March 1, 2006
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
Electronic Arts will celebrate the 2006 FIFA
World Cup Germany™ – the world’s largest sporting event – with the launch of
2006 FIFA World Cup™, the event’s only officially licensed videogame. The
videogame will ship on all platforms including Xbox 360™ in April 2006 in
anticipation of the real-world tournament which begins in June.
2006 FIFA World Cup, under the EA SPORTS™ 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
soccer 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 soccer fan by recreating classic
moments in FIFA World Cup™ 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 soccer 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 360™ video game systems from Microsoft,
Nintendo GameCube™, Nintendo DS™, and Game Boy® Advance, PSP™ system, PC and
mobile.
The game is rated is rated “E” (Everyone) by the
ESRB.
