EA to unveil The Sims 2, FIFA Football 2005 and Need for Speed Undergound 2 at Game Stars Live

Electronic Arts, the world's leading interactive entertainment software company, today announced an unrivalled line-up of Sports, Action, Racing, Simulation, Role-Playing, Fighting and Real-time Strategy games will debut to the public at Game Stars Live, the major consumer gameplay show taking place 1st – 5th September event at London's ExCeL centre.

Eighteen games from the eagerly anticipated EA SPORTS and EA GAMES range will be fully-playable at the event. Burnout 3: Takedown will also be playable online over Xbox Live and PlayStation 2 entertainment system.

In addition to getting hands-on with the titles, consumers will be able to take on the best gamers in Tournaments on The Challenge Stage for GoldenEye: Rogue Agent, Burnout 3: Takedown, Need for Speed Underground 2, FIFA Football 2005 and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 2005; try out your football skills in the Patrick Vieira, Andriy Shevchenko and Fernando Morientes Reality Football Zones; pick up golfing tips and swing analysis before comparing your own golf swing with Tiger Woods in the Golf Zone, experience the ultimate in online racing gaming at the On-Line Zone; Get in the Game and see your image in an action shot from The Sims 2, Need for Speed Underground 2 or Medal of Honor Pacific Assault and find out how the Electronic Arts Studio developers bring games to life whilst enjoying the Behind the Scenes Video Trailers.

"We have a great line up of titles due to debut at Game Stars Live," said Paul Jackson, Vice President and Managing Director of Northern Region at Electronic Arts. "Gaming fans will get the chance to discover a whole new generation of Sims in the sequel to the world's best selling PC game, The Sims 2, as well as experience the high speed thrills of Burnout 3 and Need for Speed Underground 2 plus take control of their favourite team in the latest version in the world's best selling football series, FIFA Football 2005."

Game Stars Live runs from 1st to 5th September at London's impressive ExCeL exhibition facility. Filling an area the size of three football pitches, Game Stars Live will offer visitors the chance to play all the top Christmas releases from the major games publishers, in a star-studded show that offers something for everyone – no matter what their age or gaming experience. Celebrity appearances, gaming challenges and a whole host of special, themed zones will excite and enthral visitors.

Tickets for the show are on-sale throughout the event on www.gamestarslive.co.uk, priced £10 in advance or £12 on the door.

Further information on Game Stars Live can be found at www.gamestarslive.co.uk. Tickets can be bought through the Website or by calling the ticket hotline on 0870 272 0012.

EA SPORTS TITLES AT GAME STARS LIVE:

FIFA Football 2005 - Great football players need a great first touch - and the same is now true for gamers with FIFA Football 2005. Using an all-new fluid player kinetic system, a player's first touch becomes a key advantage for players who can think quickly and act fast to outsmart the competition. An all-new animation system reacts to every button press with authentic responsiveness, directly translating to the speed and vision of the world's greatest players. With more than 350 official teams, 18 league licenses – including official English Premiership and Football League, German Bundesliga, French LFP and Spanish LFP (Primera Liga) – as well as 38 national teams and 15,000 players available for selection, FIFA Football 2005 is the only football game to provide the most authentic selection of the world's top teams, players and environments. FIFA Football 2005 is scheduled for release in October for the PlayStation, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox video game system from Microsoft, the NINTENDO GAMECUBE, Game Boy Advance and the PC.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 2005 - Challenge the Man Who Changed Golf Forever-Tiger Woods. Tiger-Proof your favourite course and change the way the game is played in Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 2005. Using the revolutionary course-altering system, create that intensely challenging course you've always dreamed about. Modify course dynamics and call out your PGA TOUR rivals by adding lengthier Tiger Tees, tighter fairways, dramatic undulation to greens, deeper bunkers, higher rough, and more. The power to create golf's biggest challenge is in your hands. With an enhanced EA SPORTS Game Face featuring non-proportional bone scaling and texture blending for realistic looks, plus new clothes, more manufacturers, and more variety, the time to become the greatest golfer on the PGA TOUR is now. Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 2005 scheduled for release in September 2004 on the PlayStation 2 console, Xbox, NINTENDO GAMECUBE and PC.

Total Club Manager 2005 - Total Club Manager 2005 will pit your football wits against the best managers in the world. Whether you are scrapping for points in a relegation battle, or on the verge of European victory, Total Club Manager 2005 will guarantee you feel the pressures of the modern day football manager. A deeper more thorough database complete with officially licensed leagues, teams and players, as well as improved tactical realism in a stunning 3D world, allow for a more realistic management experience. An all-new 3D highlights package (PC only) is also included to allow the manager to view key moments in the game. Total Club Manager 2005 is scheduled for release in October 2004 on the PlayStation 2 console, Xbox and PC.

Madden NFL 2005 - Madden NFL 2005 introduces the Hit Stick, which gives players the ability to turn a game around with a crucial tackle and delivers the power to take control of the game from the defensive side of the ball like never before. Along with all-new defensive pre-play controls and defensive AI enhancements, the defence now has a diverse arsenal of weapons available, making defence as fun to play as offence. The incredible depth of Franchise Mode grows with the new Storyline Central, where you manage the players and stories of the week. You can get the latest scoop on your team by listening to Tony Bruno's weekly sports radio talk show and scanning stories in both local and national newspapers, while getting the inside word from your coaches, trainers and front office staff. Madden NFL 2005 is scheduled for release in September 2004 on the PlayStation 2 console, Xbox, NINTENDO GAMECUBE, and PC.

NHL 2005 - Delivering top shelf gameplay that captures the speed, finesse, and hard-hitting action of pro hockey, EA SPORTS lights it up in its 13th season of NHL action with NHL 2005. New EA SPORTS Open Ice Control allows players to execute complex offensive plays such as give-and-goes and breakaway passes or call for a defensive double team with the touch of a button. EA SPORTS Dynasty Mode goes even deeper with a new, easier to navigate interface, and more interactive GM/owner relationships, including a new email system. NHL 2005 also delivers all the action of the hotly-anticipated World Cup of Hockey, with the top eight International Teams and venues from North America and Europe. NHL 2005 is scheduled for release in September 2004 for the PlayStation 2 console, Xbox, NINTENDO GAMECUBE, and PC.

EA GAMES TITLES AT GAME STARS LIVE:

The Sims 2 - The Sims changed the face of gaming in the new millennium and quickly became the number 1 PC game of all time. In the next generation sequel of The Sims, The Sims 2, you control your Sims over an entire lifetime for the first time. With the ground-breaking addition of genetics, your Sims now pass down their DNA through an infinite number of generations. Every choice you make has a relevant and dramatic effect on your Sims' lives. It's up to you to take your Sims from the cradle to the grave, fulfil their life dreams, and push them to extremes in The Sims 2. The Sims 2 is scheduled for release in September 2004 for PC.

Need for Speed Underground 2 - Discover the living, breathing world of tuner culture in Need for Speed Underground 2, the sequel to the best-selling racing game of 2003, and the latest blockbuster installment in the legendary Need for Speed franchise. Taking place in a massive, free-roaming city featuring five distinct interconnected neighbourhoods, Need for Speed Underground 2 delivers an immersive game world where the streets are your menus. All-new game modes join Circuit, Drift, and Drag events to add depth and variety, pushing car and driver to the limit, while more than a dozen new cars and hundreds of aftermarket parts from the biggest names in the business make Need for Speed Underground 2 the deepest, most authentic tuner experience ever. Need for Speed Underground 2 is scheduled for release in November 2004 on the PlayStation 2 console, Xbox, NINTENDO GAMECUBE, Game Boy Advance, and PC.

Burnout 3: Takedown - Burnout 3: Takedown rewrites the rules of the road with a new mantra: aggressive racing required. Racing gamers and adrenaline junkies are invited to get behind the wheel and experience unprecedented speed and action. Use your car as a weapon and battle your way to the front of the pack by taking down rivals and instigating spectacular crashes. Live dangerously with a Crash mode featuring 45 segments, each of which rewards you for creating the most massive pileups ever seen. Vie for first place with aggressive driving or simply indulge your thirst for twisted metal and breathtaking crashes. With stunning 3D graphics, addictive multiplayer races, and over 70 cars and 40 tracks, Burnout 3 is a breakneck, adrenaline-fuelled, arcade-racing experience. Burnout 3 is scheduled for release in September 2004 on the PlayStation 2 console and the Xbox.

GoldenEye: Rogue Agent - Why save the world when you can rule it? Going where no previous James Bond game has dared to tread, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent breaks all the rules. Transport to the dark side of the Bond universe to experience life as a high-rolling, cold-hearted villain. As an aspiring 00 agent gone bad, you're recruited by Auric Goldfinger in a ruthless war against Dr. No for control of the Bond underworld. A brutal encounter with Dr. No costs you an eye, but Goldfinger's technicians replace it with a gold-hued, synthetic eye, earning you the name 'GoldenEye'. With the ability to customize and upgrade your villain persona, wreak havoc as you make your unrelenting rise through the ranks. On globe-spanning missions of vengeance and demolition, cross paths with such infamous allies and enemies as Oddjob, Scaramanga, Xenia Onatopp, and, of course, Pussy Galore. GoldenEye: Rogue Agent is scheduled for release in November 2004 on the PlayStation 2 console, Xbox, and NINTENDO GAMECUBE.

The Urbz: Sims in the City - The Sims have moved to the city where action is 24/7 and reputation means everything. Sims who live in the City are known as Urbz, and they have a bold new look and attitude. Go to work and be challenged by bosses at locations like the Sushi Bar, Chop Shop, or Bootleg Fireworks, Inc. Success at work brings promotions, access to new power socials, and gear to influence your new lifestyle. Flaunt your attitude by styling your Urbz using the detailed new character engine; then cross the velvet ropes of an uptown night club or explore the subway to earn new skills and items for your high-rise crib. It's up to you whether your Urbz become big-time players or get lost in the crowd. It's all about reputation as the Urbz are living the dream in a City that never sleeps. The Game Boy Advance version of The URBZ: Sims in the City also has a brand new city adventure set in Miniopolis, a bustling city poised on the brink of ruin. To thwart Daddy BigBuck's evil schemes you have to get access throughout the city by building up your reputation to become the biggest "player" in the city. The URBZ: Sims in the City is scheduled for release in November 2004 on the PlayStation 2 console, Xbox, NINTENDO GAMECUBE, and Game Boy Advance.

Def Jam Fight For New York - The ultimate hip-hop fueled fighting game, Def Jam Fight For New York challenges players to step into the shoes of a ruthless street fighter battling for control of the hip-hop underground. The game features an all-new fighting engine including weapons, interactive environments and five unique fighting styles that can be combined to form dozens of customized hybrid styles for the ultimate edge on the streets. Def Jam Fight For New York features more than 40 of the most well-known artists and personalities in hip-hop today, including Busta Rhymes, Carmen Electra, Lil' Kim, Ludacris, Method Man, Redman, Sean Paul, Slick Rick, Snoop Dogg, and many more. Def Jam Fight For New York is scheduled for release in October 2004 for the PlayStation 2 console, Xbox, and NINTENDO GAMECUBE.

The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth - Experience Middle-earth like never before in The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth, the first The Lord of the Rings game that puts you in command of a real-time, open world. Whether fighting alongside the heroes of good or the forces of evil, you are in complete control of the massive armies and epic campaigns depicted in the movie trilogy. From waging all-out combat among Middle-earth's vast armies to controlling your favourite heroes and characters to managing the forces and resources of your side, the fate of a living, breathing Middle-earth is in your hands. The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth is scheduled for release in November 2004 for PC.

The Lord of the Rings, The Third Age - Experience the first console role-playing game set in The Lord of the Rings universe in The Lord of the Rings, The Third Age. Travel in the wake of the Fellowship in a unique structure that allows players to explore their own path while periodically intersecting the major events of New Line Cinema's film trilogy. Traverse through both familiar and seldom-glimpsed locations as you fight to save or destroy Middle-earth in an epic adventure. Encounter the demonic Balrog in the Mines of Moria, defend the fallen city of Osgiliath, or try to win the battle at Helm's Deep. These choices and many more will confront you as you align yourself with the people of Middle-earth or undertake missions on behalf of Sauron. The Lord of the Rings, The Third Age is scheduled for release in November 2004 on the PlayStation 2 console, Xbox, NINTENDO GAMECUBE, and Game Boy Advance.

Medal of Honor Pacific Assault - Fight for VICTORY in the Pacific. Medal of Honor Pacific Assault puts you in the boots of a WWII soldier and challenges you to survive the epic war in the Pacific. As Marine Private Tommy Conlin, you must live through the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor and then join your squad in a bloody struggle with the Imperial Japanese army raging across the Pacific Theatre of Operations. From the first combat missions after Pearl Harbor to the pivotal battle at Tarawa Island, you'll relive the courage and sacrifice it required to overcome the Japanese threat in WWII. Medal of Honor Pacific Assault is scheduled for release in November 04 for PC.

TimeSplitters Future Perfect - TimeSplitters Future Perfect marks the return of one of the most critically acclaimed first person shooters for the console, where victory is in the hands of the player's past, present and future self in a battle that stretches throughout time. In TimeSplitters Future Perfect, Cortez - the hero from previous instalments - returns with humanity on the brink of destruction. With the help of some familiar faces (some very familiar!) he must chase a mystery foe across different time periods to trace the origins of the TimeSplitters and save the day. TimeSplitters Future Perfect is scheduled for release in 2005 on the PlayStation 2 console, Xbox and NINTENDO GAMECUBE.

Oddworld Stranger - Players step into the role of the Stranger, a western-style bounty hunter, who chases outlaws throughout the enthralling new frontier of the Oddworld universe. Set to award-winning visuals, players will be moved by the complex and inspiring story as the Stranger comes to grips with his true nature in the hunt for the ultimate bounty. Oddworld Stranger is scheduled for release in 2005 on the PlayStation 2 console and the Xbox.

TY the Tasmanian Tiger 2 Bush Rescue - TY, the wild yet charismatic, boomerang wielding Tasmanian Tiger will lead players through a brilliantly animated new 3D adventure set in the ruggedness and splendour of Australia. The cast of characters from Down Under has grown, and so has the action! Evil Boss Cass has broken out of Currawong Jail and hatched a plan to take over the world with an army of Uber Reptiles. It's up to our boomerang-wielding hero, TY, and his newly formed team of Burramudgee Bush Rescue mates to stop him. TY 2 is scheduled for release in October 2004 on the PlayStation 2 console, NINTENDO GAMECUBE and Game Boy Advance.