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It's in the debt: Introducing the EA Sports prepaid debit card

by David Hinkle { Dec 3rd 2009 at 8:15PM }

EA Sports wants to get in your wallet. We're talking about the new EA Sports DebitSmart Visa prepaid card. It works like a lot of other prepaid debit cards: you give EA money, it puts that money on the card. However, EA is trying to sweeten the deal (paying money to use money is a deal?) through the inclusion of EA Sports Reward Points, fractions of payments made with the card that are converted to points which consumers can then use toward EA Sports purchases via EA's site.

EA marketing VP Todd Sitrin calls the program "a perfect marriage of encouraging responsible spending while providing a unique reward program." History teaches us otherwise, so if you'll excuse us, we'll just be sitting in the corner, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Mock the Medal of Honor box art and this man may kill you

by David Hinkle { Dec 3rd 2009 at 5:00PM }

It seems the cover star for EA reboot Medal of Honor bears quite a resemblance to a real-life military man -- and not the fictional lumberjack uncle we like to think resides in every Canadian family. Life did a feature on the armed forces in Afghanistan back in 2002, and one of the individuals (codenamed "Cowboy") highlighted in several photos (via UGO) seems to match the one highlighted on the FPS cover.

EA did mention working closely with "Tier 1 Operators from the US Special Operations Community," so it seems possible that the main character could be inspired by (if not actually based on) Mr. Cowboy. We've contacted EA to get some intel on this. We'll let you know, if we haven't been taken out for yesterday's ZZ Top joke.

PSA: Free NFS Shift 'team racing' DLC out for 360, PC

by Randy Nelson { Dec 3rd 2009 at 4:00PM }

EA has opened the garage door and rolled out its Team Racing Pack for Need For Speed: Shift, adding five new cars and a cooperative online racing mode to its superb driving game. Available today for Xbox 360 and PC, the DLC is priced at ... wait, it's free? Five cars and a new mode are free? This is obviously an error and the DLC should be downloaded before EA starts asking like 1500 space bucks for it. Oh, EA did this intentionally? Kudos, giant publisher. (We're still not sure if this is some kind of trick.)

XBL Gold members can grab the expansion from the Xbox Live Marketplace at this link. PS3 owners in the UK will find the free DLC on PSN today, with the US PlayStation Store getting it next Thursday, December 10.

EA aims to reclaim FPS dominance with Medal of Honor, Battlefield

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Dec 3rd 2009 at 12:30PM }

"I'm not saying it's going to happen tomorrow, but in the way that Activision sort of alternates sequels of Modern Warfare and Call of Duty and owns the leadership position in FPS [first-person-shooter], between Medal of Honor and Battlefield, I want it back," EA CEO John Riccitiello declared in an interview with Kotaku. This means war.

With the Call of Duty franchise growing into a $3-billion juggernaut, it's no surprise to see EA looking to topple Activision's bulging beast and reap the significant rewards. According to Riccitiello, the newly rebooted Medal of Honor and March's Battlefield: Bad Company 2 represent a strategy of "innovation and quality," one he suspects is bolstered by DICE's multiplayer expertise. "We think we've got an advantage over Modern Warfare 2 with our multiplayer," he suggested. "The guys at DICE do that really, really well."

So, you think the console wars are intense? Just wait until you see the war ... wars.

The Saboteur's day-one DLC unlocks nudity, self-loathing

by Justin McElroy { Dec 3rd 2009 at 12:00PM }

Here's at least one reason to buy your copy of The Saboteur new: All fresh copies of the game will ship with a code to download DLC, called "The Midnight Show," for free. The pack contains new Parisian hiding spots, a new minigame and, for better or for worse, the option to unlock nudity in the game.

If you buy the game sans code, you'll also be able to pick up the DLC for $2.99 / 240. But at that point, whether you'll admit it or not, you're basically paying to see digi-boobies ... and if you do that, we're just not sure we can be friends with you any more.

New Mindscape studio pulls EA, Free Radical staff for downloadable games

by Randy Nelson { Dec 2nd 2009 at 9:00PM }

Mindscape has established a new development studio in France called Punchers Impact, Develop reports. The news here isn't so much that the team will be focusing on downloadable games for XBLA, PSN and PC -- rather, that many of the 40-odd staffers come from noteworthy devs EA and Free Radical.

The studio is being led by Guillaume Descamps in the role of studio director and executive producer. Previously of casual game devs ZigZag Island and DK Games, Descamps is in charge of Punchers Impact's yet-unnamed first release, which Mindscape says will be ready for the end of 2010. While the team's makeup may lend itself well to delivering a solid downloadable action title, we have a sneaking suspicion that, given Mindscape's track record of games such as My Pet Hotel, the chances of a TimeSplitters-like release have been neutered.

Battlefield 1943, Bad Company 2 system specs revealed

by David Hinkle { Dec 2nd 2009 at 8:00PM }

Ten-hut, soldiers! During wartime, the government is granted special powers and as such the Army is going to need to commandeer your personal computers. Before we send our best and brightest out into battle, we'll need to train them in advanced maneuvers via upcoming PC games Battlefield 1943 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2.

Before you start packing up your 'puters, know the government has issued its guidelines for computer operations (via Shacknews). Report past the break to see if your computer meets these stringent requirements.

Continued →

EA's Riccitiello predicts fewer titles per year, harder push for digital distribution

by Alexander Sliwinski { Dec 2nd 2009 at 3:00PM }

[EndSights]

Having already implemented major layoffs for a second year in a row, EA CEO John Riccitiello needs to start cutting more nitty-gritty costs. Following up on previous statements about cutting the number of releases per year, the executive tells Reuters that the company will have 40 releases in the next fiscal year, but that around 30 releases a year "wouldn't shock [him] at some point in the future." Focusing on fewer, quality titles sounds like the THQ gambit.

Another way EA can reduce costs is by cutting down on its packaged goods manufacturing and distribution. Riccitiello believes packaged games like Madden NFL will always have a following, but that digital distribution will account for half the industry in 2010, up from 40 percent. He states that EA's "goal" for the publisher's digital distribution operation is to become "as important as, and over time maybe more important than, our packaged goods business."

New Medal of Honor promises 'most authentic modern war experience'

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Dec 2nd 2009 at 12:35PM }

Click to enlarge

Shrugging off years of mediocrity and partially descriptive subtitles, EA's newly announced Medal of Honor reboot will thrust players into a modern milieu: Afghanistan. Set for release in 2010 on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the new first-person shooter follows the Tier 1 Operator, described as "a relatively unknown entity directly under the National Command Authority who takes on missions no one else can handle," and not described as an oddly militant member of ZZ Top. EA claims that "Tier 1 Operators from the US Special Operations Community" have been involved since the earliest stages of the game's development.

The publisher seems intent on throwing the gauntlet down in the modern war arena (do they still use gauntlets?), promising a "best-in-class single-player campaign" from the minds at EA Los Angeles, as well as a multiplayer component developed by the Battlefield veterans at DICE.

You can bear witness to the game's full unveiling during Spike TV's 2009 Video Game Awards on Saturday, December 12 at 8:00PM PT. You can witness beard in the gallery below.

Gallery: Medal of Honor (2010)

Mirror's Edge vaults onto the iPhone

by Griffin McElroy { Dec 2nd 2009 at 11:00AM }

Click to see all of Faith's roof-hopping antics.

So, hypothetical situation. You're perched on the roof of a skyscraper, peering across a lengthy chasm to the adjacent building, where your destination lies. You're suddenly overcome with doubt and uncertainty! If only you had some sort of portable parkour training manual which could show you the proper timing and form for such a jump. Fortunately, your hypothetical needs are being tended to. According to a recent EA press release, the high-flying, first-person adventure, Mirror's Edge, will soon land on iPhones and iPod Touches.

A few screenshots for the title (which is due out in January) show that while it will be in 3D, we'll be operating from a side-scrolling perspective rather than being stuck within Faith's head.

Gallery: Mirror's Edge (iPhone)

FIFA 10 Ultimate Team DLC pitched amid sales surge

by James Ransom-Wiley { Dec 1st 2009 at 9:30PM }

FIFA 10, the latest iteration of EA Sports' biggest global franchise, itself based on the world's most popular sport, is selling well. That's an understatement. Worldwide, EA estimates game sales have surpassed 4.5 million units since the October 1 launch, including a so-called record-setting first week, in which 1.7 million units were sold in Europe to make FIFA 10 the world's "fastest-selling sports video game." What better time to announce that the game will receive a fresh pair of legs?

EA today announced the pending release of FIFA 10 Ultimate Team, a DLC management mode -- introduced to the series last year (and ported to this year's slumping Madden game) -- that has been made over with a "redesigned chemistry system built around player relationships." Think: God game governing platonic dating-sim played with a deck of cards, and ... you're there. Come February, Ultimate Team will be available for download for 400

or $4.99 via Xbox Live and PSN.

Gallery: FIFA 10 Ultimate Team (DLC)

Direct2Drive running '24 Days of Christmas' sale

by David Hinkle { Dec 1st 2009 at 9:00PM }

Digital distribution service Direct2Drive is celebrating the 24 days leading up to Christmas by discounting a select PC title each day from now until December 25. As the math whizzes have no doubt already divined, that's 24 discounted games! Today's game is DICE's parkour-em-up, Mirror's Edge. At the ridiculously low asking price of $4.95, it'd be a crime for PC gamers to disregard this most excellent (and very much deserving of a sequel, EA!) game from 2008.

We can personally vouch for its high levels of quality, actually. In terms of fun-to-cents ratio, you're looking at about 16 gazillion wows of entertainment value. Trust us, we did the math.

[Thanks, Jordan]

DICE lighting artist lists Mirror's Edge 2 on portfolio

by JC Fletcher { Dec 1st 2009 at 2:40PM }

Oscar Carlén, a lighting artist at EA's DICE studio, lists two "2009-present" projects in his portfolio: Battlefield 3 and Mirror's Edge 2. Not only do those games possibly exist, you'll be able to see what's going on in them.

Battlefield 3 was first mentioned in June at a conference by EA COO John Pleasants. At that time, Pleasants also revealed a Criterion-developed Need for Speed game, which was announced again during EA's latest financial conference call -- so Battlefield 3 is somewhat of an expected property, lending credence to the existence of Mirror's Edge 2 by association. The last we heard about a follow-up to Mirror's Edge was that a "small team" was working on something back in June. Carlén could be part of that small team.

It's possible, given EA's recent layoffs and turn toward more surefire franchises, that Mirror's Edge 2 did exist but no longer does. We're checking with EA to verify the information found on this portfolio and to determine the current state of the franchise.

[Thanks, Tim]

Dante's Inferno demo on PSN Dec. 10, XBLM Dec. 24

by Justin McElroy { Dec 1st 2009 at 2:00PM }

There are plenty of beloved Christmas Eve traditions observed across the globe. Whether it's roasting chestnuts or watching the Christmas Story marathon, everyone's got a different way of marking the arrival of St. Nick. EA's hoping that the 360 owners among you will start a brand new, equally-sentimental tradition as it releases a demo of Dante's Inferno for XBLM on Dec. 24. The sample includes the entire first level of Dante's demonic journey into hell and goes great with eggnog.

Those preferring PSN will get the demo on Dec. 10, a date which has the dual benefit of (1) being two weeks earlier and (2) not making the baby Jesus cry.

Left 4 Dead 2 sold 2 million at retail in 2 weeks

by Alexander Sliwinski { Dec 1st 2009 at 1:00PM }

Valve apparently threw Boomer bile all over Left 4 Dead 2, because hordes of consumers gobbled up two million retail copies globally since its release a couple weeks ago. Valve won't release the Steam digital distribution sales data, so that's not included in the retail count. According to the developer, sales are currently double that of the original, with "Black Friday" helping to push copies into the hands of players (who now have their hands full with two Tanks, a Spitter, a Hunter, and a Jockey coming in for the kill).

Valve also noted that information about L4D2's first batch of downloadable content would be coming very soon.