May 12, 2008

EA Games Label Sets the Summer on Fire with Eight Blockbuster Games

The temperature is rising this summer as the Electronic Arts Inc. Games Label gets ready to release eight action-packed titles from seven of the world’s most critically acclaimed development studios including BioWare, Criterion, DICE, EALA, Maxis and Pandemic as well as the revered EA partner Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., a company of MTV Networks. Between May and September, the EA Games Label will launch a stunning line-up of titles that rivals any independent game publisher, with offerings that appeal to the explorer, adventurer, action junkie, creator and rock star in all of us. This summer, whether playing on the Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3), PlayStation 2, PC, Mac, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS or mobile phone, players will fire up their gaming rigs and have some serious fun.

Players looking for action will hunt for the spoils of war while delivering over-top destruction in Battlefield: Bad Company and go for revenge in Venezuela in Mercenaries 2: World in Flames. Those looking for world domination will control epic armies in Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath, or for those more interested in conquering worlds beyond earth, they can explore the depths of space in Mass Effect. For the creative class looking to express their inner artist, the Spore Creature Creator will allow them to design individual species even before the launch of Spore, where they can create an entire universe and share it with friends. Adrenaline junkies will put the pedal to the metal with new downloadable content for Burnout Paradise or feel the rush of super-stardom as they take to the stage with Rock Band.

Later in the year, gamers can look forward to more outstanding entertainment from the EA Games Label including Battlefield Heroes, Battleforge, Command & Conquer Red Alert 3, Dead Space, Mirror’s Edge, Skate It, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning and much, much more.

Mike Quigley, Group VP of Global Marketing, EA Games Label said, “If you need a break from GTA IV, or if you’re looking for more than just the one or two great summer movies on tap, the EA Games Label is stepping up with eight huge summer titles. The incredible diversity of the title line-up reflects the talent range of our studios and partners. Big FPS action, amazing adventures, epic sci-fi fantasy or rock star reality – these are the summer entertainment experiences people will love.”

Battlefield: Bad Company
Go for the gold! Battlefield: Bad Company drops gamers behind enemy lines with a squad of renegade soldiers who risk it all on a personal quest for gold and revenge. Featuring intense multiplayer action as well as a deep, cinematic single-player experience loaded with adventure and humor, the game delivers the Battlefield series’ trademark sandbox gameplay in a universe where nearly everything is destructible.

• ESRB – T for Teen
• Platforms – Xbox 360 and PS3
• Ship Date – June 23, 2008

Burnout Paradise
The Year of Paradise Continues! Following the launch of Burnout Paradise for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system in January, EA Criterion is continuing to support the game’s players throughout the year by delivering significant, game-changing content and regular broadcast activities. The first game-changing content will be coming to the PLAYSTATION Store and Xbox LIVE Marketplace in June free to download. This will include 3 all-new online game modes (Road Rage, Marked Man, and Stunt Run), 70 new multi-part, timed Freeburn challenges and 7 new cars, instantly adding many hours of additional gameplay. Also being introduced is a new “Live” Global Paradise news system where players will be able to receive the most up-to-date information on the game and a schedule of upcoming online events, and the much requested custom soundtrack support for the PLAYSTATION 3. This is to bring the community of Burnout players together with the makers of the game to create a social online gaming experience that evolves throughout the year. To meet the team and get more details, please visit criteriongames.com.

• ESRB – Rating Pending
• Platforms – PC, Xbox 360 and PS3
• Download Date – June 2008

Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath
Command & Conquer is coming to the Xbox 360 this summer, with the revolutionary all-new CommandStick, a control system that simplifies the console RTS experience for new and hardcore RTS gamers alike. A follow up to last year’s critically acclaimed Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars, Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath for Xbox 360 includes all the units, structures, and powers from Tiberium Wars, a deep storyline campaign told through the series’ trademark HD video cinematics, six diverse new sub-factions, giving players no less than nine armies to choose from, and all-new game-changing Epic Units. The Xbox 360 version also includes over 50 multiplayer maps and the 360-exclusive Kane’s Challenge mode, where players will battle through over 80 matches versus a gauntlet of deadly sub-faction leaders. Best of all for 360 gamers, Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath features a full complement of 1000 achievement points – all for $39.99.

• ESRB – T for Teen
• Platforms – Xbox 360
• Ship Date – June 2008

Mass Effect
As the first BioWare/Electronic Arts title, players take on the role of Commander Shepard as they set out to save the galaxy from imminent destruction. Wrought with treachery, heroism and difficult decisions, Mass Effect features a compelling storyline and a universe filled with unique creatures. Originally released for the Xbox 360 in 2007, Mass Effect has won over eighty awards globally including several ‘Game of the Year’ nods. Fully optimized for the PC, Mass Effect features higher resolution graphics, the ability to map biotic powers to ‘hot keys’, a new decryption mini-game, an enhanced inventory system and fast loading times. PC gamers are now able to control their individual squad mates with the new Tactical Heads-Up Display, allowing for deeper and more efficient control during combat.

• ESRB – M for Mature
• Platforms – PC
• Ship Date – May 28, 2008

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
The first rule for Mercenaries is: Everyone pays. But when sleazy Venezuelan Industrialist Ramon Solano breaks this simple rule, it is no longer about business; it is about payback, Mercs style. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames delivers over-the-top action, big explosions and world-class production values in a fully destructible, beautifully detailed Venezuela.

• ESRB – Not yet rated
• Platforms – PS3, Xbox 360, PC and PlayStation 2
• Ship Date – August 31st 2008 in North America; September 5th 2008 in UK and Europe

Rock Band
Rock Band is an all-new platform for music fans and gamers to interact with music like never before. The game challenges players to put together a band and tour for fame and fortune – all while learning to master lead/bass guitar, drums and vocals. Featuring the most master recordings of any music game ever by the world’s biggest rock artists, Rock Band includes tracks that span every genre of rock ranging from alternative and classic rock to heavy metal and punk. The Wii version will feature 63 songs including five bonus songs for the Wii. Rock Band is developed by Harmonix, published by MTV and distributed by EA.

• ESRB – T for Teen
• Platforms – Wii
• Ship Date – June 22, 2008

Spore Creature Creator
In anticipation for the launch of Spore in September, the Spore Creature Creator gives Spore fans, and anyone who is creatively curious, a first hands-on opportunity to design their own species and share it with their friends. All creatures designed with the Spore Creature Creator can be imported into the full version of Spore. The free demo version of the Spore Creature Creator will be available worldwide via download from www.spore.com. The free demo lets players shape, paint and play with an unlimited number of creatures, using 25% of the creature-making parts from Spore. People can then share these creations with their friends, including seamless uploads to YouTube. The demo will also be included in the The SimCity Box, which ships on June 23.

• ESRB – E
• Platforms – PC, Macintosh
• Ship Date – June 17, 2008

Spore
Get ready for the next Big Bang this fall! Spore, the highly anticipated game from the creators of The Sims, gives players their own personal universe in a box. Create and evolve life, establish tribes, build civilizations, sculpt entire worlds and explore a universe created by other gamers. Spore gives players a wealth of creative tools to customize nearly every aspect of their universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even UFOs. Players can then seamlessly share their creations with the world or explore infinite new galaxies created by other people.

• ESRB – Not yet rated
• Platforms – PC, Macintosh, Nintendo DS and mobile phones
• (*NDS version is titled “Spore Creatures”)
• Ship Date – September 7, 2008

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