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Tuesday, February 9, 2010
FIFA 10 Ultimate Team Video: Building Squads
12:31 AM - February 9, 2010. Posted by Steve_OS. Written by Steve Noah
EA Sports has posted a new FIFA 10 Ultimate Team video featuring building squads.
Game: FIFA 10 Ultimate TeamHype Score: Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes: 0 - View All
MLB '10: The Show Screenshots (Pasta Padre)
12:08 AM - February 9, 2010. Posted by Steve_OS.
Pasta Padre has posted some more MLB '10: The Show screenshots.
Game: MLB '10: The ShowHype Score: 10/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3Votes: 51 - View All
Monday, February 8, 2010
All Star Karate Announced
10:49 PM - February 8, 2010. Posted by Steve_OS. Written by Steve Noah
THQ Springs into Action with the Announcement of All
Star Karate(TM), Currently in Development Exclusively for Wii(TM)

Latest Title in All Star Franchise Becomes First Video Game on Wii to Integrate Karate-Based Play

AGOURA HILLS, Calif., Feb 08, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced that All Star Karate(TM) is currently in development exclusively for Wii(TM) and is scheduled for release this spring. All Star Karate, the first extension in the company's All Star franchise, which debuted with the All Star Cheer Squad(TM) cheerleading video game in 2008, will challenge players to punch, kick and chop their way through the game with play features based on real karate moves. With optional Wii MotionPlus(TM) compatibility, the game offers a true full-body experience by allowing players to experience the life of a karate trainee who is under the guidance of a wise, but humorous sensei, and is on the path toward attaining a black belt, the highest achievement level in karate.

About All Star Karate
In All Star Karate, players will follow the life of a young, martial arts novice whose noble attempt to save an elderly man from a pack of ninjas brings him face-to-face with a true karate master. The sensei, a cantankerous old-timer, offers his services and teaches his new protégé the proper techniques and disciplines of karate and guides him toward achieving the black belt. In single-player, Career mode, players will execute and master various karate moves utilizing the Wii Remote(TM) and Nunchuk, or two Wii Remotes, in order to attain the seven different colored belts or achievement levels in karate, including the black belt. Additionally, players can show off their hand, kicking and blocking techniques by sparring with a friend in Challenge mode or by creating their own move sequences to perform with the Kata Editor.

For more information on All Star Karate, as well as additional THQ titles,please visit http://www.playthq.com.
Game: All Star KarateHype Score: Vote Now
Platform: WiiVotes: 0 - View All
MLB '10: The Show Screenshots (Playstation University)
08:49 PM - February 8, 2010. Posted by backbreaker.
Playstation University has posted some MLB '10: The Show screenshots.
Game: MLB '10: The ShowHype Score: 10/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS2 / PS3 / PSP / PS3Votes: 51 - View All
UFC Undisputed 2010 Interview (ESPN)
08:44 PM - February 8, 2010. Posted by Steve_OS. Written by Steve Noah
ESPN's Jon Robinson goes one-on-one with producer Neven Dravinski to get the early details on UFC Undisputed 2010.

Quote:
Jon: "One of the coolest features I've seen from "UFC Undisputed 2010" is the addition of signature moves and submissions tied to the superstar fighters. How is that going to work?"

Dravinski: "That's a huge advent to the series. We're doing away with the arch types of just saying some guy is a boxer/wrestler. This is going to enable us to bring a much more realistic representation of each fighter. Last year we needed to makes some tough calls on guys. They might have been really skilled in BJJ, but we couldn't see them doing the rubber guard, so we called them a wrestler. So this year, being able to pick specific moves for fighters, moves that they're known for, really helps clean a lot of that up. Now BJ Penn will do his arm trap into a rear naked choke. We even got moves like "The Salaverry" in the game this year."
Game: UFC Undisputed 2010Hype Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: Xbox 360 / PS3Votes: 5 - View All
Ferrari Races Into Need For Speed Shift, Screenshots Included
08:02 PM - February 8, 2010. Posted by Steve_OS. Written by Steve Noah
Ferrari Racing Pack Features 10 Glorious New Cars and Extended Career Mode Available Exclusively on the Xbox 360

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – February 8, 2010 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that, after a seven year hiatus, the venerable automaker and elite racing brand Ferrari is returning to Need for Speed. On February 16th, players of Need for Speed™ SHIFT will be able to download a content pack that delivers 10 extraordinary Ferrari cars including the 430 Scuderia and the ultra-rare FXX and F50 GT. Now, Need for Speed SHIFT players will feel the rush of being in the driver’s seat, realizing the true driver’s experience of being behind the wheel of a Ferrari car.

The Ferrari Racing pack is the latest downloadable content for Need for Speed SHIFT and will be available worldwide today exclusively on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system for $10.00 or 800 Microsoft Points (Need for Speed SHIFT and Xbox LIVE® account required).

In addition to 10 new cars, the Ferrari Racing Series will also extend SHIFT’s career mode with 46 new Ferrari specific challenges designed for the Ferrari cars to participate in including hot laps, eliminators, endurance races and a world tour. Completing the perfect Ferrari package are an additional 125 gamerpoints as a reward for undertaking various exciting challenges. All Ferrari cars can also be taken online where players can prove who has the skills to master these high-performance Italian racing machines.

The Ferraris available include:
1. 1996 Ferrari F50 GT
2. 2005 Ferrari F430 Spider
3. 2005 Ferrari FXX
4. 2005 Ferrari Superamerica
5. 2006 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
6. 2006 Ferrari F430 Challenge (Online/Quick event only)
7. 2006 Ferrari F430 GTC (Online/Quick event only)
8. 2007 Ferrari 430 Scuderia
9. 2008 Ferrari California
10. 2008 Ferrari 16M Scuderia Spider

“Need for Speed is recognized globally for showcasing amazing cars, including some of the world’s most desirable high-performance vehicles,” said Keith Munro, vice president at EA. “We are thrilled to be partnering again with Ferrari.”

Need for Speed SHIFT features an intense first-person crash dynamic and a signature cockpit view that delivers a true driver’s experience. The game further personalizes the experience through the all-new driver profile -- a unique persona based on the driving skill and style of each player. With a perfect ‘10’ score from GameSpy.com and G4TV.com, and 90+ scores from IGN.com, Official Xbox Magazine, PlayStation: The Official Magazine, Team Xbox.com, Game Daily.com, Gametrailers.com and more, Need for Speed SHIFT is the highest rated Need for Speed game in years.

Need for Speed SHIFT is now available on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360, PC, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, mobile and the iPhone™. More information can be found at http://www.needforspeed.com or follow us on Twitter at NeedforSpeed.
Game: Need for Speed ShiftReader Score: 7.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: Xbox 360Votes: 8 - View All
I just checked out of the conference call, and while they were still taking questions, I unfortunately have to move on to other things. Here are a few notes from the investors conference call. Some interesting tidbits were mentioned in regards to sports:
  • EA's focus of fewer and bigger titles was heavily drummed during the call.
  • EA officially confirmed what was suspected and all but confirmed for quite awhile: EA Sports Active is coming to the PS3 and 360.
  • FIFA sold over 7 million copies in the quarter and Madden sold 2.3. FIFA is easily EA's biggest cash cow at this point.
  • Digital content is growing rapidly, EA is expecting 30% revenues growth in the year.
  • It was mentioned the R&D budget is less for sports franchises than other franchises due to their annual nature.
  • EA is expecting DLC to grow 100% in the next fiscal year.
  • While EA's packaged goods business is profitable, digital content is even more so profitable. It was hinted that EA was going to be more aggressive in the digital gaming market, which is no surprise.
  • Jon Riccitiello mentioned he wanted more innovation in the sports titles, especially NBA Live where they continue to trail the competition.
  • EA Sports titles earnings were up significantly from FY 09 to FY 10
  • There was absolutely no mention of an NCAA Basketball title for next year either in the investor report or in the conference call up to the point I checked out. This is not a good sign for what is easily EA's least profitable yearly sports title. To say the game is cancelled at this point might be a bit much, since EA does own exclusive college basketball rights which would likely require a yearly release of the franchise. However, the signs are there and at the very least, NCAA Basketball 11 (if there is one) will be nothing more than a small roster update and a minor upgrade gameplay wise given the lack of a mention by EA today.

Meanwhile, investors completely disowned EA, as EA's stock dropped by as much as 10% in after hours trading before settling around 8.5% down. EA's forecast for the rest of this year was, as they said, 'admittedly conservative'. Don't look for any major changes or major new titles anytime soon folks, as EA's survival of the fittest mantra for it's gaming titles continues to take hold through the next couple of years.
Blog: The Home of Sanner
MLB '10: The Show OS Exclusive Screenshots (2-8-10)
06:39 PM - February 8, 2010. Posted by Russell_SCEA.
Here are some more OS exclusive screenshots from MLB '10: The Show.
Game: MLB '10: The ShowHype Score: 10/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3Votes: 51 - View All

In their Q3 FY 2010 earnings press release, EA lists their upcoming planned major sports titles and in Q4 FY 2011, EA lists a "Fighting Game TBA" as their only major title. Also, for PC gamers, EA only lists FIFA games (Online and FIFA 11) as their only games on the platform once more, once again a firm signal that the PC Sports Gaming platform is all but dead outside of text-sims.

Also of note is that FIFA 10 sold 9.7 million copies, which makes it easily EA's top selling sports game from last year's lineup of games. And one final note, NCAA Football 11 is listed as a handheld title, which probably means it might be coming to mobile platforms such as the iPhone. You can check the full report here.

Is this another Fight Night? Or is it something else? Let the speculation commence, as it always does!
Blog: The Home of Sanner
EA Earnings: Investors highly disappointed
05:10 PM - February 8, 2010. Written by MMChrisS
Just a quick note before the EA investors conference call set to begin shortly. EA's Earnings barely beat their much lower outlook issued earlier last month. Investors aren't pleased as the stock plummeted in after hours trading. I'm going to get some details in the conference call and post more in the next couple of hours, but this is just more bad news for the company. I'm going to be very interested in what (if anything) is said about buyout rumors from both Disney and Microsoft as well as what is said about the EA Sports lineup of games. Stay tuned....
Blog: The Home of Sanner
Total Extreme Wrestling 2010 Review
04:50 PM - February 8, 2010. Posted by MMChrisS. Written by Matthew Coe
Most wrestling fans are happy to tune in each Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday night and see their favorite characters battle it out on TV. But some wrestling fans are more interested in what goes on behind the scenes than what happens on the small screen. If you have ever wanted to be Vince McMahon or Eric Bischoff, this game is for you. Total Extreme Wrestling 2010 does one thing better than any pro-wrestling simulation that you have ever played: It gives you the feeling of running a wrestling promotion from top to bottom.

Total Extreme Wrestling 2010 (TEW 2010 for short) is the fourth installment in the TEW series from Adam Ryland and Grey Dog Software. It has been about 18 months since Total Extreme Wrestling 2008 was released. In that time, series creator Adam Ryland has taken an enormous amount of fan feedback into consideration. The result is 200 new modifications and additions, making this the best pro-wrestling simulator on the planet.

Read More - Total Extreme Wrestling 2010 Review
Game: Total Extreme Wrestling 2010Hype Score: 10/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PCVotes: 1 - View All
Five Underrated Cars in Forza Motorsport 3
04:40 PM - February 8, 2010. Posted by MMChrisS.
Anybody who has spent a decent amount of time online in Forza Motorsport 3 knows what the most popular cars are: the all-wheel drive Audis, Lancers and Imprezas. There are also some weirdly successful cars that everyone knows about, including the ’69 Nissan Fairlady Z that seems to pop up on the leaderboards on every track.

While these cars are all great, sometimes a little variety is nice, and I want to encourage my fellow Forza 3 racers to take a spin in five underrated cars that nobody seems to be driving.

Read More - Five Underrated Cars in Forza Motorsport 3
Game: Forza Motorsport 3Reader Score: 7.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: Xbox 360Votes: 2 - View All
2K Sports has posted two more Major League Baseball 2K10 Developer Insights today. Here is Part I, which includes gameplay video.

Quote:
"My name is Sean Bailey and I am a gameplay designer on Major League Baseball® 2K10. I want to share with you a quote straight from the white board in my office. Hall of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn once said, “Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing.” After winning more games than any left-handed pitcher in baseball history, Mr. Spahn is as well versed as anyone when it comes to the battle at the plate between a pitcher and a hitter. In Major League Baseball® 2K10, we have provided an experience where the gamer will really feel the benefits and challenges of upsetting timing, as Warren Spahn so eloquently put it decades ago."

Part II is right here.

Quote:
"Now, I know what you are thinking… if this is so realistic, then why have I read from recent previews that there might not be a check swing in Major League Baseball® 2K10? Before we get into check-swing talk, let me clarify that the check-swing is in fact part of an upcoming patch. Pulling back on the right stick will play a check swing if you previously committed to a power swing or contact swing. Flicking up to contact swing and then pulling down will stop the contact swing. A power swing is performed by pulling down and then flicking up, as mentioned above. However, if you pull the right stick down back towards you after starting a power swing, that too will result in a check swing. This implementation of check-swinging makes it impossible to do one by accident. Pulling down on right stick = check swing. Never again will you have to ask “Why the heck did he check swing?!?!?” before contemplating launching a controller across the room. It also makes it easier to trigger when you actually want a check swing to play."
Game: Major League Baseball 2K10Hype Score: 4/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes: 35 - View All
Madden NFL 11 Video Blog Images, Show Even More Details (NCAA Strategies)
12:01 PM - February 8, 2010. Posted by Steve_OS. Written by Steve Noah
The gang over at NCAA Strategies have posted some still images from the Madden NFL 11 video blog, which was posted yesterday, at halftime of the Super Bowl. Do you see any more good nuggets in here?

Check it out, right here.
Game: Madden NFL 11Hype Score: 7.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes: 6 - View All
New Poll: Football Season is Complete, Where Do You Shift Your Focus To?
11:27 AM - February 8, 2010. Posted by Steve_OS. Written by Steve Noah
We have just posted a new poll, as seen on the right side of the site. Please take a minute and vote, thanks.

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