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RIP, 'Pro Evolution Soccer'
I have a mild obsession with FIFA video games, largely because I like playing with official teams and players rather than fictional ones. But, I always gave Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) a chance. Two years ago, I even wrote that Konami's title was actually better than EA Sports', much to the the disbelief of many of my football friends. A big reason I always kept coming back to PES (aside from its more realistic gameplay) was the fact it had licensing rights for the UEFA Champions League (UCL), Europe's most prestigious club tournament. Since 2008, FIFA players have had to make do with a generic version that EA Sports created, which simply wasn't good enough. You need that UCL orchestral theme song and the original trophy to make the competition feel real. But thing will be changing soon, and Pro Evolution Soccer is going to suffer as a result.
NBC Sports brings World Cup streams to PlayStation 4
NBC has brought its sports app to PlayStation 4, which is splendid news for gamers who are also mad about soccer. There's a certain convenience in playing Fortnite and being able to switch over to a live sports stream. Of course, NBC Sports already has apps on a number of platforms, such as Windows, Roku, Chromecast and mobile. The free app has already hosted a number of sports events this year, including the NHL Winter Classic, the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Tennis grand slam Roland Garros. NBC began its coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup yesterday, treating fans to a riveting opening match with Russia demolishing Saudi Arabia. NBC Sports doesn't have the rights to English-language coverage -- that's covered by Fox -- but it has locked in Telemundo's Spanish broadcasts instead. Watching the soccer from the comfort of your living room might not be as cool as experiencing it through VR, but you can still theorize about this year's winner -- Goldman Sachs' AI is tipping Brazil and EA has France down to win the tournament.
How to watch the World Cup 2018
For soccer (er, football) fans everywhere, the next four weeks are going to be all about the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The globe's biggest sporting event, which takes place every four years, is kicking off Thursday, June 14th, when host nation Russia takes on Saudi Arabia at 11AM ET. And yes, we know the USA team won't be there, but football is bigger than just one nation. So even if you won't get to cheer on the Stars and Stripes this year, there's still plenty to look forward to at the World Cup.
'FIFA Mobile' has a playable World Cup of its own
FIFA 18 players have been enjoying their own World Cup mode for a few weeks, but now FIFA Mobile has its own version of the event. From now until August 1st, folks can choose from 32 qualifying nations and play a unique campaign for the global competition. Fret not, countries that didn't make it to the world's stage (*cough* USA *cough*): Like the console version, players can take one of 16 non-qualified nations through their own separate story mode.
‘FIFA 18’ let me live out my World Cup fantasies
It took a few tries, but I was finally able to lift the World Cup trophy with my beloved Mexico in FIFA 18. It wasn't an easy feat, either; I had to get past football superpower Germany in the final. But it happened, a 3-2 win! And that's probably the only way I'll ever get to see Mexico win soccer's most important competition. Over the past few days, I've spent most of my spare time playing FIFA's new Russia 2018 World Cup mode, which EA Sports made available free to all owners of the game on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. That gesture alone deserves a lot of credit, since during the last World Cup in 2014 the developer released a standalone game for the tournament that was $60. And that was just for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The latest-generation of consoles only got a disappointing, stripped down version.
Fox Sports' World Cup Highlight Machine is powered by IBM's Watson
We're only ten days away from the start of the FIFA World Cup 2018. And for soccer (er, football) fans in the US, Fox Sports will be the TV network responsible for bringing them all 64 games from Russia, at least if they want to watch them in English. But, beyond its broadcast offerings, Fox Sports wants to keep people engaged in the competition in different ways. Aside from its partnership with Twitter, which comes in the form of a show that'll stream live from Russia, Fox Sports has teamed up with IBM to build the ultimate World Cup Highlight Machine. Powered by Watson artificial intelligence, this video hub lets you create on-demand clips from every FIFA World Cup tournament dating back to 1958.
'PES 2019' loses Borussia Dortmund ahead of launch
Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer series can't catch a break. It's been second fiddle to EA's FIFA series for years, and with news that another team has ended its licensing agreement with the underdog football franchise likely won't help matters any. Borussia Dortmund "prematurely" exited its licensing agreement with the game-maker ahead of its 2020 agreement, as spotted by Kotaku.
The BBC will stream the World Cup in 4K and VR, but not to all
The BBC is finally embracing live 4K. After a run of very limited tests back in 2014 and the recent FA Cup Final, the revered broadcasting institution plans on proving its mettle by showing the FIFA World Cup live to audiences in Ultra HD and virtual reality. It'll be the first time the Beeb has shown a live tournament in this way, and it's a heck of a tournament to start with.
EA Sports picks the winner of this year's World Cup
Predictions are less of a science and more of an art, especially when it comes to high-pressure sporting events where anything can go. EA Sports, with one eye on an attention-grabbing headline, is hoping to prove its bona fides by saying that it has predicted which nation will win this year's World Cup.
The World Cup is Twitter’s next chance at video dominance
As the 2018 FIFA World Cup gets ready to kick off June 14th, the 32 international teams competing in Russia aren't the only ones preparing for the big event. Fans are too, and Twitter wants to be the online place where they stay up to date on all the action. After striking deal with Fox Sports, the World Cup TV rights holder in the US, Twitter will offer users access to exclusive video content. That includes real-time highlights, player interviews, pre- and post-match press conferences, as well as a daily show called FIFA World Cup Now that will livestream 27 episodes. And outside of the US, Twitter has partnerships for live shows and highlight clips in Australia, Brazil, France, Indonesia, Mexico, Spain, Taiwan and the UK.
EA is going to keep putting loot boxes in its games
Electronic Arts will "push forward" with loot boxes in its future video games, despite admitting that "all loot boxes are gambling." Yeesh. In an investor's call, CEO Andrew Wilson said that EA has worked with "all the industry associations" and with regulators across the globe to establish that programs like FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) are not gambling.
The Russia World Cup comes to 'FIFA 18' on May 29th
As the domestic football season starts to wrap up, all eyes are turning to the World Cup in Russia. EA, unsurprisingly, wants to celebrate the competition with a video game tie-in — this year, however, it will be released as a free update for FIFA 18. That's in stark contrast to 2014, when EA released a dedicated game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and a meagre Ultimate Team expansion for the PS4 and Xbox One. (Euro 2016, meanwhile, was owned by Konami and released as a free PES update.)
The end of Konami’s Champions League partnership isn’t great for PES
The battle between the Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) and FIFA franchises has raged on for years over which gave the superior soccer/football experience. But Konami's deal with the UEFA for a virtual Champions League mode in its games gave PES an edge over its rival. So today's announcement that the soccer organization is ending its 10-year partnership with Konami might be dire news for future PES titles.
US soccer stars to play with GPS performance trackers
FIFA has been vocal about its ideas for the future of wearable tech in soccer, and now its vision is coming to life. Statsports is set to become the official on-field performance monitoring device of US soccer, and in the biggest partnership of its kind, will distribute 6,500 Apex GPS devices to players across the men's, women's, youth, Paralympic and Beach National Teams, Development Academy clubs and NWSL.
Hublot’s first smartwatch will cost over $5,000
Another luxury brand is jumping into the smartwatch game. Hublot has announced that it's making a limited number of its first smartwatch -- an extension of its Big Bang line that's all about the 2018 FIFA World Cup. While World Cup referees will wear the watch, consumers will be able to buy it as well, though the company says it's only making 2,018 of them. The smartwatch will announce World Cup matches 15 minutes before they begin and will update wearers on yellow and red cards, player changes and goals. Game statistics will appear on the watch face while play is ongoing.
FIFA approves use of video referees at 2018 World Cup
Video assistant referees are about to get their biggest test to date. In the wake of an earlier general approval, the FIFA Council has authorized the use of VARs at the upcoming 2018 World Cup in Russia. The tool will help refs make decisions on difficult calls involving goals and penalties, any offenses leading up to those moments, mistaken identities and red cards. In theory, at least, this reduces the chances of a country going home early due to a bad call -- a distinct possibility given the messes from the last World Cup.
Twitter and Fox Sports have high hopes for their World Cup live show
With the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia just around the corner, right holders to the event are starting to share more details about their coverage plans. And, to no surprise to anyone, social media will play a major role in that. Fox Sports, FIFA's English-language broadcast partner in the US, is going all out on Twitter this year with a partnership that includes a daily, 30-minute live show from Russia and bringing near-live highlights to the platform. Twitter, which has around 330 million active users, has been ramping up its sports efforts in recent years, and it plans to use the upcoming World Cup to showcase the power (and potential) of its platform. Just yesterday, the company announced a three-year deal with Major League Soccer to stream 24 games per season.
FIFA rulemakers approve the use of video referees
Like it or not, video assistant referees are about to become a mainstay of the beautiful game. The International Football Association Board, which sets rules for FIFA as well as UK associations, has unanimously approved the use of VARs in soccer (aka football) matches on a permanent basis. So long as they go through a "mandatory approval process," they can implement the play review technology if they like. The decision comes after an independent university study showed that VARs had a net positive effect.
How La Liga is making Barcelona and Real Madrid games high tech
La Liga, Spain's professional football (soccer) league, is home to two of the biggest clubs in the world: Barcelona and Real Madrid. And those teams are each anchored by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, respectively, who are the two biggest players in the sport. While that alone is a reason to keep up with La Liga every season, the league isn't resting on its laurels and is working hard to make the game experience for fans more interactive -- particularly those watching at home. Through a partnership with Intel, La Liga is now letting TV viewers have access to 360-degree replays, thanks to the same True View tech that was recently implemented in the NBA and NFL.
Fox Sports expands World Cup coverage to Twitter and Snapchat
Fox Sports is no stranger to leveraging the power of technology alongside its broadcasts. Now, it's expanding its coverage of the forthcoming FIFA World Cup beyond TV, with plans to feature exclusive shows, stories and highlights across Twitter and Snapchat.
