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Cute and creepy adventure game 'Fe' hits Switch in 2018
A year ago, Electronic Arts kicked off its indie publishing program EA Originals by announcing an intriguing gem: Fe, created by studio Zoink from Gothenberg, Sweden. The wordless adventure game follows a woodland creature as it roams a geometric, stylized wonderland. Today at Gamescom, we got another trailer and great news for Switch fans: The game is coming to Nintendo's console in early 2018.
‘Star Wars Battlefront II' space skirmishes put Yoda in the cockpit
Star Wars: Battlefront II may have a single-player mode -- a first for the series -- but that doesn't mean multiplayer is taking a back seat. Electronic Arts showed off the large-scale, multiplayer Starfighter Assault mode for the first time in a live demonstration at Gamescom, dropping a few details along the way.
'The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs' promises biggest-ever pets expansion
In the close-to-three years since its release on PC, The Sims 4 has broken down gender barriers, freed itself from the shackles of the suburbs, and even found time to cater to Mac and console gamers. But, there's been something amiss from the lives of the digital denizens -- namely, pets. That's all about to change thanks to EA's latest update. On November 10, The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs expansion will let you add a dose of cuteness to your manufactured utopia.
Behind EA’s push to put more women in sports games
Until two years ago, there was no way to play female characters in FIFA, the world's most popular gaming franchise. But EA Sports changed that with the introduction of FIFA 16. That's because, for the first time ever, the studio revealed its flagship game would feature women soccer players. It was a great move toward diversifying the game's plot, albeit a risky one considering its core demographic: young men. That doesn't mean FIFA players aren't open-minded. But in an industry with a reputation for being misogynistic, EA Sports made itself vulnerable to potential backlash. It turns out the company needn't have worried: FIFA 16 quickly became one of the best-selling titles of the year.
Former 'Mass Effect' creative director returns to the franchise
Strange things are afoot at Mass Effect and Dragon Age studio BioWare. Mass Effect's former creative director, Casey Hudson, is leaving his spot at Microsoft and will return to Edmonton to lead the studio, as general manager Aaryn Flynn has announced he's stepping down. "I have been contemplating changes in my own life for some time, but when I heard that Casey had confirmed he was up for the task, I realized the opportunities before us," Flynn writes. "I will be working with him over the next couple of weeks to catch him up and do my part to set him up for success to be the best GM he can be."
Taste amateur football glory with 'Madden 18’s' ‘Longshot’ mode
To say that I miss NCAA Football games is a massive understatement. Those games were my respite from classwork in college and continued to be a staple in my library for a few years after. Of course, EA hasn't made a college football game since 2012 after a pricey lawsuit over the use of athletes' likenesses in the franchise. Thankfully, the studio is giving us a new option for amateur football glory this fall via Madden 18's "Longshot" story mode.
BioWare’s ‘Anthem’ trailer shows off shared-world sci-fi mayhem
Ready for another look at Anthem? The upcoming BioWare title was formally announced at EA's press conference yesterday with a short CG trailer. But beyond the setting, a futuristic planet filled with mountains and tropical forests, and the heroes, some armor-clad space soldiers, there was little to glean from the video. Today, at Microsoft's E3 press conference, we were shown a whole lot more. The first gameplay reveal has the player venturing into the wilderness in search of some workers who have landed themselves in a bit of trouble. It's a breathtaking tour of the game's expansive world, highlighting exploration and cooperative combat.
'Need for Speed: Payback' and the business of car crashes
Need for Speed and Burnout are completely different franchises. Both are arcade racers, sure, but the former kind of starts and stops with outrunning the cops in Lamborghinis and other supercars at extremely high speeds. The latter used unlicensed knock-offs for its races because its main dynamic was portraying car accidents with near-pornographic detail. Something you just can't do when a game developer is essentially "borrowing" cars from their real-world owners. Enter the just-debuted Need for Speed: Payback which blurs the lines between the two divergent franchises in its depiction of vehicular mayhem, pushing the boundaries of how much carnage is possible with a real-world car.
'FIFA 18' isn't out yet and I'm already in love
There was a brief period of time last year when I was playing Pro Evolution Soccer more than FIFA. It was hard to wrap my head around that, considering EA's franchise had been my number one choice since it was known as FIFA International Soccer back in the '90s. But, despite all the welcomed graphics and gameplay improvements we see on each yearly release cycle, I felt the game was getting stale and decided to experiment with Konami's own -- which I much preferred in its Winning Eleven days. This didn't last long, though. FIFA 17 brought a story mode for the first time ever, known as "The Journey," and I was sold almost immediately. Because, let's face it, it's the closest I'll ever get to experiencing the enchanting life of a footballer.
Watch EA's E3 2017 event in under 13 minutes
The action at E3 2017 has officially started. EA tipped its hand yesterday with an event full of big announcements. If you weren't able to catch the news on Madden 18, FIFA 18, Battlefront II, A Way Out, Anthem and more already, don't worry. We've distilled the news down to less than 13 minutes so you can catch up with a quickness over the weekend. Oh, and be sure, too, to check out our conversation with EA's Patrick Soderlund on what the company has planned for the rest of the year. Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!
What EA learned from 'Mass Effect' will shape its future
When I spoke to Electronic Arts Executive Vice President Patrick Soderlund last week, Kotaku's report about why Mass Effect: Andromeda turned out so poorly hadn't been published yet. Nonetheless, when I asked him about the flawed game's development cycle, he was incredibly candid -- just as he had been in 2013 when I'd interviewed him about his company's move from myriad game-design toolkits to just two. Here are his thoughts on several key topics.
'Anthem' is BioWare's brand-new open world
The team behind Mass Effect has something new up its sleeves. BioWare today revealed Anthem, a new open-world franchise seemingly set in a futuristic, jungle-ridden universe. The teaser shows a mech of some kind and a big beastie screeching into the lush wilderness. It definitely has Destiny, Star Wars and Far Cry vibes. "It is vast, dangerous, beautiful and unexpected," said EA executive vice president Patrick Soderlund. BioWare will reveal more details about Anthem tomorrow during the Xbox press conference. We'll be live from the show with all the news then, so stay tuned.
‘A Way Out’ is a splitscreen-only prison break game
It's been a while since we heard anything about Hazelight, the Stockholm-based studio led by Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons' director Josef Fares. The team broke cover at The Game Awards in 2014, a brief teaser trailer in tow that showed two men travelling on a train by moonlight. Today, at EA's E3 press conference, the project has been reintroduced as A Way Out. It's about two inmates who forge an unlikely alliance to bust out of prison. The game is splitscreen-only (local and online multiplayer will be supported), meaning you'll need a friend in order to break out and escape the law.
'FIFA 18' will continue 'The Journey' of Alex Hunter
One of the best additions to FIFA 17 was "The Journey," a mode that put players in the shoes of a fictional young star called Alex Hunter. Today at EA's E3 press conference, it was confirmed that FIFA 18 will pick up his story after the events of the last game. A brief trailer teaser shows a wealth of real-life stars including former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand speculating on Hunter's future and a possible transfer. Presumably, you'll be taking the up-and-comer to a new club, in the hope of impressing more managers and earning silverware. We can't wait.
Watch EA's E3 2017 event live right here at 3PM ET
The big names aren't waiting until next week to reveal what they have for us at E3 2017. EA is kicking things off today with its event at 3PM ET/12PM PT. We're expecting details on games like Star Wars: Battlefront II, FIFA 18, Madden 18, NBA Live 18, Need for Speed: Payback and much more. We'll be there to bring you all of the breaking news as it happens, but if you want to following along live you can do so via Twitch and YouTube streams. Being the kind folks that we are, we've embedded the stream down below so you can watch right here when the time comes. Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!
Recommended Reading: iFixit wants to show you how to repair everything
Meet the $21 Million Company That Thinks a New iPhone Is a Total Waste of Money David Whitford, Inc. We're no stranger to iFixit's in-depth teardowns here at Engadget, but the company has a plan that's much more than ripping apart the latest gadgets to see what's inside. Inc. takes a look at how the the company is helping the masses repair everything from smartphones to kitchen appliances and why they offer guides for doing so free of charge.
What we love and hate about 'Mass Effect: Andromeda'
A veteran Mass Effect player and a complete novice walk into a bar. This isn't the beginning of a terrible joke: Instead, it's the premise of a conversation between Engadget associate editor Timothy J. Seppala and senior reporter Jessica Conditt, both of whom have been playing the latest Mass Effect game, Andromeda, over the past few weeks. Tim has devoured and adored the Mass Effect series for almost a decade while Jessica has never touched the games before. How does Andromeda compare to previous Mass Effect games? Does it stand on its own as a worthy addition to the sci-fi genre? Are the animations always this messed up? In the following conversation, Tim and Jessica discuss Andromeda's highs and lows from two vastly different perspectives -- and somehow, they end up with similar conclusions. Spoilers for the entire Mass Effect series reside below; you've been warned.
BT Sport to air 'FIFA' eSports tournaments in the UK
One of the top FIFA eSports competitions is going to be shown on BT Sport in the UK. Today, the broadcaster has announced "exclusive" coverage of the FIFA 17 Ultimate Team Championship Series, an EA organised tournament built around 'FUT Champions,' a fantasy mode where players build and compete with custom teams. BT will start with the North American regional final in Vancouver on April 8th, followed by the Asia-Pacific heats in Singapore on April 22nd. The channel will then televise the European regional final in Madrid on May 6th, before tackling the all-important Championship Final in Berlin on May 20th and 21st.
Exploring what made the 'Doom' and 'Titanfall 2' campaigns tick
The new Doom was almost one of my favorite games last year. While it was edged out at the last minute, there's no denying how refreshing the game was. Developer id's laser-focus on speed, making the player throw caution to the wind and tossing modern shooter conventions out the window was incredibly exciting. Titanfall 2 on the other hand took a major complaint levied at its predecessor and delivered one of the most unique shooter campaigns we've seen in an awful long time. As Mark Brown of YouTube channel Game Maker's Toolkit points out, the story modes put fun ahead of everything else.
EA Access members get 'Mass Effect: Andromeda' five days early
If you're an EA Access subscriber you'll be able to play Mass Effect: Andromeda's first ten hours almost a week ahead of everyone else. Like Electronic Arts has done for games in the past, folks on Xbox One will be able to play the highly-anticipated sci-fi RPG five days before its retail release on March 21st. Sound familiar? That's because EA did the same thing for the most recent entry developer BioWare's other role-playing series, Dragon Age: Inquisition in 2014. The news comes by way of a tweet from Xbox's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb. Xbox One is the only console where Access is available, but PC owners have the same deal with Origin Access according to Game Informer.
