chart is already getting into the festive mood by re-enacting the "Blink" episode. The chart managed to keep its eyes wide open for the whole week, meaning the top five games have stayed in exactly the same position, and nobody's going to get eaten and sent back to the 1920s by sharp-toothed gargoyles. For now. So, it's (gasp) FIFA 15 on top for the second week running, followed by Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Grand Theft Auto 5, Far Cry 4 and Lego Batman 3. There aren't even any new releases to holler about, so the only real action comes courtesy of Destiny. Bungie's shooter planet-hopped seven places into ninth, no doubt boosted by the new Dark Below expansion. The top ten below the break may be almost the same, but the customary (and lovably roguish) music video isn't! Don't worry, it's not at all festive; we'll save that ear-bomb for next week.
EA Sports UFC kicks back on EA Access next week
The full version of EA Sports UFC will be available through EA Access starting next Thursday, December 18. The mixed martial arts game will enter the Xbox One streaming service's "Vault," allowing subscribers to play the game as much as they like. EA unveiled its $5 per month ($30 per year) subscription service in July, and EA Access went live for all players in August. EA Sports UFC just received its sixth free content update this week, which added popular and legendary fighters such as Mark Coleman and Brock Lesnar to the game. Thanks to its various updates, EA Access players have 18 new brawlers to use as well as new fighting mechanics like manual taunts and kick catching compared to when the game first launched in June. [Image: EA Sports]
Brock Lesnar among MMA legends now in EA Sports UFC
EA Sports issued its sixth content update for EA Sports UFC this week, introducing four new fighters to the game. The free update focuses on four legends of the octagon: one welterweight, one light heavyweight and two in the heavyweight division. The two heavyweight fighters are Mark Coleman and Brock Lesnar, the former being a member of UFC's Hall of Fame and winner of the organization's first heavyweight championship. The other two new playable MMA fighters are Matt Hughes (welterweight) and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (light heavyweight). While our review of EA Sports UFC found it to be a "barebones fighting game," the publisher has introduced a handful of free updates since its June launch. This week's four legends join 14 other fighters that were added to the Xbox One and PS4 game, such as Diego Sanchez and Matt Brown. The free updates also added a number of game mechanics like "Finish the Fight," manual taunts, kick catching and guillotine takedown reversals. [Image: EA Sports]
FIFA 15 among games blocking PS4 Share Play in US
Users are reporting a number of issues with using the PS4's Share Play feature, Sony's online pass-the-controller multiplayer service. Namely, it appears FIFA 15 is giving players fits, as visiting players are unable to view the footage shown on the host's console. Rather, one half of the Share Play tandem sees the screen above, which says, "Viewing the game screen that the host is currently playing is not allowed due to content restrictions in your country or region." In our tests between two US-based PS4 players this morning, the Share Play visitor was unable to view game footage on four separate occasions: In FIFA 15, WWE 2K15, Guacamelee and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. Share Play for FIFA 15 was functional once we tested the service with our UK-based editor, Sinan Kubba (albeit with some bouts of lowered resolution and frame-dropping). However, it appears the error message being displayed is entirely inaccurate, as PlayStation noted on Twitter, adding that the support team is investigating the issues. Eurogamer's big list of Share Play-functioning games notes that FIFA 15 "works fine," so your mileage (or kilometer-age in this case) may vary at the moment. Share Play arrived in October as part of the PS4's version 2.0 update, which itself caused a number of other issues for players. Sony issued another update just this week, version 2.02, to rectify some of the console's lingering problems. We've reached out to Sony to find out what might be causing the hiccups with Share Play and which games are affected.
Deals with Gold: Catherine, EA Sports UFC, Fallout
Deals with Gold isn't fooling around, as five Xbox One games and eight Xbox 360 games are discounted this week. Of the bunch, one game is on sale for both Xbox Live Gold and Silver members, as all Xbox One players can download EA Sports UFC for half-off. The other four Xbox One games on sale for Gold subscribers are Stick it to the Man, KickBeat Special Edition, Divekick and CastleStorm's Definitive Edition, each for 30 percent off their respective prices. As for Xbox 360 players with an Xbox Live paid subscription, both Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are 67 percent off this week through Games on Demand as well as Catherine, which is 60 percent off. Serious Sam Double D XXL and Serious Sam 3: BFE as well as the latter's Jewel of the Nile DLC are 67 percent off on XBLA. Rounding out the group is Foul Play, Pool Nation and How to Survive, each discounted by, you guessed it, 67 percent. The deals are good through Monday, November 17. [Image: EA Sports]
