Japan "is the cradle of our industry," Moore writes, but "one of the frustrations of being an American company attempting to do business in Japan is the insularity of the industry that defends locally-made content and looks down on games from abroad."

Moore mentions his experience with Japan while at Microsoft and acknowledges that factors such as genre, gameplay and art design have been factors in making a breakthrough. But, "with simulation sports games, these issues would seem much less relevant - it's typically about the gameplay. So you can imagine my disappointment every year as we struggle to break through in Japan with our outstanding FIFA franchise."

He goes on:

It is clear we still have work to do in Japan to more fully understand what drives that gamers attraction to sports titles. Let me be clear on this. I recognize that there are many factors that contribute to a gamer's decision to purchase (or not) a particular game, I'd just hate for the gamers in Japan to not get as much enjoyment as the rest of the world out of the best sports game of this console generation.

Honestly, Moore could also be saying the same thing about FIFA's acceptance in the United States. Granted, it sells much better here, but the U.S. is also very hidebound to its domestic traditions, especially the big four of major team sports. Soccer, football, kick-ball, however you call it, is a relatively new sport to Japan no matter its popularity. The J. League (1992), Japan's top tier association, has been around about as long as the MLS (1993). Maybe an MVP Baseball for Japan's Central and Pacific Leagues? Hell, I loved MVP in the States, I'd play that.

It might be a little nearsighted to chalk this up to insularity. It could be other things, such as sports preference and the tradition sports games have in Japan with which I will confess, I don't have much familiarity. Whatever the case, it's clear EA Sports is not exempt from his company's efforts in that market.

FIFA in Japan [Peter Moore's Official Blog]

After losing three games of FIFA 2008 against his younger brother and a friend, James Callaghan, 17, polished off a bottle of vodka, armed himself with an ax and a knife and stormed into the night near Yorkshire, England.

Callaghan attacked several teens with the axe, knocking one to the ground, threated a cyclist and finally attacked a 65-year-old widow, bludgeoning and stabbing the woman to death before trying to break into a neighbor's home while demanding alcohol.

The court heard that Callaghan had a history of undiagnosed schizophrenia and that he was known by his friends to be violent after drinking alcohol. The Daily Mail article also points out that FIFA losing-streak and that Callaghan "also played the computer game Grand Theft Auto, which sends the player's character on a violent crime spree."

It's a terrifying and sad story, but it sounds like anything could have set Callaghan off, it just happened to be a video game.

Teenager killed widow with axe in drink-fuelled rage after losing a computer game to his brother [Daily Mail]

To give you a taste of the changes included in this year's update - most important of which is full 360-degree dribbling - EA Sports will be releasing in Europe a demo of the game on Xbox Live, the PlayStation Network and PC later this week (September 10).

North Americans, you have to wait a week, as your demo will be here on September 17.

You'll have six teams to choose from, those being Chelsea, Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Marseille and...Chicago Fire. What, no Villa? No Sydney FC? Disappointing, EA, disappointing.

We get it. A lot of you hate sports games. Hate Madden, hate FIFA, hate NBA2K, hate Pro Evo (Wii Sports doesn't count; it's a party game). Hate them so much you even go and upset the people responsible for making them.

"For many on the Madden NFL team it can be a source of frustration" says Phil Frazier, senior producer at EA Tiburon (ie the Madden guys). "Just about everyone on our team are hardcore. We have many that continue to play World of Warcraft, many that attend midnight sales for games like Call of Duty, and many that play the card game versions of Magic the Gathering or Bloodbowl. The fact that the ‘hardcore' group doesn't give sports games a fair shake can be frustrating."

But have you ever taken a step back and wondered why you hate them? We do, especially since some of us are die-hard sports game fans. And for the most part, it baffles me. So I went and spoke with a couple of the guys at EA Sports, and decided to play devil's advocate for a day in defence of sports games.

We've gone back through old posts and read many of your complaints. Heck, they're the same complaints we often have with sports games. That an annual update promotes lazy development, that people are being charged $50 for what amounts to a roster update, etc etc.

Some of those points are valid, particularly the roster updates. But others? "In my opinion, an uninformed, non first-person shooter fan could make a similar argument about games in that genre" says Frazier. "I've heard sports game fans say, "It's just new guns and maps, but the gameplay itself is the same."

Ask yourself this: How different were Call of Duty, Call of Duty 2 and Call of Duty 3 at the end of the day? They were released on (roughly) an annual cycle, all featured the same factions, the same war, the same control scheme, and the same display.

Sure, even the most generic shooter sequels often at least feature new maps, giving them a fresher appearance than another football game on another football field. But his basic point is a valid one.

Then you've got to consider why an annual update for a sports game is so wrong. After all, it's a sports game, and sports run in seasons. Clear, truncated episodes, with a beginning and end, each of which tells a story and creates villains and heroes.

"Yearly cycles make a lot of sense for sports games" says Dave Littman, the producer of EA's NHL series. "After all, professional sports do the same thing. You pay a lot of money for season tickets before the season starts. You go to all of the home games and cheer for your team until the season ends. Then...you do it all again the next year".

Another, seemingly more reasonable complaint from people who despise sports games is that, well, they just don't like sports. And on the one hand, that's cool. Not everybody is going to like everything.

But on the other...what about the emotional rewards on offer in a sports game? "Sports games provide personal access to the emotion of sports and many of these emotions are the exact feelings you get when playing other genres of games", says Frazier, digging a little past the context of the Madden series and into the gameplay itself.

"The satisfaction of a head shot in an FPS is very similar to a big play in football. Being the point leader after a battle in an FPS feels very much like winning a game of football. Making the tough decision about going with a frost or fire spec in WoW feels very much like the choice of signing the hot new rookie quarterback or the speedy running back, as it greatly impacts the way you'll play the game."

Moving beyond the innate "experience" you feel playing a sports game – and I think Frazier is right on the money with that – there's also the mechanics of a sports game to consider.

For example: Let's look past the fact you're playing a sports game for a second. Like any other video game, the "sports" setting of a sports game is just context. Window dressing, giving a purpose to a game that under the hood – where the 1s and 0s live - is there to test your strategy and reflexes via a series of challenges.

Like Mario. He's a plumber, but in Mario, you're not plumbing. You don't care he's a plumber. You care about the timing of your jump, the brilliance of the level design, the challenges inherent in progressing from beginning to end without dying or running out of time.

Now take that line of thought and apply it to sports games.

A centrepiece of both Pro Evolution Soccer and FIFA in recent years has been a game mode where you create a single player, then assume the role of that player (and that player alone) during games, guiding them through their career, from benchwarmer to superstar.

You pick his name. His height. His facial features. Which position he favours. Then you assign him attributes from a pool of points, which will determine how well he performs at various tasks. Once created, your skills as the person controlling the action will cause those attributes to improve to over time, in turn making him a better player.

Sound like an RPG?

Most major sports games these days, from Madden to NBA games, feature "manager" modes, where you assume the role of the head of a team. So not only are you controlling the action on game day, you're responsible for training regimes, sponsorship deals, the buying and selling (or drafting) of new players, that kind of thing.

Taking place off the field, these modes normally involve the distribution of allocated or earned resources across a variety of fields. The attention you pay to those fields can determine whether, in the larger scale of things, your team is successful. The process is often number-based (i.e. you're spending money). It's also usually abstract, in that the moves are represented not by literal handshakes and glasses of champagne, but by little more than text bubbles and positive or negative outcomes.

Sound like a strategy game?

One final example is online play. Those who take their Madden or FIFA online gaming seriously will, as I've described above, soon look past the "context" of the fact they're playing a sports game. They're not actually playing sport. They're playing a video game, and a video game has its own sets of rules and exploits which can be learned, mastered and then applied. Strategies, timing, specific characters or teams that are better than others…

Sound like a fighting game?

So if, like Frazier says, the emotions in a spots game match those found in other games so closely and if, like I've shown above, the mechanics in a sports game can match those found in other games so closely…why the hate?

Is it because you can't relate to an NFL or a Premier League or an NHL team as well as you can ancient Romans, aliens or vampires? That you prefer learning the move-set of a large-breasted Chinese girl to that of a pro sporting team?

If so, that's fine!

I'm not saying you have to like sports, or sports games for that matter. Some people hate sports. Others just won't find the kind of action on offer to their liking. That's cool. I'm not trying to force anybody to play or enjoy something they don't want to.

All I'm trying to do is show you that many of the criticisms of the sports game genre are unfounded, and that if you're willing to give them a chance (as opposed to spitting hatred upon them at every mention), you may actually find something you can relate to. Maybe even enjoy.

More authentic manager modes, a different practice set-up, and 360-degree dribbling - because I didn't suck enough with just 45 degrees of it - also go into FIFA 10. Looks like you can customize set pieces too.

In addition, they put out three screenshots featuring Frank Lampard and Chelsea cavorting on the pitch with Barcelona and Xavi.

The date pushes it perilously close to the release date for the series' arch-rival, Pro Evo 2010, which will be out in North America on October 23.

There's as yet no word on whether any other versions of the game will be affected. Europeans are no doubt hoping that's a big fat nein/non.

Alongside the delay EA also released the North American cover art, pictured above, which swaps out Wayne Rooney and Theo Walcott in exchange for the much-harder-to-pronounce Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Sacha Kljestan.

FIFA 10 bumped to October 20 [GameSpot]

UPDATE - EA Sports dropped us a line to let us know that FIFA 10 has always been in line for a slightly later release in the US, so this is less of a delay and more of a...confirmation of a staggered release? Either way, the rest of the world's versions will still be out on October 2.

And this year, for the first time in a little while, there are new people! For the past few years now, the cover (at least, the British/Australasian cover) has featured Wayne Rooney and Ronaldinho. But with Ronaldinho on a fast track to mid-career oblivion, EA Sports have binned him in favour of a couple of new players.

So, as you can see, the cover has now all gone all-England, featuring Wayne Rooney (centre), Arsenal's Theo Walcott (left) and Chelsea's Frank Lampard (right). As noted, however, this only applies to the title sold in English-speaking PAL territories. Other regions - like Germany, Spain and the US - will feature different stars (Germany's edition, for example, will feature Bayern star Bastian Schweinsteiger alongside Rooney)

Alongside the cover reveal, EA Sports also announced that all versions of the game - on *gasp* 360, PS3, PC, PS2, DS, PSP and Wii - will be out in Europe on October 2.

Speaking with Edge, the two men most responsible for the series' turnaround in recent years - designer Gary Paterson and producer David Rutter - explain the formula for taking a mediocre but cashed-up franchise and turning it into the most professional and best-reviewed sports game on the planet.

And it's all down to hating FIFA. See, both men are relatively recent hires, and both joined the company loving everything about former soccer game powerhouse Pro Evo, and hating everything about FIFA, which at the time was EA's laziest annual cash cow.

So they set out to do what Pro Evo did - namely, make the player feel like they were playing a game of football, and not just watching one - only do it better. Which with FIFA 09, they managed.

This story was a cover feature in the latest copy of Edge magazine, but if you didn't manage to see it there, you can read the whole thing below.

FIFA 10: Championship Managers [Edge]

I think we need to continue to work on the Wii. When I look at the attach rate on the Wii of our software to where I think we should be, we're under-performing still, we need to do much better

Sure do. Know a good place to start, Pete? Quit introducing cartoony graphics and take a look at Konami's Pro Evo. While the shinier versions of EA's FIFA have gone 3-1 up at halftime against Pro Evolution, it's a different story on Wii, where Pro Evo is one of the best examples on the whole console as to how to implement Wii controls (not just big heads and minigames) with a little flair and imagination.

Moore: EA is under-performing on Wii [Eurogamer]

EA Sports titles have gone crazy online this year, with the 500 million plus games being played representing a jump of 175% over the previous year, with 2.2 million games being played on average each day. These numbers represent the entirety of the EA Sports lineup, from American football to European football and everything in between. Why the big jump? EA Sports president Peter Moore knows the score.

"Online game play allows real-time competitions with fans from around the world who speak the global language of sports. EA SPORTS is committed to providing personal access to the emotion of sports by continuing to create immersive online features, compelling new downloadable content and daily real-time stats updates."

And the numbers don't end there! Six separate EA Sports titles have more than 500,000 registered online users, with Madden and FIFA boasting more than 2.4 million apiece. Since last summer, gamers have spent more than 4 billion minutes playing EA Sports titles a day, with more than 35 years worth of games being played each day.

In other words, sports gamers are insane. We knew this, and we love them anyway.

Most of the star athletes were defeated in their own games. Tiger Woods went down before 52-year-old Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2009 world champ, Steven Ward. New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush was taken out by gamer Paul Glasgow in Madden NFL 2009. Orlando Magic guard Jameer Nelson lost a game of NBA Live to Steffon Dunlop — adding insult to his recent real-life injury on the court.

It didn't go much better for all-star athletes who tried their hand at other sports games:

New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter tried his luck in FIFA Soccer but proved to be no match for Jose Miguel Morales Herrera (GT: CAPELLOOO) of Mexico. Before the match started, Jeter was asked if he was ready to begin. No, I just learned how to play this game five minutes ago, Jeter joked. Herrera said he would have rather played Tierra Henry but had a good time anyway. He let Jeter score in order to make it seem closer than it really was.

Aw, how sweet of him.

You can watch the Finals on Spike TV February 18.

Gamers dominate athletes in sports game competition

There’s still time to enter the tournament before the March 31 cutoff date. Qualifying rounds are going on worldwide via PlayStationNetwork and at FIWC 09 Live Qualifier Events. Check out FIFA's site for listings.

“Everything about the FIWC this year is bigger and better and to see so many competing online on PlayStation Network really highlights how PlayStation has grown along with the tournament,” Darren Carter, Vice President for Brand and Consumer Marketing at SCEE, said in a press release. “We can’t wait to welcome the best virtual soccer players to Barcelona, Spain.”

I'm wondering why he called it "soccer" instead of "football." Isn't that a hanging offense in Europe?

And if just now you’re wondering why you’d want to go to Spain, remember that 2008’s world champ - Alfonso Ramos of Spain - took home $20,000 in cash and a trophy bigger than his head.

I’d go to Spain for that.

It is all very well for EA to say that FIFA is making great strides, but general opinion suggests that they still have a long way to go before they can match the intuitive and absorbing gameplay of Pro Evolution Soccer... That is not to say that we are resting on our laurels, though. PES 2009 has a vast number of new additions that elevate it far beyond anything anyone else is doing.

Yep, Konami just told EA "nice try, keep going, kid". For the upcoming Pro Evolution Soccer title, Konami secured the Champions League license for four years, plus signed deals with Premier League clubs Liverpool and Manchester United. It's also the official video game of the England national team.

Full PES 2009 details revealed [MCVUK]

GUILDFORD, UK. – July 1, 2008 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today revealed it has created platform specific experiences for its popular FIFA 09 football franchise from EA SPORTS™. FIFA 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.

“We have listened and responded to gamers and football fans around the world by building customized gameplay experiences for FIFA 09 on each platform,” said Andrew Wilson, Vice President & Executive Producer for the franchise. “Everyone wants to play a football game that is customized to their system and delivers a unique and enjoyable experience. We understand that and have innovated features, created new modes and designed controls that are tailored to each specific platform.”

With over 250 additions and enhancements to core gameplay, FIFA 09 on the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Xbox 360 deliver an authentic football simulation that enables you to customize the game to suit your style and ability. New animation technology creates more responsive first-time shooting and passing, faster and more controlled dribbling, and improved trapping. New player momentum physics, which exploits the power of these platform engines, delivers realistic player collisions, authentic jostling for the ball, and more variation in tackling.

“We listened to our consumers to make the changes that they wanted,” said David Rutter, Producer of FIFA 09 on the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Xbox 360. “No other game has over 250 feature changes and additions focused on improving core gameplay. We have an absolutely authentic recreation of the real sport through attention to detail.”

For the first time, go inside the game engine to customize the strategy and positioning of your teammates to decide exactly how your team will play in any situation. With new Custom Team Tactics you have all the tools to become a first-team coach. Adjust and customize tactical settings so CPU players and your team perform just like the real-world team plays and make strategic decisions to exploit your opponent’s weaknesses, all on-the-fly. The popular feature innovation Be A Pro has expanded to a career mode called Be A Pro: Seasons where you can choose or create a professional player and then develop his skills at a single outfield position over four years with the ultimate goal of becoming a national legend. The matchday experience is now true-to-life with a referee and linesmen on the pitch. Plus, crowds, stadium atmosphere and commentary have all been regionalized in exact detail.

On the Wii, enjoy FIFA 09 All-Play one of two ways—a Wii-specific take on the authentic ‘11 vs. 11’ simulation or over-the-top ‘8 vs. 8’ arcade action within a stylized environment with Mii™ versions of your favorite superstars, like Ronaldinho and Wayne Rooney. Refined motion and point-and-play controls make playing FIFA 09 All-Play even more intuitive and perfectly balanced for gamers of any ability to enjoy fun, football action. Choose to play the style that best suits your skills from advanced controls for experienced players to new EA SPORTS™ All-Play controls that enables novice players to focus on fun using simplified controls with AI assistance.

“You’ve never played football like this before,” said Kaz Makita, Line Producer of FIFA 09 All-Play. “Our new ‘8 vs. 8’ Footii Match enables you to play an exaggerated style of football where the personality of your Mii comes to life. You can play with your Mii characters against or alongside some of the biggest stars in a truly unique football experience tailored specifically for the Wii version of FIFA 09.”

FIFA 09 on PC now features leading-edge visuals that deliver graphics that exploit the power of hi-spec gaming PCs, as requested by PC gamers. Star players are featured in photorealistic quality with remodeled likenesses for ultra-realistic gameplay. FIFA 09 on PC also features customizable mouse gameplay controls that deliver deeper, more intuitive command over your squad. Plus, customizable widgets are now integrated into the menu system to connect you to the FIFA community and real-world football so you stay connected while playing FIFA 09.

“We are committed to investing and innovating to create a PC specific experience,” said Producer Paul Hossack. “Gamers want a gameplay experience exclusively for PC and FIFA 09 on PC delivers this.”

With 500 new animation sequences and all-new collision and shielding systems—representing the biggest innovations to the multiplatform EA SPORTS football engine in four years— FIFA 09 delivers more responsive, intelligent and realistic physical action on the PlayStation 2 system. The new collision detection system with 360 degree coverage enables players to behave according to their physical attributes where player speed, direction and strength determine everything from the severity of the collision to the outcome of possession. Changes to the animation system reward the skillful gamer during one-on-one situations between attackers and defenders. Tuned acceleration attributes enable swifter virtual players to possess quicker first steps and gain advantage in sprints. Plus, four new skill moves—scoop turns, rainbow flicks, heel-to-heel knocks and ball rolls—give you a total of 32 tricks in your arsenal to perform just like Ronaldinho.

FIFA 09 on the PSP system and Nintendo DS now include the innovative Be A Pro feature, including the unique Be A Pro camera that re-creates the rush and excitement of racing in on goal, designed exclusively for each system.

We need to globalise, and we're taking many steps to broaden the reach and appeal of our product portfolio. FIFA obviously has global appeal, but this is about more than just selling additional copies of FIFA — this is about truly delivering a global product portfolio.

The agreement of course strengthens EA's online presence in the Asian market, while at the same time giving The9 exclusive rights to FIFA Online in China, which, if the success of the game in Korea is any indicator, is pretty much the equivalent of writing them a blank check and saying, "Go crazy." It has the potential to become one of the biggest games in China, beating out the current favorite, World of Warcraft - also run locally by The9.

Oh come on, gold farming totally counts as playing! Michael Fahey

EA and The9 Announce Equity Investment and Exclusive Publishing Agreement for EA SPORTS FIFA Online in Mainland China

Strategic Partnership With The9 to Expand EA's Offering in China's Online Gaming Market

SHANGHAI, CHINA & REDWOOD CITY, CALIF., May 21 /CNW/ - Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), the world's leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment, today announced an equity investment in one of China's largest online game operators, The9 Limited (NASDAQ:NCTY) ("The9"). The two companies also announced a licensing agreement that gives The9 exclusive publishing rights for EA SPORTS FIFA Online in mainland China. Upon completion of the equity investment, EA will own approximately 15 percent of the common shares of The9. The investment is roughly US$167 million.

The agreement builds on EA's strategy of partnering with proven regional operators to bring online games to Asia, and The9's strategy of expanding its game product offerings in the Chinese market.

EA SPORTS FIFA is EA's leading international sports franchise and is seeing early online success in Asia. Last year, EA and Seoul-based Neowiz partnered to launch EA SPORTS FIFA Online in Korea, now one of Korea's most popular games, consistently ranked among top performers with more than 4.4 million registered subscribers. The9 has exclusive publishing rights for the game in mainland China.

"EA will be a strong partner for us in the rapidly expanding online game market in China," said Jun Zhu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The9. "We are seeing strong interest in online sports games in China with the upcoming 2008 Beijing Olympics and the FIFA World Cup in 2010, and FIFA Online is set to be a top favorite in the Chinese market."

Hubert Larenaudie, President, EA Asia Online, said, "This is another significant step in EA's strategy to build an online presence in Asia. The9's proven expertise will be a tremendous advantage in bringing FIFA Online to a growing market and we look forward to partnering with them to bring the best online football gaming experience to millions of Chinese gamers and football fans."

###

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told the Sun: "The use of the games console was inappropriate and unprofessional. Senior officers are dealing with the matter." They'll get right on it after the firmware update finishes. Michael McWhertor

Follow me to the PlayStation [The Sun]

Drum roll please... This year's must have sports games. (Well, as of today.) GIANT Magazine does us all a service by listing their tops picks for each sport. And *surprise* they're either EA or 2K Games titles. Here they are:

• Madden 07
• MLB 2K6
• NHL 2K7
• FIFA 07
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07

And no Mario games. This brings up an interesting question: Will the Wii's interactive sports titles help end EA's and 2K's tight hold on video game sports dominance? What do you think comment people? What do you think?! Brian Ashcraft

Best 2006 Sports Games [GIANT]

It's a good week for the PSP and a good week for soccer fans. Here's everything that's new and notable for the first week of October.

FIFA 07 (DS, GBA, GC, PC, PS2, PSP, Xbox)
New soccer roster fun comes to every platform but the 360 (for now).

Gangs of London (PSP)
This portable Getaway spinoff features mission based action.

Desperate Housewives: The Game (PC)
A "lifestyle simulation PC game" that hopefully features lots of Eva Longoria.

Star Trek: Encounters (PS2)
Bethesda takes on Star Trek in this multi-generation space combat shoot 'em up and...

Star Trek: Tactical Assault (PSP)
...this real time strategic combat title set during The Original Series.

NRA Gun Club (PS2)
Finally! A shooting game. Take out targets like clay pigeons and fruit.

Mercury Meltdown (PSP)
The sequel to Mercury gets cel shady.

I'm still working my way through Okami, plus I'm behind on my DS releases, so nothing for me this week. You?