TAKE TO THE FIELD AND LEAD THE UK TO VICTORY IN GERMANY THIS SUMMER
Xbox Cup Leaderboard Competition on Xbox Live with EA's 2006 FIFA World Cup – Now Open
London - 4th May 2006 - Football loving gamers all over the world can now battle it out on the virtual football pitch for a chance to lead their country to victory in Germany this June - with the Xbox® Cup Leaderboard Competition on Xbox LiveTM.
All you need is EA SPORTSTM 2006 FIFA World CupTM videogame, now in stores, an Xbox 360 games console, access to Xbox Live - the world's premiere connected gaming service from Xbox - and a passion for football! If you've got the top leaderboard spot on 24th May 2006, then you'll be playing for the UK at the Xbox Cup in Germany this summer, joined by two team mates who will have qualified via the other two routes.
If you don't already have access to Xbox Live, it's easy to set up and you can keep track of the ups and downs of your team on the leaderboard. You can practise on your own as much as you like but when playing the game connected to Xbox Live - every game counts. If you win your rating goes up, lose and it goes down. The quality of your opposition counts as well - you get more points for beating a highly rated player and you drop points if you lose to a poor one.
The global Xbox Cup competition was launched four weeks ago by Xbox, adidas and Electronic Arts. The Xbox Cup Leaderboard Competition on Xbox Live is just one of three ways gamers can enter the Xbox Cup and win a chance to represent the UK in Germany this summer at the final showdown alongside the FIFA World CupTM Finals. There, the UK team will compete with 31 other teams from around the world for the Xbox Cup, win tickets from adidas to the FIFA World CupTM and bring back a host of other prizes.
You do need to register to take part in the Xbox Cup Leader-board competition on Xbox Live, just go to http://www.Xboxcup.com now to sign up and find out more about the competition and the other routes to taking part in the Xbox Cup like playing a fun and simple game on this website.
In 2006 FIFA World CupTM for Xbox 360, players step into the heart of the action as they play their favourite team or most loathed opponent in spectacular fashion with stunning visual representations of the world's superstar players and the 12 official FIFA World Cup stadiums in Germany.
The team members selected to represent the UK in the Xbox Cup will be announced on 9th June 2006. See you there in Berlin!
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About Xbox and Xbox 360
Microsoft revolutionized the gaming industry with the November 2001 launch of Xbox (http://www.xbox.com), its first-generation video games and entertainment system, now sold in 26 countries around the world. This Christmas season Microsoft debuts its next-generation system, Xbox 360, in Europe, Japan and North America, to be followed by availability in Australia, Colombia, Hong Kong, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan in 2006. Xbox 360 is the most powerful video game and entertainment system, delivering the best games, the next generation of the premier Xbox Live online gaming service, and unique digital entertainment experiences that revolve around you.
About Xbox Live
Xbox Live continues to transform and unite Xbox game communities worldwide, with a presence in 24 countries worldwide and a global community of more than 2 million members. As the first and only global, unified online console games service, Xbox Live offers world-class games, intelligent matchmaking, tournaments, unique programming and integration with Xbox.com. For more information, go to www.xbox.com/live.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
For more information, (press only) please contact:
Marie-Claire Suter
UK PR Manager - Xbox & Games For Windows
Tel: +44 (0) 118 909 4599
Email: i-maries@microsoft.com
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EA SPORTS is a trademark or registered trademark of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Official licensed product. ® The Official Emblem, the Official Mascots of the 2006 FIFA World Cup GermanyTM and the FIFA World CupTM Trophy are copyrights and trademarks of FIFA. All rights reserved. Produced under licence by Electronic Arts Inc.