I love golf. One small problem: I sort of suck at it. I wasn’t bad when i was younger, but good golf clubs are expensive and it’s not like i can afford to join Bushwood anytime soon. So, playing real golf, outside of drunken par 3 at a pitch and putt place was put to the side. That is until Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 All Play came along. This is the closest thing to real golf I have ever played and for the first time in, well, ever, my Wii is getting some much needed use.
After much courtship EA has assessed the situation and decided to run away from this potential merger as if told that there was a flesh eating virus on the loose. No real word on why they are no longer eyeing Take Two but it is clear that the offers and extensions are done. EA will ride its own titles to glory and wait for another possible business venture to make their empire expand. Curious if Take Two will remain tough and by themselves or just look for better offers elsewhere? Not sure who else could match the dollars EA is offering, possibly Blizzard Activision?
EA has made it official, after all the extenstions on the tender offers, and the presentation, they are no longer interested in purchasing Tak
e Two and have terminated all talks.
According to John Riccitiello, Chief Executive Officer of EA,: “EA is tracking toward a record breaking year. We’re launching 15 new games including award-winners like SPORE, Dead Space and Mirror’s Edge, great new titles from the Sims, new family titles with Hasbro, and the highest quality slate of EA SPORTS titles on this generation of consoles. We’re also expanding beyond our core business with a series of direct-to-consumer launches including Warhammer Online.”
I’ve been a Madden fan for years. Even back in the days when the NFL 2K series was around and terrific, I always bought Madden as well. The game has been a staple in my late summer schedule for years. But after the debacle that was Madden 08, I vowed not to purchase this year’s installment of EA’s football series. The bad gameplay and serious lack of innovation finally got to me.
This marks the first time in over 10 years I haven’t bought Madden. But once I saw the terrific reviews pouring in (including our own), I knew I had to give it a shot. So instead of throwing down 60 bones, I dropped $8 at BlockBuster to rent the game for PS3. After intentionally sucking at the Madden IQ test so it would set the difficulty to my real skill level, I got down to starting a franchise with my beloved G-Men.
Are you cringing looking at that Packers jersey on the cover of Madden 09? Are you in desperate need to see Farve wearing the Green and White of the Jets instead? EA is allowing you have your own choice and is offering high resolution downloadable covers for Madden 09 on its website.
Glad you have the option there. I’d suggest printing this out on photo paper if that’s your thing. I still haven’t decided whether I want this year’s Madden or not, so I’ll be waiting on the sidelines with this one.
It’s not big secret that NCAA Football 09 has some bugs. Enough so that many many people have been calling for heads on stakes. Yeah, that bad. EA heard them and has issued a patch for this year’s college football title.
There’s a ton of fixes (all listed after the break), but suffice it to say the game works as it should now. So if you’re an NCAA player and fan, this will make you happy. This is the game that should have shipped initially.
I can only ask why? EA has decided it’s worth their while to ship Madden 09 for the original Xbox. Seriously, why?
There hasn’t been a title shipped for the original Xbox is a damn long time. Microsoft gave up on the console pretty much when the 360 shipped. Apparently there’s still enough people who haven’t upgraded that EA sees fit to release their flagship title on the super old platform.
I bet this sells about 100 copies. Yeah, just 100. There can’t be that many people who still use their original Xbox for anything other than pirated games and Xbox Media Center.
Madden 09 hasn’t even shipped and we’re already getting details on what’s being added for the 2010 release of EA’s flagship sports franchise. According to Ripten, next year we’ll get both on field refs and the chain gang on the sidelines in Madden.
I guess they ran out of time with the 09 version with all the major additions and changes. I’m still on the fence about picking it up, given how much I didn’t like Madden 08. Too many fumbles and INTs for me. Hopefully that’s changed this year, but I’m not so sure. We’ll see once they release a demo.
FIFA is a very popular title worldwide much like soccer/futbol is, here in the United States it isn’t as mainstream, but the video games do well. EA recently announced FIFA 09 and what would be crammed into it and it sounds very impressive.
One thing that I am curious about is the fact that each FIFA game is unique? There are different game modes in each specific console version, so although FIFA 09 is multi-platform it will provide different experiences. The Wii version is scheduled to get a game mode where you can use your Miis.
The PS3 is also getting a unique game mode as well as the Xbox 360, but these haven’t been named just yet. I would imagine that these two systems will have something to do with the cameras and face mapping or perhaps for the the PS3 maybe HOME integration?
Here is the official press release:
EA SPORTS Delivers Platform Specific Experience for FIFA Soccer 09
PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360 Feature More Than 250 Core Gameplay Enhancements That Deliver Most Responsive, Intelligent and Realistic Action Ever
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today revealed it has created platform specific experiences for its best-selling* FIFA Soccer 09 franchise from EA SPORTS™. FIFA Soccer 09 has been designed and customized to deliver a unique gameplay experience that takes advantage of the hardware specifications of each available platform — the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system, Wii™ home video game system, PC, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS™, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and mobile — when it is released worldwide this autumn.
Read More
Way before it’s release in August, Madden 09 has already gone gold. EA must be pretty confident in the code. I still bet we see a patch launch day.
Madden NFL 09 introduces 85 new features and enhancements, including the ability to adapt gameplay to the player’s skill level. Whether you are a veteran Madden NFL player or a newcomer to the game, everyone can have an enjoyable and competitive gaming experience. Madden NFL 09 will also feature a network-inspired broadcast presentation highlighted by the commentary team of Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond. The game also features online leagues, allowing players to take their rivalries online and compete in leagues with fans from around the country.
This is definitely the biggest update to Madden since they came to this generation. Could be good.
Are you tired of using your computer to check your fantasy football scores? Want to battle for real with your fantasy team against a friend’s? EA is willing to help you out. Their new fantasy football website is launching where you can create teams and leagues for free. You’ll also be able to download the application to your Xbox 360 or PS3 for a small fee (no pricing yet announced). You can go through full interactive drafts and check your stats with Madden graphics and player profiles. It all sounds pretty cool.
If you’ve ever wanted to test your fantasy team against others in the Madden NFL franchise, EA SPORTS Fantasy Football now gives you the opportunity. Through the website, players designate which fantasy team will be imported into Madden NFL 09. This fantasy team is a fully-functional created team and can be played in all areas available to created teams, including online head-to-head games, providing the ultimate football gaming experience.
I applaud EA here. This seems like a great idea, especially with the amount of people that play Fantasy Football. Hopefully it doesn’t cost a ton of money, like selling cheat codes. Check out the full press release and more screenshots after the jump.
