electronicarts
Latest
'Need for Speed' hits PC in March with steering wheel support
When the latest Need for Speed drifted onto consoles, racers noticed that a few features were missing. No manual transmission option? No racing wheel support? Admittedly, the game isn't a sim racer like Gran Turismo or Forza Motorsport, but both of these omissions still felt a little odd. It's taken a while, but soon Electronic Arts will be righting a few of those wrongs. First of all, the game is coming to PC on March 17th. More notably, it'll have manual transmission and support for "a selection" of wheels by Logitech, Thrustmaster and Fanatec. Oh, and it'll also run with "an unlocked framerate" and up to 4K resolution. Sounds promising.
Registration opens for the 'Mirror's Edge Catalyst' test run
February 23rd, the date when publisher Electronic Arts originally promised Mirror's Edge Catalyst is coming up. But rather than mope until it finally releases in May, there's a reason to turn that frown upside down: We have news to share of a multiplatform (!) closed beta in addition to a pretty good looking new trailer. Wait, a beta for a game that doesn't have traditional multiplayer? Yep. Apparently EA and developer DICE, fresh off Star Wars Battlefront, want to ensure that returning protagonist Faith's asynchronous multiplayer modes work as smoothly as possible. Best of all, the test isn't locked behind a pre-order or console purchase -- nor is it exclusive to one console.
'Battlefield 4' hides an incredibly elaborate Easter egg
You've probably seen some clever gaming Easter eggs in your day, but few of them are likely to be this... involved. Gamers playing Battlefield 4's new Dragon Valley map have discovered an Easter egg that requires a massive, multi-step sleuthing campaign to complete. How massive? Well, it starts with translating Belarusian Morse code and moves on to hidden objects, logic puzzles and audio editing. The kicker is that this isn't repeatable -- even if you pay close attention to the video below, you'll have to do some of the hard work yourself.
EA launches an eSports division led by Peter Moore
Electronic Arts, the studio responsible for Star Wars: Battlefront, SimCity and the Battlefield franchise, has launched a new Competitive Gaming Division led by former COO and EA Sports President Peter Moore. The goal of the new business is to cultivate eSports opportunities within EA's library, most notably in the Battlefield, Madden NFL and FIFA franchises. EA's CGD will develop live events and broadcasting featuring eSports, plus create new, officially branded competitive experiences, CEO Andrew Wilson says in a blog post.
Playdate: Crushing the Rebel scum in 'Star Wars: Battlefront'
Not too long from now, on a Twitch stream in the very near future, Sean Buckley and myself will be blasting Rebel scum in Star Wars: Battlefront. The sci-fi shooter's the topic du jour on the latest edition of Playdate and you can tune in starting at 6 PM ET/ 3 PM Pacific to catch two hours of the hot Empire on Rebel action across Sullust, Hoth, and who even knows where else? And since we streamed the game's beta on PlayStation 4 we're giving the full version a go on PC today. As always, you can tune in here on this post, the Engadget Gaming homepage or Twitch.tv/Joystiq if you'd like to join us in chat -- it's your destiny.
'Need for Speed' balances opponents and adds neon later this month
Need for Speed is one of this fall's best games (it really does deserve your attention) and it's about to receive some changes. First up are tweaks to the game's computer-controlled opponents. Developer Ghost Games says it's working to make the rubberband AI, what keeps the other racers close by you regardless of how much of a lead you've built, "more balanced." If you're a fan of the current system, hopefully this new addition will be an option rather than a requirement. The game's visual customizations are getting some newfound love as well: a look at neon lighting kits, functional mirrors, more pre-made vinyl sets (additional features for that, too) and a better color picking system. Ghost is increasing the level cap and adding a smattering of new achievements, too.
The new 'Need for Speed' looks like a movie shot on film
The new, simply titled Need for Speed (out this week on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One) is as close as you're going to get to an art-house, video game version of The Fast and the Furious. The series has had players recreating cop chases from movies since 1998's Hot Pursuit, but this is the first time the game actually feels filmic. It isn't going to stand toe-to-toe with Microsoft's Forza series or Sony's ill-fated, but gorgeous Driveclub because it doesn't have to -- visually, they aren't even competing against each other. NfS doesn't run at 60FPS like Forza Motorsport; it doesn't feature those meticulously detailed cockpits either. What's more, car models aren't nearly as detailed as Driveclub's. But whatever NfS lacks in "perfection," it makes up for with killer arcade-like handling and a visual style guided by a clear aesthetic: Make a racing game that looks like a movie shot on film.
Comcast tests streaming games to your cable box
Not happy with simply launching its Stream video service this week, Comcast announced the start of a beta test for Xfinity Games. A partnership with Electronic Arts (confirming Reuters rumor from last year), it's not going to compete with PlayStation and Xbox, but is closer to what Roku, Amazon and Android are already doing for TV gaming. At least for now, the games offered are older and mobile-versions of games like Plants vs Zombies, Real Racing 2 or FIFA 13. There's not a connection for a standard gamepad, so players control them with phones and tablets (right now the list appears to cover iOS, and mainly Samsung Galaxy phones/tablets on the Android side). The main requirement? Comcast's X1 TV platform, so if you have it you can sign up to be a beta tester here. X1 isn't ready to be a powerhouse gaming platform yet approaching the level of OnLive or PlayStation Now, but with this and home automation add-ons, it's clear we're not the only ones thinking of the cable box as a the center of your connected home. Now, let's see if we can get Yu Suzuki to launch a Sega Channel Kickstarter.
Ex-'Assassin's Creed' lead joins EA to build 'Star Wars'
As a producer at Ubisoft and founder of Ubisoft Toronto, Jade Raymond had a hand in creating some of the most notable AAA experiences of our time, including Assassin's Creed II and Watch Dogs. She left the company in October to pursue "new opportunities," and now those ambitions have a name: Electronic Arts. Raymond has joined the company and opened Motive, a new EA studio in Montreal. Motive's first project is the new Star Wars game coming from Uncharted series writer and Creative Director Amy Hennig. Raymond now also oversees Hennig's studio, Visceral Games, and she says Motive will "work in close quarters with the BioWare team," which is responsible for Mass Effect and Dragon Age. No pressure.
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.
'Need for Speed' reboot rolls out this fall
When EA's quarterly report dropped earlier in May, it included a few tasty game-related tidbits, including a "holiday 2015" launch window for a new Need for Speed. EA today confirmed that Need for Speed will launch on PS4, Xbox One and PC this fall -- and it's a full-on reboot of the series. "With more than 20 years of history in its rear view mirror, we're bringing Need for Speed back with a reboot that delivers on what Need for Speed stands for -- rich customization, authentic urban car culture, a nocturnal open world, and an immersive narrative," EA Community Manager Ben Walke writes. The first teaser for the game is fairly gorgeous and EA says that all of its footage was captured in-game. Watch the video below, and keep your eyes here on June 15th for the first gameplay trailer and official announcement direct from E3 2015.
EA won't make money in the new Humble Origin Bundle
Humble Bundle regularly offers groups of games for the low price of "whatever you want to pay," with the option to send your money to the developers, Humble itself or to charity. Since launching in 2010, Humble has raised more than $50 million for charity -- and its latest bundle looks to add to that total. For the next two weeks, the Humble Origin Bundle 2 benefits only charity and Humble Bundle, since EA has opted out of making any money from this particular sale. The bundle supports Girls Who Code, which encourages young women to pursue computer science degrees, The V Foundation for Cancer Research and buildOn, a group that aims to improve conditions in the developing world by emphasizing women's education. Who knew supporting charity could be so fun?
EA shuts down the studio behind 'SimCity'
The studio that created SimCity and The Sims is no more. Today, EA confirmed that it will shut down Maxis Emeryville, displacing the folks primarily responsible for the aforementioned titles. In a statement, EA said that it'll relocate Maxis' development to its other offices in Redwood Shores, California; Salt Lake City; Helsinki; and Melbourne, Australia. The company plans to move forward with projects already in the works, including an expansion pack for The Sims 4 and ongoing support for the existing The Sims and SimCity faithful. Those two are massively popular PC titles, and the latter finally arrived on Mac in 2013 with players everywhere encountering a truckload of launch issues.
Playdate: We're livestreaming 'Dragon Age: Inquisition' on PS4! (update: game over!)
Who doesn't like fighting dragons? That's a serious question. If you excitedly answered "I do!" then this edition of Playdate is just for you. Today we're going to be streaming the first big role-playing game of this new set of consoles, and it's none other than Dragon Age: Inquisition from the folks at BioWare. You know, the studio behind the Mass Effect series and Baldur's Gate. It's a sort of choose-your-own adventure affair in a mature medieval world where decisions made in previous games affect how the story plays out in this third entry. It's also the first RPG running on publisher Electronic Arts' extremely impressive (and apparently pretty versatile) Frostbite toolset that's perhaps best known for powering the Battlefield franchise. And if you're wondering how it all looks, you've come to the right place. We'll be streaming gameplay from the PlayStation 4 starting at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific on this very page.
'SimCity BuildIt' brings urban planning back to phones and tablets
SimCity hasn't been on mobile devices for a while -- the last title surfaced way back in 2010. You'll get another crack at metropolis building pretty soon, though, as EA has quietly teased SimCity BuildIt for Android devices, iPhones and iPads. Details are scarce right now, but it's already apparent that this will be a big, big visual upgrade over the last incarnation; you'll see 3D graphics that more closely resemble SimCity's recent reboot than a cut-down phone release. We've reached out to EA for a launch date and more info on the game mechanics. However BuildIt works, we're just hoping that it fares a lot better than its desktop counterpart.
The Big Picture: How EA captured player faces for Madden NFL 15
If you've ever wondered how video game studios transform real-life people into their multi-pixeled personas, here's one method. SB Nation's Sarah Kogod recently made the trip to Baltimore where EA was set to capture facial images from the Ravens' players for Madden NFL 15. There, she encountered the developers new "mobile" rig that leverages a dozen DSLRs situated in two rows of six each in order to snap all of the close-up details. The frame is part TV stand and part wheel chair lift that allows the entire thing to be positioned just so from a connected laptop. In fact, three teams, each outfitted with one of the multi-camera rigs, set out this summer to capture player images from all 32 NFL teams during OTAs and training camp. Before now, artists have had to work from stock photos in order to create a player's virtual counterpart, and accuracy suffered. The folks at EA say that as games become increasingly more life-like, that gamers notice "any blemish that's off... people catch that." [Photo credit: Sarah Kogod/SB Nation]
EA Access restricts early 'Madden 15' gameplay to six hours
Thanks to EA's all-you-can-game subscription, early access to Madden 15 for those who fork over $5 per month is the closest thing the gridiron faithful will get to a demo this year. On top of that, gameplay for early access to the full title is capped at six hours according to the gaming service's Twitter account. In the past, there hasn't been a time limit for demos, but players were limited to options like one quarter of action at a time, and sometimes with a couple of pre-selected teams. Of course, EA Access is only available on Xbox One, so the PS4 faithful will have to wait until launch day for kickoff.
Get 'The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection' for free this month
It seems as if this week is a good one to get stuff on the cheap or even for free. First, Marvel announced a promo yesterday which gave access to its Unlimited comics service for 99 cents, and now EA has quietly revealed that it's giving away copies of The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection. You'll need to have Origin, EA's software distribution platform, installed on your machine to take advantage of this deal, but it's as easy as entering a code for old and new users alike. Just don't expect EA to keep supporting the classic game after you install it, since the publisher brought closure to that a few days ago. The Windows download on Origin will be available until July 31st at 1:00AM ET, which means there's plenty of time to let it all sink in and cancel whatever you had planned for the weekend.
These are the biggest third-party games at E3 2014
Sure, Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft all have their own internally developed games, but there's so much more to E3 than what The Big Three show off for their respective platforms. Even better, almost every game from the likes of Activision and Electronic Arts will appear on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One so there's almost no need to choose which platform to buy if you want to play a specific title, either. Let's get down to business, shall we?
