Kotaku: Football

NCAA Football 09 Has a Shitload of Problems

Owen Good — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:00:00 MDT

Message boards and forums are livid at EA and NCAA Football 09, whose problems apparently go well beyond EA Locker corrupting the roster files. AOL Fanhouse went through the boards and made a full accounting, and it's grim.

• Sliders are borked. The CPU sliders do nothing. Human sliders affect both CPU and human. Level playing field!
• Online dynasty mode is borked. It sometimes simulates games that have been played by humans.
• Super-sim is borked: Using it to fast-forward through a blowout can add many more plays than would actually happen in the football game, and produce extremely lopsided final scores.
• Kick returns are borked.
• The new player speed model is causing huge problems with pursuit angles by CPU-controlled players.

I have the game but I have not played it intensively enough to discover these issues. But if these issues are on the level and, worse, if some gameplay mechanics are not patchable, then it's an almost unforgivable shame. Especially regarding sliders — how can something like that get through QA? How can the super-sim glitch go unnoticed?

And that's to say nothing of the rosters fiasco, for which EA says a patch is coming soon. The roster editing community is equal parts anxious and furious. Two for-profit sellers have put out files that they say are workable, but there is a good chance EA's patch could invalidate any file that predates it, screwing both the sellers and anyone who bought it.

While not Madden, I've always felt NCAA Football was in many ways a better game, because of the deeper catalog of teams and the richer offseason activity of recruiting. But on the next-gen titles it's been a wipeout, starting with versions that had fewer features than the Xbox and PS2 versions, and today still have nowhere near the level of cinematic detail that made it such an immersive game. Following that with a game that has this many bugs is, for devotees of the series, frustrating to no end.

NCAA 09 Plagued with Bugs [AOL Fanhouse]

NCAA 09 Glitch Corrupts Pre-Release Roster Files

Owen Good — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:20:00 MDT

About two weeks ago we reported that this is crunch time for the independent roster editors for NCAA 09, which goes to the street today. But as this video — of NCAA 09’s roster screen — shows, using a third-party edited file can can corrupt a team’s depth chart and its overall rating, if not delete the team entirely, until EA can patch the game.

For roster editors, this is a setback in a niche that has prided itself on near-instantaneous turnaround of complete roster files by the date the game drops. EA, we’re told, is working feverishly on a patch to resolve this problem. But for now, anyone who downloads any roster file should avoid editing it; and those who do choose to edit it should do so offline, as doing so online risks corruption and can crash the game, according to our source.

Conversations with that source tell of an entire, crucial weekend of work essentially lost. One early-bird editor, working off of a devkit and not a final copy of the game, already got a file out through EA Locker. Other roster editors used it as source for their own files, and discovered the glitch. Even though the original author removed that file, there is still some residual viral spread that could affect unwitting others. It and anything going around right now should be considered suspect until the game is patched.

“I was assured that when I release my rosters on Friday there shouldn’t be any problems wth them,” one editor, who demanded anonymity because of a close, unofficial relationship with EA, told Kotaku. A day-three release of a custom roster file was, to now, considered very late. Now it’s the earliest that a reliable file can be produced.

The corruption — and this could be a total shot in the dark — appears to involve nonstandard ASCII characters in certain players’ names in the roster file, such as the infamous A’Mod Ned of Florida International, who memorably waded into a melee between FIU and Miami in 2006 on a pair of crutches. Indeed FIU is one of several teams that go missing, for inexplicable reasons, after changes are made to a roster file that was already created and shared by one editor. While that editor has already removed the file from EA locker, others who downloaded it continue to send it to friends unwittingly.

If you intend to game with custom roster files on NCAA Football, you probably should not use them until you see that the game has downloaded a patch from Electronic Arts.

NCAA 09 Bugs [YouTube]

Blitz: The League II Screens

Brian Crecente — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:00:00 MDT

As we heard late last year, Midway is bringing Blitz back. Blitz: The League II will include a new story mode written by ESPN Playmakers writer Peter Egan and will feature player-controlled touchdown celebrations, an enhanced on-field Clash Mode, online multiplayer, precision-aim tackles and late hits. Lawrence Taylor will return as the game's cover athlete.

"Professional football has long sought to gloss over the often brutal realities that surround the game and its players," said Mona Hamilton, vice president of marketing, Midway Home Entertainment. "Blitz: The League II embraces the most compelling storylines behind America's favorite sport and allows fans to experience them in a bold, interactive way."

The game is set to hit the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 this fall.

CHICAGO, IL – July 8, 2008 - Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), a leading interactive entertainment software publisher and developer, announced today the development of Blitz: The League® II. Back for another season of heart-pumping, bone-crushing, no-holds-barred football action, Blitz: The League II strips the rules and regulations from traditional football to enhance the fun by bringing the pain. Complete with an all-new story mode penned by former ESPN “Playmakers” writer, Peter Egan, and the return of football legend, Lawrence Taylor, Blitz: The League II builds on the success of the previous release with new features and enhanced gameplay. Blitz: The League II is scheduled for release this fall for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION® 3 computer entertainment system.

“Professional football has long sought to gloss over the often brutal realities that surround the game and its players,” said Mona Hamilton, vice president of marketing, Midway Home Entertainment. “Blitz: The League II embraces the most compelling storylines behind America’s favorite sport and allows fans to experience them in a bold, interactive way.”

For additional information about Blitz: The League II visit www.blitzleague.com.

Once a Labor of Love, Sales of Football Rosters Now Inflame Passions

Owen Good — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:20:00 MDT

July is the most anxious month for the independent roster editors devoted to Electronic Arts’ NCAA Football franchise. No matter what the game adds each year, promising an ever richer pageant of college football, it falls to these writers to add in the basic identities of the game’s performers, because NCAA amateurism rules forbid EA from including them. That leaves it to these roster editors and those they employ — some working on devkits in India — to hand-enter more than 8,000 players, across 120 teams. The task requires 20-hour workdays and contrivances to get advance copies of the game, all to complete a labor of love that only the most detail-oriented model railroader could ever hope to understand.

But Brian Kaldenberg, in a way, defies that altruistic mode. He sees NCAA rosters also as a very profitable business, and that makes him one of the most despised figures in a community where reputation and motive have as much currency as the accuracy of one’s work. In message boards and private conversation, Kaldenberg is routinely accused of plagiarism, arrogance, and deceitful practices. But with a combination of thick skin, patience and guile, he has become probably the most successful of anyone who sells NCAA rosters for more than a suggested donation. And Wednesday, sending more shockwaves through a jittery community, he acquired another leading NCAA roster domain, thus unifying the top three URLs returned for a search of “NCAA rosters” on Google.

“It’s hard for me to understand why they care so much that I sell it,” says Kaldenberg, 25, who since the last release of NCAA Football has managed to make acquisitions of his top two, hostile competitors — fkrosters.com and DT Linder’s PSXSports. “I think it’s because I was not the pioneer. The pioneers definitely are DT and FK. Then I came along and did it differently and made a lot more money.”

Kaldenberg’s replacement of PSXSports’ front with an image of a Monopoly board, for the time being, may also illustrate the acid relationships he has with others. He insists that was a wink-and-nod to Linder, who had likened PSXSports and Kaldenberg’s original Gamerosters.com to keystone properties in the popular boardgame. But others see it as a message that Kaldenberg is coming to drive out any roster editor, for profit or otherwise. And they care about Kaldenberg’s profit motive because for them, NCAA Football is a goose whose golden egg is not money, but the ability to freely change any or all of the names in sports gaming’s deepest universe.

“We’re concerned that if sites keep charging for rosters, the NCAA may ask EA to pull the editing feature,” says Chris Jacobs, a site admin for freeNCAA09rosters.com, a free counter-site to Kaldenberg’s for-profit empire. “The game would be ruined if we were stuck with HB #15 all year.”

On that sentiment, all agree. No college sports title releases with any current player’s name or likeness, thanks to NCAA bylaws. In professional sports simulations, where superstars opted out of collective deals and refused to allow their likenesses to be used, a few absences are nettlesome. To have not just an entire league, but the largest league of any (and March Madness’ 341 teams is even larger) makes gaming with and without complete roster files a night-and-day experience.

Thus sprouted the community of roster editing, with Linder among its progenitors. (Kotaku attempted to reach Linder before the sale of PSXSports but he did not reply. Efforts through others didn’t return a comment before this article was originally posted.) And despite well sourced ventures such as Kaldenberg’s and his closest competitor, Nick Cain’s Sportrosters.com, the free roster community could only be beaten if editing were killed altogether. They make their product first for themselves, then share it to others, and are apathetic about its profitability or market potential.

“I’ve had people volunteer to help me and say that we could work nonstop on the roster file,” said Victor Vasquez, who owned fkrosters.com before selling it to Kaldenberg in December, then reconstituted his efforts on fairdale-kings.com.“But I know only how accurate my work is. I know the homework that I put into this file every year.”

Kaldenberg began with Gamerosters.com in 2004 while a junior at Iowa State University, and approaches it as much as a businessman as he does a fan. He appreciates the value added by a strong roster file (gaming with rival Iowa — he lives in Iowa City — when he plays online) but also foresees the potential in the business and an end-game. “My ultimate idea is to grow the Gamerosters portfolio to the point a gaming site or gaming e-tailer makes me an offer I can’t turn down,” Kaldenberg says, claiming he received a six-figure bid last spring but “I just didn’t feel like it was the right time yet.”

Some might think the right time has come and gone. The addition of the EA Locker feature to this year’s NCAA football game, depending on your point of view, is either pro- or con-roster editing. Through the EA Locker, Xbox 360 and PS3 gamers may share roster files freely across the network. That sets up a competing viral spread of three roster types, none of which can be monetized:

• Fully researched and edited rosters bought by the community (Kaldenberg’s)

• Rosters which are the same in content, but distributed for free or a donation (Fairdale-Kings and freeNCAA09rosters)

• or incomplete, fan-oriented rosters built by individual players which are tailored to specific schools or conferences and contain inaccuracies or wholesale omissions elsewhere.

Working in Kaldenberg’s favor is the number of offline-only players who want rosters. Custom rosters were only available for use online beginning with last year’s title, meaning a large group of players who only game in offline modes, like dynasty or campus legend, care only for accurate rosters and neither need them online nor seek them out there. Also, EA Locker is available for free on PS3, but only through XBox Live Gold on that platform, representing a separate barrier. Vasquez, his adversary, himself agrees that there are more offline gamers than online.

Also, Kaldenberg trusts in a consumer instinct built on the notion that someone offering a product in a free market has a business motivation to provide an accurate and superior, product. It’s the same reason you wouldn’t buy discount meat off the back of a truck. “People are willing to pay for what we offer and pay for the peace of mind knowing they are getting a quality product,” Kaldenberg says. “Similar to how people are willing to shell out $60 for a steak at Ruth’s Chris.”

Kaldenberg won’t divulge specifics, but says he has served close to 10,000 customers since 2004, seeing his year-over-year demand double in each of the last three years. (Vasquez boasted he had more than 20,000 registered users when he ran the site, some of whom have migrated to fairdale-kings.com)

Kaldenberg’s operation requires seasonal employees — working on a PS3, PS2 and Xbox set up in an office — and a full-time business operations manager (the business also manages rosters for March Madness and other titles). But such growth has yet to attract the notice of the NCAA. “No one from the NCAA or EA sports has ever contacted me regarding roster editing,” says Kaldenberg, who has sought legal opinions regarding his exposure in his current venture.

Truth is, EA may not need to sue anyone out of existence, especially if that risks destroying a feature the majority of its installation base adores. If it can tip the balance so that works that are both complete and free win out on its network, that returns roster editing to the community of nonprofit enthusiasts and eliminates those making money off the NCAA or its amateurs’ likenesses. Jacobs and others see such an advantage being tacitly swayed to nonprofit editors.

“Our site is part of the EA Community Leaders program, and privately, we were told that they don’t like people charging for rosters,” Jacobs said. “Hence the EA Locker feature in NCAA 09.”

For its part, EA did not respond to an emailed request seeking comment. Roster editors say this is not a surprise: the ability to edit a roster is a content feature any publisher would, reasonably, not want to give up. In this case, discussing it inevitably acknowledges the cottage industry, for profit or otherwise, that provides gamers with full rosters against NCAA wishes. The less EA reacts, the less the situation is under its control, and the less it is accountable to its licensing partner.

Kaldenberg, if nothing else, is resilient and adaptable. His own record with his rivals proves that. In December, he won fkrosters.com through a third-party offering process. Vasquez, the site’s owner, says he didn’t know who was buying the site until the offer (made through GoDaddy) was accepted. Kaldenberg says Vasquez had every opportunity to reject the sale after learning of his bid.

Kaldenberg said Linder reached out to him late last year, offering him control of both the “Park Place and Boardwalk,” of roster mod domains, and hence the reason for the Monopoly board on PSXSports on Wednesday. An original package price of $16,000 in December eventually winnowed to $7,000 in June, said Kaldenberg. Linder, reached Thursday, said he offered the site because he was competing in a saturated broader market serving sports gamers, and wanted to rebrand his efforts in the roster-only space. To that end he launched EArosters.com on Thursday, his fourth URL since beginning his roster efforts in 2001. Linder said both sides reached an agreeable settlement.
"Brian and I are both competitors and I certainly appreciated his sense of humor," about the Monopoly board on his old URL, Linder said. "Brian purchased Park Place and Boardwalk, but he has to worry about people landing on Marvin Gardens or Pennsylvania Ave first. I just placed hotels on my green and yellow monopolies."
But if anything, Kaldenberg's survival in a cutthroat business environment has taught him valuable business lessons that many 25-year-olds don’t experience firsthand.

“I’ve learned to turn a deaf ear,” Kaldenberg said. “People say bad things about you, and I used to fight it and get upset, and then I'd just see it make matters worse. I’ve matured since my younger days, and I stay away from internet message board controversies. Customer service is more important. If a customer has a question or needs assistance, it’s much more important for me to spend my time responding to customers than to respond to someone criticizing me on another website.”

Kaldenberg’s largest for-profit competitor, Nick Cain’s sportrosters.com, remains somewhat above the fray and agnostic about the fate of for-profit roster editing. Cain, who only became interested in NCAA football because he found the gameplay more engaging than EA’s Madden series, said roster editing represents only 2 percent of a business portfolio that has included poker applications and adult business ventures.

Cain says Kaldenberg also approached him about buying sportrosters.com, but refused after being put off by the negotiating style.

“He bragged about his revenue,” said Cain, himself a coder who outsources his roster work to Indian writers working on console development kits. “We’ll I don’t bank on this money. This is funny money to me. I spend an hour a day maintaining my web sales. He can put up monopoly boards all day. But if EA Sports closes the door, well, it was fun while it lasted.”

Proof That 1990s Game Innovations Were Often Lame

StephenTotilo — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:00:00 MDT

When I'm on the road, I don't just report — I scavenge.

Last week in L.A. I looked down at the ground and found a page torn out of an old Nintendo Power. On one side was an ad for Shadowrun. On the other side, I found advertorial for a 1993 Konami SNES game NFL Football.

And what an amazing feature this game had.

Well, if the eradication of bubonic plague and the extinction of saber-toothed tigers didn't already make you happy about the year you were born, perhaps you can find relief knowing that your gaming years extended past the era when things like this were the big breakthroughs.

A full scan of the page follows...

NCAA Football 09 Demo Live

Mike Fahey — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:40:00 MDT

Get a taste of this year's football action a bit early with EA's NCAA Football 09 demo, now available for the Xbox 360. New features in the latest version include the new, more-realistic Break Away Animation Engine promising more control and fluidity on the field, a new college-specific tackling engine, more realistic sidelines, and - best of all - user-influenced mascots after touchdowns. Joy!

The demo weighs in at 1.44 GB, one meaty chunk of collegiate football action to tryout before the full game hits next month.

Demo: NCAA Football 09 [Xbox Live's Major Nelson]

Play Your Fantasy Football Teams in Madden NFL 09 For a Fee

Brian Crecente — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:00:00 MDT

EA Sports Fantasy Football is getting PlayStation Network and Xbox Live integration as well as the ability to port over fantasy football squads to Madden NFL 09, EA announced today.

The web-based service of Fantasy Football, which will be free, and the paid applications for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 for fantasy football are expected to hit later this summer.

“EA SPORTS Fantasy Football this year takes fantasy football leagues to the next level,” said EA SPORTS Fantasy Football Executive Producer Jeremy Strauser. “Through our draft day and live scoring applications we have made fantasy football a truly interactive and innovative experience. In addition, we have created integration between our EA SPORTS Fantasy Football product and Madden NFL 09 which gives the football gamer the complete football gaming experience.”

Gamers will be able to download a Fantasy Football Live Draft Tracker to the 360 or PS3 which will give them the ability to view video clips and hear EA expert commentary. The Live Score Tracker, another download, will track fantasy football scores, delivering them either in full screen mode with rosters and details or a more compact picture-in-picture mode.

Hit up the jump for more screens, the full release and to speculate on what exactly the price tag will be.

EA Sports Fantasy Football [EA Sports]

EA SPORTS™ FANTASY FOOTBALL DELIVERS INNOVATIVE CONSOLE-BASED TOOLS AND IN-GAME INTEGRATION WITH MADDEN NFL 09

EA SPORTS™ Fantasy Football is the Complete Fantasy Football Experience

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., - June 16, 2008 – Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that EA SPORTS™ Fantasy Football will be launching a new website, fantasy.EASPORTS.com and will have fantasy football applications specific to the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system later this summer. The web-based service of EA SPORTS Fantasy Football is free, while members of Xbox LIVE or PLAYSTATION 3 Network will have the opportunity to download the innovative fantasy football applications for a fee. In addition, for the first time ever, gamers will have the ability to play their fantasy football squad in Madden NFL 09. EA Experts, a team of internal fantasy football gurus, returns and serves as a go-to source for all fantasy football information.

Exclusive to EA SPORTS Fantasy Football customers, gamers will have the ability to download the EA SPORTS Fantasy Football Live Draft Tracker application and experience a fantasy draft that includes all of the fanfare and presentation of an authentic professional football draft on their Xbox 360 or PLAYSTATION 3. The days of paper draft boards are over and gamers can view video clips and hear the EA Experts team provide commentary on top players. Moreover, gamers will be able to track their EA SPORTS Fantasy Football teams and leagues through the EA SPORTS Fantasy Football Live Score Tracker application, which is also available via download from Xbox LIVE or PLAYSTATION 3 Network. The fantasy scores can be viewed in two ways: full screen mode with complete rosters and details or picture-in-picture mode which allows gamers to keep an eye on scoring updates while watching live football action.

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.

EA SPORTS Fantasy Football is an officially licensed product of NFL PLAYERS, the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association.

EA SPORTS Fantasy Football is developed in Orlando, Florida by the award-winning EA Tiburon studio, which also produces Madden NFL 09, NCAA® Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® and NASCAR® racing.

EA SPORTS™ is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world, with top-selling titles and franchises including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL®, NBA LIVE, NCAA® Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® and NASCAR® racing.

2 Guys Suing EA Over NFL License

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:30:00 MDT

Last week, two gamers - one in Washington, one in California - filed a suit against EA in the US District Court of Northern California. Their beef? That Electronic Arts, through their exclusive ownership of the NFL license, are engaged in "blatantly anticompetitive conduct". As such, they're seeking - wait for it - "restitution and damages for those who purchased an Electronic Arts football game since August of 2005, disgorgement of all profits made as a result of anticompetitive actions, and that the infringing agreements be declared null and void". I admire their spirit, really, and I miss the NFL2K series as much as the next guy, but there's a time when legal action is called for, and there's a time when it's kinda stupid, and will only serve to further clutter your already over-cluttered legal system. This is the latter.

Gamers sue EA over football exclusivity [GameSpot]

NCAA Football '09: Now With Online Dynasties

ogood — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:00:00 MDT

EA Sports launched NCAA Football '09 at a gala event in New York on Friday night, taking advantage of so many college stars being in town for the next day's NFL Draft. As AOL Sports' Fanhouse pointed out, the game is touted as the "best-looking yet" while, to a trained eye, is just now getting around to putting in the kind of atmospherics that made NCAA Football 2002-2004 such a joy to play.

Sports Gamer has a first look at the title, too, and it will deliver online dynasty-mode play. You and up to 11 others can compete in a concurrent dynasty simulation that seems incredibly deep, as usual, and for my money is the first real bridging of the worlds of sports simulation and fantasy sports.

Online dynasty will require a league commissioner to marshall all the participants together and tell them to get their games (and assorted activities for a certain week) completed before the sim can advance. This sounds like a job no one would want. EA also is taking a risk by adding in an unpleasant scenario to its game experience: everyone waiting on a guy who had to work late three days in a row, before harshly simming his week for him. But in a small enough league with committed gamers, it could work.

Online dynasty will also feature competitive recruiting, and if you thought the league's recruiting feature was obsessive-compulsive enough playing by yourself, I imagine recruiting against other live gamers will be even moreso.

As for gameplay, there will be more sophisticated ways your quarterback's confidence will soar or tank. For those who hit the power button after throwing a stupid interception returned for a TD, you now have reason to stick around. A minigame will pop up, and if you can identify the defense that picked you off, you'll recover some of that composure.

I like that detail because it shows sports simulations at their best: When they teach you something about the game. Honestly, I have learned more about play-calling, strategy and defense in six years of playing NCAA and Madden. And with incentive to read defenses, I'm sure I'll feel more in control of the game.

And I'm glad to hear EA is, apparently, restoring details — cut scene animations, crowd reactions, pre-game shot, big victory/loss scenes — that made this thing such a model railroad for a gamer who wanted to build an inhabit a world where he was a big-time college coach or player. I haven't read what exactly is coming to the 360/PS3 version. I hope it's everything, and I'm not going to give EA extra credit for putting in something that was part of first-gen games going back to 2003.

But I will buy the title, for the sixth year in a row, hoping it recovers from last year's disappointing 360 version. And if not, I'll be glad to hook up with any of you forming online dynasty leagues.

NCAA 09 First Look [Sports Gamer]

Backbreaker Is Looking As Painful As Ever (In A Good Way)

Mark Wilson — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:30:00 MDT

While I'm not the biggest sports fan, I'm always on the lookout for a new football game that will pull me back into the genre that I once enjoyed. Natural Motion (the company behind the lauded Euphoria engine from GTA IV and The Force Unleashed) is getting a lot of press for its dynamic, body-crashing AI in its upcoming football game, Backbreaker. And while all that looks fantastic in this new clip, I hope that the Flash compression hasn't ruined the beauty of the gigantic, hyperreal stadium in the background. God bless bloom lighting.

What Exactly Are Simulations Simulating?

Maggie Greene — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 15:30:00 MDT

In a slightly different take on the old 'we take too much from film techniques' argument we're all familiar with, a post at the Brainy Gamer takes on television techniques in simulations. Madden et al. aren't simulating playing a sporting event, he says, but watching one on TV:

Less has been written about the defining role television plays in the design and presentation of games, especially sports titles. Long-running franchises like the Links series of golf games have gone by the wayside, largely because their simulation of the sport relied more on playing the game than watching it played.

The market is what it is, but I think the CNN-ization and ESPN-ization of video games comes at a cost. It limits game design to the visual and structural framework of television, and it removes the player from a true simulation experience. I want a video game to offer me something more than a simulated sports broadcast. The more Madden talks, the less like Payton Manning I feel.

While I think the argument against using cinematic techniques is frequently overblown, but there is something to be said for relying too much on traditional media. I usually get into my sports games of choice, but being more of a niche market, I think there's less emphasis on the flash that usually goes along with the giant sports franchises.

What do simulations simulate? [The Brainy Gamer]

Madden Celebrates 20 Years This August 12 With Special Collector's Edition

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:40:07 MDT

John Madden's jowls celebrate twenty years of video game cover art exposure this year with Madden NFL 09. The game will be shipping in North America on August 12 arriving with a nifty 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition when it does. The CE packs in both Madden NFL 09 and NFL Head Coach 09, as well as "exclusive classic Madden NFL gameplay, and an extensive library of exclusive bonus video content," according to EA.

The traditional twentieth anniversary gift is china, so we hope EA follows suit with a special porcelain case or a John Madden commemorative Hummel figurine. The full press release, with Peter Moore and Chris Erb quotes about how exciting this year will be, is after this.

EA Announces Madden NFL 09 Official Ship Date and Special Collector's Edition
Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition, including NFL Head Coach 09, Available This Summer

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) announced today that Madden NFL 09 will be available in retail stores in North America on August 12, including a special collector's edition in celebration of the 20th anniversary of one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time. The Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition will be the ultimate interactive NFL experience - featuring full versions of both Madden NFL 09 and the all-new NFL Head Coach 09, exclusive classic Madden NFL gameplay, and an extensive library of exclusive bonus video content.

"The Madden NFL franchise has a rich history, and we're proud to be celebrating it with this definitive video game package," says Peter Moore, president of EA SPORTS. "Featuring two deep and innovative new standalone games, as well as a host of exclusive bonus content, the Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition is the ultimate interactive offering for both long-time Madden NFL fans and anyone who enjoys football on Sundays. I can't think of a better way to get your NFL fix than to enjoy everything that's unique about both Madden NFL 09 and NFL Head Coach 09, and then connecting and sharing content from both."

Whether you prefer to make your moves on the field, from the sidelines or in the front office, the Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition has something for every football fan. Madden NFL 09 will feature the most immersive gameplay, the richest online offerings and the most comprehensive feature depth in the history of the franchise, while NFL Head Coach 09 has been reinvented to provide a unique new NFL experience by allowing fans to be in total control of their favorite franchises. The two games offer unique experiences and then can even interact with one another with gamers being able to import their user-designed plays from NFL Head Coach 09 and put them into Madden NFL 09 to create customized playbooks for complete control on the field.

"Both Madden NFL 09 and NFL Head Coach 09 are deep and unique gaming experiences that will truly immerse sports fans of all ages, skill levels and playing styles," says Chris Erb, EA SPORTS director of marketing. "With the Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition, we're bringing two great NFL games together to create the definitive football offering."

NFL Head Coach 09 provides the complete NFL coaching experience, offering a variety of different ways to control an NFL franchise, on and off the field, in-season and off-season. With strategic game-planning features, NFL Head Coach 09 places gamers in the coach's seat by allowing gamers to comprehensively scout the opponent, build custom playbooks, and develop a team that will adapt to the philosophy and system of an NFL franchise.

Last year's Madden NFL 08 was honored with various awards, including the 2007 Game Critics "Best Sports Game" award at last year's E3 Media and Business Summit, "Best Team Sports Game" from the Spike TV Video Games Awards, "Best Sports Game of the Year" by GameTrailers' 2007 Game of the Year Awards, GameSpot's "Best Sports Game" Reader's Choice Award, and the "Best Sports Games" of 2007 by MSNBC. Over the past 20 years, the Madden NFL franchise has sold over 70 million* copies and has been established as one of the most revered sports video games in the industry. Since 2002, Madden NFL has been the number one selling sports game** each year in North America.

Both Madden NFL 09 and NFL Head Coach 09 are developed in Orlando, Florida by the award-winning EA Tiburon studio, which also produces NCAA® Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® and NASCAR® racing.

Madden NFL 09 will be available for the Xbox 360™ video game system from Microsoft, PlayStation®2 and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment systems, Wii™, Nintendo DS™, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system and is rated RP by the ESRB. NFL Head Coach 09 is scheduled to ship only as a part of the Madden NFL 09 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition, which, at a suggested retail price of $89.99 for the complete package of Madden NFL 09 and NFL Head Coach 09 plus additional exclusive bonus content, will ship on the Xbox 360™ and PLAYSTATION®3.

EA SPORTS™ is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world, with top-selling titles and franchises including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® and NASCAR® racing.

For more information about Madden NFL 09 and NFL Head Coach 09, please visit www.madden09.com

* Based on internal sales data

** According to the NPD Group

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA™, EA SPORTS BIG™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2007, EA posted revenue of $3.09 billion and had 24 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

French Footy Team Give Wii The Boot

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 06:20:00 MDT

Euro 2008's coming up. And for France, it's serious business. Having come up short in the World Cup final in '06, Les Blues want to go one better and come home with some silverware. To this effect, coach Raymond Domenech is putting his foot down, outlawing anything that could cause unnecessary injuries to his players. Like the Wii. Seems the risk of injury while playing a round of Wii Boxing is far greater than that found in the rigorous 2-a-day football training sessions demanded of professional players, so the low-impact game console's the one to go.
Les joueurs de l'équipe de France de foot privés de Wii [INV] [Image: Getty]

New England Manager Bans Gaming

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 04:30:00 MST

Newly-appointed manager of the England football team, the astute, snappily-dressed and very Italian Fabio Capello, has wasted little time in stamping his authority on the perennially underachieving national side. Gone are visits from friends and family before a game. Gone are mobile phones once the team's checked into a hotel for a match. And gone are videogames. Capello believes the England team's obsession with their consoles had contributed to a "PlayStation culture", which was distracting them from the job at hand. Sounds harsh, but then if I was being paid millions of dollars a year to play football and all I had to do was not play games a day or two before a match, I think I could manage.
Capello bans England from playing games [MCV] [Image: Getty]

NFL Tour Screenshot Blitz

Mike Fahey — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:40:35 MST

Depending on where you live, NFL Tour is either in the store today or heading there tomorrow, and EA has decided to remind you that their game exists with a veritable cornucopia of screenshots of the arcade sports title previously known as NFL Street. It's kind of odd, really. I was a big fan of NFL Street despite the cheapness of the power moves, and was looking forward to the next game in the series. Change the name and alter the premise just a tad and suddenly I am so disinterested that the release completely sneaks up on me, despite having read this week's WIG. Still, I've always been a fan of arcade football, and I do have this GameStop gift card...*sigh* Back in a few.

LSU Football Players Use Games to Prepare

Maggie Greene — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 12:30:00 MST

Video games - like sports - aren't always fun and games, and Louisiana State University has joined a handful of Division I schools that are using a rather elaborate modified Xbox game to reinforce lessons learned on the field. The game (simulator?) is customized for each school and even quarterback, allowing different experiences for different players.

XOS Technologies, a company that specializes in gearing technology to the needs of coaches, worked with EA Sports to produce the PlayAction Simulator that LSU has used this season.
"What they've done is they put our plays into the video game and then they put in our opponents' defenses," said Crowton, the Tigers' first-year offensive coordinator.

The game looks and plays just like the popular Madden NFL and NCAA football games, though all the goofy stuff such as player celebrations, cheering crowds, mascots and bands have been removed.

I don't follow football (at all), but I can see the utility of such a system (does this fall into the category of a 'serious game'?). XOS hopes to offer the game to all of their clients in the coming year.

LSU players use video games to prepare [MSNBC]

Crecente Plays Football

fdemarco — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 16:00:00 MST

NaturalMotion is currently working on a new next-gen football game called Backbreaker for next year. One of the features of the game will be the ability to assign your own colors, logos and names to your team's players. So, to show off the feature, the folks at NM threw together a little Kotaku team featuring our signature pink and green colors and our own Crecente as Quarterback. I don't know what's funnier, the pink uniforms or the thought of anyone on the Kotaku team (with the possible exception of Fahey and Luke) playing football.

Backbreaker's Generic Beauty

Mike Fahey — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 09:20:02 MDT

Will being one of the best-looking, best-animated football games on the market help Naturalmotion's Backbreaker triumph over the Madden juggernaut when it is released next-year? Highly doubtful, I know. The core of the football gaming crowd is NFL fans, and without an NFL license it probably won't drum up big sales no matter how awesome it looks in motion. Now if the Madden folks could just get their hands on this engine...hmmm.

OJ Simpson Got $50,000 Cut From 2K, Loses It

Mark Wilson — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 12:40:43 MDT

2K Sports paid OJ Simpson a sweet $50,000 to lend his likeness to All-Pro Football 2K8 along with the promise of another $50,000 if he renewed his contract for an additional two years. It seemed like a pretty good deal for Simpson until the Los Angeles court ordered him to hand over any affiliated licensing fees to murder victim Ron Goldman's estate. It just goes to show how much videogame money is on the table for famous pro sports players, you know, if they aren't liable for wrongful death. (Or maybe only if they are.)

O.J. Simpson Got $50,000 for Take-Two Game [maxconsole]

Spiky Mammal Football Adventures

Mike Fahey — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 10:00:13 MDT

Football season is upon us, and with Tecmo Bowl already out for the Wii Virtual Console, there's only one NES pigskin game worthy of a commemorative rerelease. This morning sees NES Play Action Football (500 points) take the field. Sporting 10 real teams with real players, it is one of the most technologically advanced NES games out there, as well as being one of the few to use voice clips. For those of you who would rather be a ball than play with one, spin up Sonic the Hedgehog 3 for the Genesis (800 points) and relive Sonic's first meeting with Knuckles the ~~Enchilada~~ Echidna. Finally we have more TurboGrafx16 Zelda-ripoff goodness with Neutopia II (600 points), which puts you in the role of the son of the main character from the 'original' Neutopia which was released on the VC two weeks ago. Apparently you did a half-assed job of killing Dirth the first time and now your child has to deal with it. Good job, slacker. If you had just played more football as a kid this never would have happened.

Wii-kly Update: Three New Classic Games Added to Wii Shop Channel
Football season is here, and whether you're into high school teams, college or
the pros, everyone can use a little gridiron refresher. This week Nintendo's
Wii Shop Channel helps you tackle the challenge with NES Play Action
Football(TM), a classic sure to revive feelings of gaming greatness. If
football isn't your thing, you can always join forces with a speedy hedgehog
or explore labyrinths as you try to defeat evil demons.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new
games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii(TM) owners with a high-speed
Internet connection can redeem Wii Points(TM) to download the games. Wii
Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This
week's new games are:

NES Play Action Football (NES(R), 1-4 players, rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii
Points): "Ready! Hut hut hut ... " Nintendo takes to the gridiron with the
classic football powerhouse NES Play Action Football. Featuring a distinct
overhead viewpoint that creates an almost 3-D field, the action is more
simulation-based than many of the more arcade-based games of the time. Play
through four 15-minute quarters (in accelerated time) and even substitute
players when your first-stringers get tired. Want more options? Each of the
eight available teams has multiple running/passing plays to choose from while
on offense, as well as a wide selection of defensive schemes that can be run
when you're on the other side of the ball. And in addition to viewing two full
teams on the screen at once without any slowdown, you'll hear voice snippets
at key points of the game. Line up, and see if you have what it takes to win
the Power Bowl.

Sonic the Hedgehog(TM) 3 (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, rated E for Everyone -
Comic Mischief, 800 Wii Points): Sonic and Tails are back for another
adventure as they again battle the evil Dr. Eggman (aka Dr. Robotnik), who is
desperately trying to collect all the Chaos Emeralds to rebuild his Death Egg.
Our heroes must again find the Chaos Emeralds before Dr. Eggman does, but
winning the race won't be easy this time - a new adversary, Knuckles the
Echidna, has arrived on the scene and will do whatever he can to keep Sonic
and Tails from reaching their goal. Grab all the golden rings, find various
bonus zones and overcome Knuckles and Dr. Eggman as you rocket through the
third chapter in Sonic's adventures.

Neutopia II (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, rated E for Everyone - Mild Fantasy
Violence, 600 Wii Points): Experience improved graphics and controls in this
exciting sequel to the action role-playing game Neutopia. Take on the role of
the main hero's son and watch as the story begins with the apparent revival of
Dirth, the evil demon. Once again you'll need to rely on your magic compass
and the information you've gathered to find entrances to labyrinths and defeat
the bosses in them. Make your way through the field, which can be tricky at
times, to search for and find hidden information and items, or move blocks and
destroy walls to uncover secret rooms. Like the original, this game has a save
function, a finely tuned difficulty level and a fast-paced story, making it
truly an RPG that everyone can enjoy.

Xperience Black College Football The Xperience

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 05:00:54 MDT

Ever since we heard Black College Football: The Xperience (yes, the Xperience) included half-time shows that lets players "step into the boots of a drum major," our interest was piqued. We so love rhythm games! Sadly, this clip, the first of the game I believe, doesn't show that. Instead, it has text telling me to "EXPECT MORE THAN JUST A VIDEOGAME" and an a football player reminding me "This is how we do it." Though, the clip does have some marching band music. Half way there!

BCFX [Dtoid]

Get The Black College Football Experience With Black College Football Experience

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 19:40:43 MDT

Video game football is about to get yet another contender, this time with a decidedly specific bent as tongue twisting developer Nerjyzed Entertainment has announced Black College Football Experience or BCFx if the former grows to tiresome. The Unreal Engine 3 powered college football game brings together three historically black college and university conferences, including some 40 teams for "an incredibly fun football game for the whole family to play."

So what is the Black College Football Experience? As a lily white dude whose closest hands-on experience with such a thing was flipping past a FAMU game once, I'll have to wait for the PC release to find out. Based on the press release, it's apparently not only football, but halftime shows, too, as you'll "step into the boots of a drum major" for an interactive battle of the bands. Hey! I like rhythm games, too!

Far more details are available at the Nerjyzed site, but a handy press release follows.

NERJYZED ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES BLACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL VIDEOGAME: BCFx

Videogame to Showcase Classic HBCU Rivalries, Interactive Halftime Shows, Original Music and High Intensity Game Play

Nerjyzed Launched a Multi-Market Road Show Labor Day Weekend To Give Fans a Hands-on Experience with the Game

BATON ROUGE, LA - September 5, 2007 - Nerjyzed Entertainment, Inc., a privately held, African American owned digital entertainment company, announced today the launch of its new sports videogame, Black College Football Experience. An authentic, action-packed football game created using the Unreal 3.0 engine, BCFx is a cultural experience that puts players and fans into the heart of black college football. The game will be supported by a 12-week promotional road tour to HBCU campuses, Classics and homecoming games. BCFx will be available for the PC this November.

"Nerjyzed Entertainment was founded by a veteran team whose mission is to create positive interactive products for the urban market," said Jacqueline Beauchamp, chief executive officer of Nerjyzed Entertainment, Inc. "As HBCU alumni and black college football enthusiasts, we're proud that BCFx honors our rich tradition and provides an incredibly fun football game for the whole family to play."

BCFx is a sports game that captures the unique culture of the black college football experience, fusing advanced videogame design with music, and entertainment. Nerjyzed has secured an exclusive 5-year licensing agreement with three HBCU conferences including the SWAC, SIAC, and CIAA, several schools within the MEAC as well as independent HBCUs. The game features more than 40 teams, bands and mascots; interactive halftime shows; realistic stadiums; play-by-play commentary; and ten authentic Classics. For more information about BCFx, the latest game trailers, fight song ring-tones, behind-the-scenes video footage and the BCFx Road Show schedule, go to www.nerjyzed.com.

NaturalMotion Tackles Football With Backbreaker

Mike Fahey — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:00:52 MDT

Why would anyone try to take on the next-generation console football genre up against EA's Madden series when even their biggest competitor has fallen? Watch the video. NaturalMotion is the company behind the euphoria Animation System used in GTA IV and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and they're taking that animation system and applying it to the gridiron.

"Backbreaker is the first football game with truly interactive tackles. By utilizing our motion synthesis engine, euphoria, players will never make the same tackle twice, giving them an intensely unique experience every time they play the game," said NaturalMotion CEO Torsten Reil. "Backbreaker puts players in the middle of the gridiron by providing a pure, realistic football experience only possible on next-generation consoles."

If the game ends up anything like that video, NaturalMotion could give EA a run for its money in 2008. Wow. Just wow.

NATURALMOTION TACKLING THE FOOTBALL VIDEO GAME GENRE WITH BACKBREAKER
Next-Gen Football Title Pushes the Envelope with NaturalMotion's euphoria Animation System

SAN FRANCISCO, CA and OXFORD, U.K. - August 22, 2007 - NaturalMotion, the company behind the groundbreaking euphoria animation technology featured in Grand Theft Auto IV and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, today announced Backbreaker, an American football game developed exclusively for next-generation consoles. The title is slated for a 2008 release.

"Backbreaker is the first football game with truly interactive tackles. By utilizing our motion synthesis engine, euphoria, players will never make the same tackle twice, giving them an intensely unique experience every time they play the game," said NaturalMotion CEO Torsten Reil. "Backbreaker puts players in the middle of the gridiron by providing a pure, realistic football experience only possible on next-generation consoles."

Backbreaker is more than just a new sports title - it's a new experience. Incorporating NaturalMotion's euphoria motion synthesis engine, Backbreaker will set the new standard for in-game animations in the football genre. In a departure from all previous football games, every tackle in Backbreaker is calculated and executed by the console in all its bone-crunching glory as it happens. Say goodbye to canned animations, and say hello to Backbreaker. For more information, please visit www.backbreakergame.com.

Bring Back Mutant League Sports

Mark Wilson — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 12:00:44 MDT

Dear EA,

I'm not really interested in sports games. I know that you have official licenses and I'm supposed to care, but despite being a beer-loving, heterosexual male between the ages of 18-25, sports are just not my thing. But they used to be. Remember those Mutant League games you made back in the day? Those were way better than last year's Madden, and I'm fairly certain, any other iterations you have in the hopper. Because when I'm given the option of battling slime monsters against robots, or overpaid meatheads against more overpaid meatheads, I'm going with slime monsters and robots every time.

You can even rip off Pigskin Footbrawl. It's been long enough. Go ahead and "2K" Midway's ass—it's cool with me.

Yours,
Mark Wilson

O.J. Simpson Ordered To Hand Over All-Pro 2K8 Football Proceeds

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 15:40:46 MDT

Reuters is reporting that former NFL running back and guy who totally didn't kill his ex-wife O.J. Simpson has been ordered by the Los Angeles County Superior Court to hand over monies he received from lending his likeness to 2K Sports' All-Pro Football 2K8. The Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 football sim features hundreds of retired pro football players, including Simpson, who definitely did not also kill Ron Goldman.

While Simpson was acquitted of criminal murder charges, he was found "legally responsible" for their deaths in the ensuing civil court case. The Goldman family is attempting to collect on the $33 million dollars legally owed to them by The Juice, who must now disclose the details of his contract with All-Pro Football 2K8 publisher Take-Two Interactive.

If I were a Take-Two shareholder, making sure Mr. Simpson was not on the roster for the next All-Pro Football release would probably be #3 on my list of things I'm bringing up with the board during our next meeting.

O.J. Simpson ordered to pay Goldmans over game [Yahoo News]

Frankenreview, Mario Strikers Charged (Wii)

Mark Wilson — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:00:16 MDT

Some people call it soccer, others call it football, and most Americans just call it boring. But as the world's national pastime, kicking a ball around into a net is pretty ultimate. Combined with Nintendo's most famous characters in history, you get Mario Strikers Charged.

But is the game any good? Hit the jump for our Frankenreview: every bit of every review in the entire Universe thrown out, so you can read less.

Cubed3
Straight away you may grasp from that comment that the Wii's motion controls are hardly put to the test. Other than waggling the remote quickly to do a shoulder barge (pressing on the directional pad makes players do a slide challenge, which is much less distracting than shaking the controller all the time to tackle) and the reflex-testing goalkeeping aspect...this definitely feels just like the game the GameCube title really should have been.

N2Gamer
As well as letting you tackle from behind, Mario mixes things up and lets you hammer the ball into another player, tackle players that don't have the ball and even use such items as bombs and turtle shells... Mario Strikers takes a lot of inspiration from the 'old school', which is something I respect. If you grew up on NBA Jam, Nintendo World Cup or Speedball, then you'll know what I'm talking about. Rules are out! Biffo is in!!

Eurogamer
The captain can unleash a Super Strike...holding down the shoot button triggers a Super Smash Brothers style screen spasm of light and a power barometer which needs to be stopped at the right time, just like a golf game...this is where the remote comes in - the screen rotates and lets you see approaching shots through the eyes of the keeper. You direct the on screen hands and press A to make a save. It's great fun and ironically, more realistic than the simplistic hit and miss penalty shoot-outs in Pro Evolution Soccer.

BoomTown
In comparison to its rivals' online services what you get here is quite rudimentary, no voice communication and long friends codes instead of easy to remember names, but it still works well enough. Games occasionally take a while to connect to, but once connected there are no real problems, after playing numerous games online I'm yet to encounter any lag or dropped connections.

1up
And for all of its random nonsense, Charged is balanced surprisingly well. Each character has enough "weapons" on offense and defense for skilled players to overcome the deluge of items, power kicks, and field hazards. On higher levels, the A.I. is a bit too good — in that annoying "I have decided that I will score a goal riiiiiiiiiight...now" sort of way.

All the descriptions remind me of Pigskin Football. Maybe I actually have something new to play for the Wii.

Testosterone Stirring Madden 08 Screens

Mike Fahey — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 10:20:48 MDT

Every year I buy Madden twice. Normally I am not a fan of football whatsoever, but there are two times of the year where the testosterone starts to stir. Madden launch day, which inevitably finds me waiting in line with a bunch of people I have nothing in common talking in a tongue almost completely foreign to me, and then around Super bowl time, when I find myself rebuying the game after having handed it off to a friend days after the initial purchase. As soon as it comes, it goes again, like catching a light sneeze. The fact that I just vaguely referenced a Tori Amos song is testament to both my lack of interest in the sport as well as the sheer primal power of football. Looking at these new Xbox 360 screens I am starting to feel it all over again.

Which Football Game is the Best?

Mark Wilson — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 13:20:14 MDT

In a painstaking review process, one reviewer weighs the merits of the two big football games of the moment: NCAA Football 08 and All-Pro Football 2K8. Breaking down graphics, offensive plays, defense controls, graphics, modes of play, freshness, extras, ouxtras and realism, there is one inarguable conclusion—a verdict undeniable in its truth.

Don't buy either. They're freaking football games.

OK, the reviewer's answer was All-Pro Football 2K8 for its online play.

But we like our advice more.

NCAA Football 08 vs All-Pro Football 2K8 [pastapadre]

Street Is Watching OJ Simpson In All Pro Football 2K8

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 16:40:27 MDT

Sure, the inclusion of O.J. Simpson, former murder suspect and Hertz pitchman, may have been a questionable choice for 2K Sports' All-Pro Football 2K8, but combined with the fictional in-game team The Assassins, does that make things far, far worse? Financial outlet The Street seems to think so.

Reporter Priya Ganapati calls the decision to include the Assassin mascot a "play on Simpson's notoriety as the accused in the 1994 murder of his former wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman" one that "reflects a lack of sensitivity and leaves the company open to accusations of bad taste" later adding that "it suggests an attempt to deliberately offend and use Simpson's past to profit and promote a video game that many parents would likely buy as a normal sports-game purchase."

It's unclear how much thought 2K Sports invested in including both the mascot and Simpson, although, personally, the latter inclusion seems like a bad idea from the start. However, I can't help but feel the relationship between the two is tenuous at best and that the strained headline of the article, linked below, is extremely telling of the forced controversy. Thoughts?

Take-Two Game Has O.J. Simpson — and a Knife [The Street]

Week in Games: Post E3 Edition

fdemarco — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 22:14:59 MDT

With E3 behind us, we look forward to some really amazing titles coming out in the next few months. Unfortunately, none of them are coming out this week. We have a couple football games, more Tom Clancy, a new RPG on the PSP, a tennis game, and an actual real live MAC game. Two games that have my interest at least a bit this week are PaRappa on the PSP and Bomberman Live on XBLA. But, in my post E3 stupor, I doubt I would even have the brain power to concentrate on a new game.

NCAA Football 08 (X360, PS3, XBOX, PS2) This football season starts early.

All-Pro Football 2K8 (X360, PS3)
And yet even more football!

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (PC)
Tom Clancy's tactical shooter makes another appearance from the shadows.

Tales of The World: Radiant Mythology (PSP)
Create your own custom characters in this new RPG for the PSP.

Bomberman Live (X360)
The classic comes top XBLA with online multiplayer mode

PaRappa the Rapper (PSP)
The rap master brings a bit of PS1 nostalgia to the PSP

Hot Shots Tennis (PS2)
Play tennis with little people with giant heads

Battleground Europe: World War II Online (MAC)
Holy crap! A game on Mac!

2K Woos Football Fans With Hip-Hop

Mike Fahey — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 09:20:40 MDT

What do you do when you are marketing a football video game but just about every aspect of the sport that makes it popular is owned by another gaming company? You call in the hip-hop luminaries. In a play I believe they took directly from Sun Tzu's The Art of War, 2K Sports, being unable to associate All-Pro Football 2K8 with anything resembling organized football have launched their "Football Resurrected " campaign in preparation for the game's launch on July 17th.

This is one of the two vignettes currently available at the website, www.footballresurrected.com, part of a series of videos directed by music video director Maz Makhani featuring artists like Rakim, Aceyalone, and several other people I don't know but am sure are very good at what they do.

2K Sports is also very good at what they do, though I wonder if this campaign will be enough to break them off a sizeable piece of the Madden-dominated football market. You have to admire them for trying, and if anyone can pull it off, these are the guys.

2K Sports Announces the "Football Resurrected" Campaign for All-Pro Football 2K8

Today publisher 2K Sports proudly announces the "Football Resurrected" campaign, a multi-platform marketing campaign in support of All-Pro Football 2K8, available on July 17 for the Xbox 360 and PS3. The campaign, which spans the online, print and broadcast mediums, is designed to attract fans of video games, hip-hop and football with engaging content that celebrates 2K Sports' return to the virtual football arena with All-Pro Football 2K8.

Kicking off the "Football Resurrected" campaign is an innovative episodic online video series featuring past and present hip-hop luminaries who sound off about different aspects of All-Pro Football 2K8. The six, two-minute episodes were shot by legendary music video director, Maz Makhani, and feature artists such as Rakim, Chali 2Na from Jurassic 5, Pep Love & Casual of Hieroglyphics, M-1 from Dead Prez, and Aceyalone.

The first two episodes, "Rice Returns" and "Give Me Real Football" can be viewed now at www.footballresurrected.com.

All-Pro Football 2K8 Trailer

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 14:40:31 MDT

The first look at 2K Sports' All-Pro Football 2K8 in motion hit Game Head late Friday night, then made its way to GameTrailers soon after. The animation looks nice, but the hits look quite awkward. That frame right? Needs a little tightening. The NFL 2K vibe taps the Dreamcast lover within and I hope 2K's attempts to provide a solid contender to EA's Madden bear fruit, adding some healthy competition to the football game game. While this brief look at All-Pro makes it look like a winner, I have some serious doubt that the game, sans NFL license, will make even a slight dent in the EA's cashcow's sales. Michael McWhertor

Compete With Your Wii

Kim Phu — Mon, 21 May 2007 11:40:00 MDT

The European gaming site Console Gaming is adding a Nintendo Wii ladder in the Europe region for players of Super Mario Strikers Charged. Right now, the gaming site is host to ladders mainly in the first-person shooter realms of the PS3 and Xbox 360, and is hoping to expand out to the casual gamer by giving Nintendo Wii owners a place to battle it out. The General Manager of the company states:

The market is currently dominated by the more conventional competitive ladders such as Rainbow Six: Vegas or Socom, by launching a ladder for Super Mario Strikers we are hoping that we can draw in the casual gamer, and those that want a break from your standard online game and reunite them on the virtual football field. This will bring us closer to achieving our aim of becoming a central hub for which all European gamers can converse and compete in a ladder environment.

I love my Nintendo Wii and I am quite a bit of a competitive lady, but I'm not sure if Mario Strikers Charged is really going to have enough meat on it to play other people in a semi-serious manner. I could be wrong, that game clip was super macho, even for Bowser. Kim Phu

PRESS RELEASE
ConsoleGaming Announces Nintendo Wii ladder

22nd May, London, UK - consolegaming.eu, one of Europes largest clan gaming sites today announced that it will be launching the first competitive Nintendo Wii ladder in Europe. This will take the form of Super Mario Strikers.

Marco Spoor, General Manager of Consolegaming.eu stated that "The market is currently dominated by the more conventional competitive ladders such as Rainbow Six: Vegas or Socom, by launching a ladder for Super Mario Strikers we are hoping that we can draw in the casual gamer, and those that want a break from your standard online game and reunite them on the virtual football field. This will bring us closer to achieving our aim of becoming a central hub for which all European gamers can converse and compete in a ladder environment"

Since ConsoleGaming.eu was launched in January 2007 the staff have done a lot to help make the site easier for everyone to use by having the ladders and the forums avaliable in 10 of the most spoken languages in Europe. There are dedicated community managers for each of the languages to provide you with support each step of the way.

Mario Strikers will join the current 11 ladders spread out over the three major formats, Playstation 2, Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360. All of which have achieved major success since launching in April, with more ladders being launched all the time.

You are able to register for the ladders at http://mscf.wii.consolegaming.eu/.

About Console Gaming

Despite launching only a few months ago, Console Gaming has grown larger than anyone had originally anticipated by managing to accumulate over 6000 members in a matter of months. The ladders launched in April and the number of visitors is growing considerably every day.

In addition to providing various ladders for a multitude of games. ConsoleGaming also has managed to build up a fairly active forum. Something which does indeed help define a gaming website. In such a competitive market, with thousands of posts being made a day on a variety
of different topics it truly has managed to bring European gamers together.

Currently Supported Ladders:

Motorstorm (Playstation 3)
Resistance: Fall of Man (Playstation 3)
Socom 2 (Playstation 2)
Socom 3 (Playstation 2)
Socom: Combined Assault (Playstation 2)
Command & Conquer: Tiberium Wars (Xbox 360)
Gears of War (Xbox 360)
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (Xbox 360)
Rainbow Six: Vegas (Xbox 360)
Virtua Tennis 3 (Xbox 360)
Pro Evolution Soccer 6 (Xbox 360)

Supported Languages:

English
Dutch/Belgian
German
French
Italian
Norwegian
Polish
Swedish
Finnish
Portuguese
Spanish