EA Sports has announced that much like the revival of NBA Jam last year, NFL Blitz will finally make a comeback. Gamespot has the details and reveals the game will have online modes and is set for a 15 dollar price tag and release in January.

The game will launch on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles and the game will be developed by EA Tiburon. There hasn’t been a Blitz game on the market since 2008 with Blitz: The League II on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. However, that game wasn’t NFL licensed and touted sex, drugs, violence and a scandal. Officially it has been 8 years since we’ve seen the Blitz name in all its glory.

Via Gamespot

EA Sports has done its yearly simulation for its NHL series. With the season officially kicking off this weekend, it appears that this simulation has saved us the trouble of watching this year. Or has it?

According to its result, EA Sports predicts that the Pittsburgh Penguins will be on their way to their 4th Stanley Cup this year after facing the Chicago Blackhawks in a decisive 4-2 series win.

Other notable team storylines the simulation predicted for the 2011-2012 NHL season are as follows:
·         The Toronto Maple Leafs will squeak out an eighth place finish in the Eastern Conference, making the Playoffs for the first time in seven seasons
·         The Minnesota Wild will finish eighth in the Western Conference and will make the Playoffs for the first time since  2008
·         The Tampa Bay Lightning will once again miss out on the Stanley Cup Final; eliminated by the Penguins a seven game Eastern Conference Final

Several individual players also stood out in the NHL® 12 simulation. Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will once again lead the League offensively, posting 110 points and will take home several pieces of hardware, winning the Art Ross, Ted Lindsay and the Hart Memorial trophies. NHL®12 Cover Athlete Steven Stamkos will capture the Rocket Richard Trophy with 53 goals. The Nashville Predators’ Shea Weber will capture the James Norris Memorial Trophy and Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews will take home the Frank J. Selke Trophy. Brayden Schenn will thrive with the Philadelphia Flyers in his rookie season and will be awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy. Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers will take home his first ever Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goalie, leading all netminders with 41 wins and nine shutouts.

Here we go again, new season, new game, and from what I have seen so far, a whole new football gaming experience. One week away from release and it’s the word ‘new’ that is a daunting one here. Yes we love the updated teams, players and graphics and whatnot, but with the majority of the big changes made to the actual gameplay mechanics, should we be biting our nails at this stage?

Maybe the more hardcore FIFA players will be biting their nails over the changes made this year, but then maybe you’re just not as hardcore as you thought you were after all? See, the changes made to FIFA 12 this year are ones that force a more tactical and in turn more realistic sense of football simulation. Gone are the days of simply holding A and X (Xbox 360) in order to sandwich the ball holder into submission with two defenders. No more automatic jockeying, jostling and tackling with one button, because now it’s all about Tactical Defending (TD).

From the very tutorial-oriented start of the demo it is clear to see that this year EA Sports have set out to try something very different. No more than two minutes into the demo I am told that FIFA 12 has a very different method of defending which I would need to be taught prior to continuing. At this point, admittedly, I did shit myself slightly. Big changes such as this worry me, particularly for a game such as FIFA which is one that has come on leaps and bounds in recent years in terms of gameplay (and I say this as a former Pro Evolution enthusiast). Honestly though, in the back of my mind I knew that holding one button to press, jockey, jostle, contain and tackle an opponent was a bit of a cop out.

Defending tactically with a sliding impact...

TD is made up of a number of tactical methods which range from holding a player up goal-side to containing and taking the ball from the opponent. I firstly had the opportunity to try the Tackle Drill, aiming to take the ball from my opponent. This immediately reminded me of the FIFA games pre-2009, in that you had to press the B button to perform a standing tackle or block. The slide tackle doesn’t seem to have changed much, but it is just a sliding tackle. One noticeable feature when sliding however is the new Player Impact Engine which helps the sliding tackles feel more heavy and realistic upon impact with the opposing player or the ball. Jockeying is now not as simple as it used to be. It has been split up into numerous tasks working towards holding up an attacker, moving in to contain him and finally attempting to secure the ball with a tackle. This makes the defending tougher but more challenging. The ball carrier must be pressured to a certain degree and any mistake made defensively will more than likely be a costly one.

The new defending system is a son-of-a-bitch to get used to at first after having grown to playing the same way for the past 3 years or so, but I can’t help but feel that the change should be welcomed as the old method has become out-dated and much too simple. We all know it’s a bit too simple and quite frankly annoying when you get beat by a 7 year old kid online (the shame…).

Jockey, contain, jostle, tackle... all in that order...

The Player Impact Engine (PIE) looks to be a neat addition allowing real world physicality upon player contact. Two years in development this new physics engine has managed to provide FIFA 12 with a much more realistic feel on the pitch and ties in beautifully with the True Injuries feature whereby the PIE monitors contact between players in real time and evaluates each collision accordingly to decide if an injury has been done and if so, where.

In addition to the new gameplay features, there are new modes such as Online Friendlies, Head to Head Seasons and an all new Career Mode which all seem like promising additions to the game from both multiplayer and single player perspectives.

The full game is available from September 30^th, until then the demo is available now for download. Check it out and let us know what you think.

NBA Jam: On Fire Edition will release this fall on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.

Over the last few seasons, EA Sports has continually been innovating its NHL series with each new release. This is no different this year as EA Sports brings in over 300 gameplay refinements concentrating on three key features, Anticipation AI, Full Contact Physics Engine, and Dynamic Goalies.  Continue reading below for our full preview of NHL 12.

Yes, you read that right; goalies are now fully dynamic. If you were familiar with previous games in the series, goalies didn’t feel organic to the rest of the game or players for that matter. It was too often that goalie interactions were too strict and limited not too mention predictable, only reacting if a specific event occurred. Now, goaltenders will make better decisions and react to their surroundings in different situations. When a player attacks them for example, they’ll take the hit. Of course don’t expect to get away with it on multiple occasions as you can be sent to the sin bin for a penalty. But if you manage to pull it off, there are certainly scoring chances you can take advantage of.

Moving on, you’ll notice that the next bullet point EA Sports is addressing is Anticipation AI. This refers to player interaction within the game. Players will now react more realistically during offensive and defensive changes throughout each game. This includes everything from players skating to open positions for scoring opportunities, to the small things like a player stretching his leg out to not be caught off sides on the play. Other fun points to mention are helmets are now able to fly off players if they’re hit hard enough, and you can even hit players into breaking glass and over the benches.  When the play develops offensively, players will skate into open areas as mentioned earlier and make smarter decisions to anticipate the puck. On the defensive side of things, defenseman will try to anticipate where the puck might go next and try to cut off passing lanes and break off for a counterattack.

Finally we have upgrades to the full contact physics engine allowing more realistic hits and puck movements. Hit animations won’t feel scripted or unoriginal; every hit will react differently depending on the situation. Of course, don’t expect to go unpunished, this is hockey after all and expect some fisticuffs. The first person fighting that was introduced in NHL 10 has returned again this year with a refinement as well. Now as your fighting if you don’t want your player to get injured you can easily raise up the white flag and end the fight. A new addition is now allowing goalies to join in on the fun. If it’s a playoff or an intense game goalies will now be able to fight and take the penalty.

Although, they haven’t shown off much of it, Be A Pro mode has been completely revamped. You’ll play a full season in the CHL, which is the junior league before being called up to the minors. With the new Action Tracker you’ll be able to sim during games to your next shift so you can quickly get into the action. Another neat addition is the NHL Winter Classic in Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. You’ll be able to pick any two teams to match up outdoors on a snowy New Years Day. NHL 12 launches for Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 on September 13, be sure to keep an eye out for our full review.

EA Sports released some new Gamescom screenshots for NHL 12 . While the team showcased in these images aren’t what I would call screen worthy, they do showcase the latest announcement on the game. You’ll be able to play as NHL Legends like Patrick Roy and Jeremy Roenick (both shown in the screenshots below).

NHL 12 is scheduled to release on September 13 for 360 and PS3

With new features using real-time map locations, SSX will allow players to drop anywhere on the planet at any time. SSX won’t see release on the store shelves till January 2012, but we have some new screenshots for you below to take a gander at. SSX will feature all new multiplayer modes and online play including social interaction features to keep you occupied.

Here we have a new batch of NCAA 12 screenshots for you to take a gander at below. Enjoy.

NCAA 12 releases next month (July) on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

EA Sports Canada has revealed a new trailer for the upcoming NHL 12 this September. The game will feature all new goalie animations and even goalie fights. Players will be able to knock the net off its post as well as players helmets flying off after a big hit. An even bigger announcement for this years version will include the 2011 Winter Classic at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. Check out the trailer above and expect more info to come to surface at E3 next month.

This years release of Madden NFL 12 is still releasing on August 30th despite all the troubles with the lockout the league is dealing with right now. In the mean time, a campaign with ESPN.com and SportsNation to decide the new cover player for the upcoming release. After 12.7 million votes, the fans selected Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis. The voting ran from March 21st too April 27th and the final results were tallied. To celebrate the winner, EA Sports held an event in New York City’s Times Square to show off first images and the first preview of the game.

Read more below for more details about the games features.

Playbooks & Gameplay

o   All-New Collision System: Now maintain full control of players up to the point of impact – from tackling to blocking – providing the most authentic collisions in franchise history.  This new system uses a player’s momentum and over 100 new tackle animations, including 40 gang tackles, to provide more impactful hits, stolen tackles, and consecutive hit tackling.

o   Advanced Defensive AI: Over 100 defensive A.I. enhancements resulting in the smartest Madden defense ever. Players in zone and man coverage will properly recognize and react to plays, including the ability to break out of assignments when appropriate, resulting in a defensive team that truly works together. 

o   Custom Playbooks: The #1 most requested feature by fans in recent years, allows you to build the ultimate game plan by modifying an existing playbook or creating your own by selecting up to 400 offensive or defensive plays from 75 different playbooks. Integrate your custom playbook into a game plan for use with the improved GameFlow system, which executes an authentic, situational game plan for you.

Presentation

o   Broadcast Redefined: Experience NFL Sundays like never before with completely overhauled presentation, including 32 team-specific run outs featuring mascots and cheerleaders, over 500 dynamic broadcast cameras authentic to every NFL stadium, innovative “real” on-field cameras shot by expert NFL Films cameramen, and a network inspired new broadcast graphics package.

o   Unprecedented On-Field Authenticity: Hundreds of visual improvements across all areas of the game including: new player equipment, helmet stickers, pylon and ball physics, a player degradation system that affects uniforms and helmets based on weather and field surface, 3D grass, and new player specific animations that showcase the personalities of each NFL player.

Franchise and Superstar Modes

o   Franchise mode includes more than 100 new features and enhancements, including expanded rosters, an all-new rookie scouting system, a free-agent bidding system, and more.

o   In Superstar mode, fans can now control the growth of their superstar with an all-new progression system that allows you to earn skill points by participating in practice and games.  More details on Franchise and Superstar modes will be released on May 16.

Dynamic Player Performance

o   Dynamic Player Performance is an all-new feature that creates unprecedented realism as a player’s skills and confidence will rise and fall based on his performance throughout a game or in Franchise mode, just like the real NFL.  No two players will play the same in Madden NFL 12, and more details will be revealed at the E3 Expo on June 6.

Madden NFL Ultimate Team

o   The perfect combination of Madden NFL Football, fantasy football, and trading cards comes to life in Madden NFL Ultimate Team. More information on how to earn, buy, auction, and trade players will be released on June 20.

Online Communities

o   Online Communities will provide an all-new way for Madden NFL gamers to meet and play.  More details will be released on July 25.

EA has confirmed some bits of info for SSX: Deadly Descents. Apparently the game features a rewind button so you can undo your weaksauce boarding skills, as well as 70 mountains to test that on. Those 70 mountains cross 17 regions, and include The Alps, Himalayas, Kilimanjaro, Siberia and Caucasus.

The clever bit is that the mountains are made automatically by the Deadly Descents, which pulls in data for use from Google Earth. Apparently, the game wants to replicate the feeling of danger associated with thin air, ice and temperature.

EA has confirmed that they will be turning off online support for some of their games over the next few months. The cull starts on 11th January, when EA will turn off the online part of The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth II and the “Rise of the Witch-King” version on the Xbox 360. Next to get the axe is The Sims Carnival on 16th January. Then on 8th February a load of EA Sports titles will no longer be playable online, including FIFA 07 on 360, FIFA Manager 10 on PC, FIFA 09 Ultimate Team on PS3 and 360, as well as Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 on PS3 and 360.

EA said: “As background information, the EA Sports games scheduled for shutdown in February and March 2011 represent roughly one per cent of all peak online players across all EA titles.

“Despite some people’s perception, there is a lot of behind-the-scenes work involved with keeping these older games up and running. We would rather our hard-working engineering and IT staff focus on keeping a positive experience for the other 99 per cent of customers playing our more popular games.

“These decisions to retire games is never easy. The development teams and operational staff pour their hearts into these games almost as much as the customers playing them and it is hard to see one retired. We hope you have gotten many hours of enjoyment out of the games and we appreciate your ongoing patronage.”

EA has announced that FIFA Ultimate Team has managed to generate a crazy £28.5 million for EA. Moreover, the PSN and XBLA FPS Battlefield: 1943 has made £10 million after Sony and Microsoft took their cut. EA CFO Eric Brown revealed the figures at the 38th Annual Media and Communications Conference. “We see people spending $500, $600, $700 on digital card packs to play Ultimate Team simulation mode,” Brown said.

FIFA 09’s Ultimate Team made $15 million in revenue, with development costs in the single-digit millions. FIFA 10’s Ultimate Team made $30 million. With both of those together, that equals $45 million in total. FIFA 11’s numbers haven’t been confirmed yet.

Battlefield: 1943 grabbed $16 million, and that game cost in the single-digit millions to build. EA expects 20% of its revenue (around $750 million) to come from digital sales for this fiscal year.

EA has announced that the Fight Night Champion cover athlete is David Haye. He’s the 30 year-old Londoner that embarrassed Audley Harrison. Haye is also the current WBA World Heavyweight Champion of the world. The game will be released on the PS3 and 360 next year. We have a list of all the 54 boxers included in the game after the break.

1. Augustus, Emanuel

2. Calzaghe, Joe

3. César Chávez, Julio

4. Corrales, Diego

5. Cotto, Miguel

6. Donaire, Nonito

7. Foreman, George

8. Frazier, Joe

9. Gamboa, Yuriorkis

10. Guerreo, Robert

11. Hagler, Marvelous Marvin

12. Hatton, Ricky

13. Hearns, Thomas

14. Jones Jr, Roy

15. LaMotta, Jake

16. Lewis, Lennox

17. Chad Dawson

18. Monzon, Carlos

19. Mora, Sergio

20. Morrison, Tommy

21. Mosley, Shane

22. Ortiz, Victor

23. Pacquiao, Manny

24. Pavlik, Kelly

25. Paz, Vinny

26. Robinson, Sugar Ray

27. Taylor, Jermain

28. Tyson, Mike

29. Whitaker, Pernell

30. Wright, Ronald “Winky”

31. De La Hoya, Oscar

32. Holyfield, Evander

33. Hopkins, Bernard

34. Klistchko, Vitali

35. Klistchko, Wladimir

36. Liston, Sonny

37. Sugar Ray Leonard

38. Ali, Muhammad

39. Danny Jacobs

40. Erislandy Lara

41. Roberto Duran

42. Cristobal Arreola

43. Tim Bradley

44. Anthony Mundine

45. Billy Dib

46. Fernando Vargas

47. Kevin Kelley

48. Eddie Chambers

49. David Haye

50. Jesse James Leija

51. Peter Manfredo Jr.

52. Butterbean

53. Zab Judah

54. Kendall Holt

EA has announced that Fight Night Champion has a story-based campaign about just one boxer: Andre Bishop. His special mode is called “Champion Mode”. It puts you into Bishop’s gloves as he goes from the little leagues into the big time. Expect fights, training, cutscenes and cool stuff hopefully. Intriguingly, this will be EA Sports’ first M-rated game.

EA has announced that Fight Night Champion will be released on 1st March 2011 in the US and 4th March in Europe. The game will be released on the PS3 and 360. EA seems to think that it has a new feature that they believe is “the most innovative, groundbreaking thing that any Fight Night game or any Knock Out game has done”.  We believe they were talking about a solo mode that’s separate from the series mainstay Legacy mode.

EA has announced Madden NFL 3DS. It’s their first game for the new handheld and will be accompanying the 3DS’ launch in the first half of 2011. The 3DS is currently down for a March release in the US and Europe, so expect it around then. It’ll have 11 vs. 11 American football (obviously), all 32 NFL teams and stadiums, a fast-paced five-on-five mode and a Season Mode.

There are also Spotlight Moments and Call Your Shots in the game too, with the ability for gamers to draw their own plays on the 3DS touch screen. Other than that, you can do play calling through GameFlow, Classic and Arcade. GameFlow automatically chooses the best play, Classic lets you decide and Arcade is supposed to be a simplified version of Classic. Apparently, there will also be “3D specific cameras that provide new levels of depth”.

EA has confirmed that they have been cooking away on a new patch for FIFA 11. It will be released on 12th November on the PS3 and 17th November on the 360. The patch will make the offside rule more accurate, improve shooting from weak volleys and eliminate “micro-pausing” amongst other fixes. The fixes will span across all of the game’s modes. It will patch up the online exploits some cheeky swines have been using, as well as improve the cut-scenes for substitutions.

EA has confirmed that they have cancelled NBA Elite 11. The franchise will continue to exist though, with EA Tiburon taking over development duties from EA Canada. In other news, the company recorded a loss of $134 million over the last financial quarter (from July 1st until September 30th). Net revenue was at $884 million, which is down $250 million from the same period in 2009.

EA has announced that FIFA 11 Ultimate Team will be released on 3rd November on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. If you are already a FIFA Ultimate Team player you can start early by logging on to the official site from yesterday. Returning players will get two free gold packs to help build their teams before it launches.