EA CELEBRATES 2006 FIFA WORLD CUP GERMANY™ WITH EXCLUSIVE RELEASE OF OFFICIALLY LICENSED VIDEOGAME
Event Game Enables Players to Step onto the Pitch and Play with Their Heroes
CHERTSEY, England. - March 1, 2006 - Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) will celebrate the 2006 FIFA World Cup GermanyTM - the world's largest sporting event - with the launch of 2006 FIFA World CupTM, the event's only officially licensed videogame. The videogame will ship on all platforms including Xbox 360TM in April 2006 in anticipation of the real-world tournament which begins in June.
2006 FIFA World Cup, under the EA SPORTSTM brand, will feature stunning visual representations of the world's superstar players, 12 official stadiums that will be used at 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany and stadiums from each qualifying region. Gamers will be able to play as their favorite team from qualification right through to a virtual reproduction of the tournament in Germany.
"The FIFA World Cup will be the single most watched sporting event by a worldwide television audience, bringing together football fans from around the world," said Joe Nickolls, lead producer of the game. "Our game, 2006 FIFA World Cup celebrates this passion by capturing all of the national rivalries in-game, enabling fans to play their heroes and be a part of 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany."
With enhanced player animations, EA SPORTS has emulated close to 100 of the world's superstars, capturing their playing styles and individual likenesses. In addition to enabling gamers to participate in the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany by taking control of one of 127 national teams, the game features new compelling modes of play, including the groundbreaking Global Challenge that will test even the most hardcore football fan by recreating classic moments in FIFA World CupTM history. Furthermore, the game supports up to eight-way multiplayer matches and boasts a plethora of in-game unlockable content such as legendary players and exclusive apparel.
For the first time ever, the officially licensed game of 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany will be available for download via mobile phones. Upon release, gamers can purchase 2006 FIFA World Cup through major North American carriers and will have the option of downloading either English or the Spanish language version of the game. This robust title features all of the 32 international teams vying for the most coveted title in football and offers gamers on-the-go a compelling gameplay experience that truly captures the essence of the sport and this global event.
2006 FIFA World Cup, developed by EA Canada in Vancouver, B.C., is scheduled to ship on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® and Xbox 360TM video game systems from Microsoft, Nintendo GameCubeTM, Nintendo DSTM, and Game Boy® Advance, PSPTM (PlayStation®Portable) system, PC and mobile. The game carries a PEGi rating of 3+. Screenshots can be downloaded at www.electronicarts.co.uk/press
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 videogame systems, personal computers, and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS BIGTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2005, EA posted revenues of $3.1 billion and had 31 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.
Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG, and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S and/or other countries. Official FIFA licensed product. FIFA World Cup is the property of its respective owner and used with permission. Microsoft, Xbox and Xbox 360 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. "PlayStation" is a registered trademark and PSP is a trademark of SCEI. Nintendo DS, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance are trademarks of Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.