Electronic Arts Ships FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer
Newest Iteration of EA SPORTS’ No. 1 Best-Selling Worldwide Franchise Features All 12 Major League Soccer Teams and the Voice of Julie Foudy
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., -Electronic Arts ™ (Nasdaq:ERTS), the world's largest interactive entertainment software company, today announced that it shipped FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer, the latest version of EA SPORTS’ No. 1 worldwide franchise for the PC and the PlayStation® game console. With lifetime-to-date sales exceeding 16 million units, the Electronic Arts (EA) FIFA Soccer interactive titles are the world’s best-selling sports games. FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer is the first title shipped in North America by EA featuring all 12 Major League Soccer™ (MLS™) teams, more than 200 MLS players and in-game commentary by Julie Foudy, member of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team and ESPN broadcast commentator.
To add realism to the game, two-time MLS Defender of the Year and three-time MLS All-Star team member Eddie Pope, from DC United, participated in a motion capture session earlier this year. Motion capture, a technique used in high end special effects, has been perfected by EA, and adds to authenticity by accurately reproducing an athlete’s moves in a game. By motion capturing several of Pope’s soccer moves such as leaping headers and diving slide tackles, his exact moves are simulated in the game. In addition to Pope, star defender Sol Campbell, who plays for the English National Team was also motion captured. Pope, who is featured on the North American package, and Campbell, who is featured on the UK package, are both highlighted in EA SPORTS marketing and advertising campaigns in their respective countries.
“A lot of MLS players, including myself, have been fans of the FIFA Soccer series since the first games came out years ago,” said Eddie Pope. “After MLS games and especially on road trips, we often compete playing FIFA Soccer. This year it is especially fun to compete against my teammates and my friends while seeing myself in the game.”
FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer features: More than 75,000 words of commentary by Julie Foudy and Phil Schoen (ESPN). More than 40 classic teams that allow game players to pit their favorite legendary teams against one another or challenge a historical team against a modern team. Game animations that capture the rough and tumble aspects of soccer with increased physical contact, giant collisions and gnarly falls. Instant response to player commands for fakes, dekes, bicycle kicks, volleys, headers, chest traps, scissors kicks as well as pinpoint passing, shots and dribbling. An original musical track by UK pop sensation Robbie Williams, as well as tunes from bands Apollo Four Forty, Elite Force, Gay Dad, Junior Blanks, Lunatic Calm, Reel Big Fish and Sniper.
FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer (called FIFA 2000 outside of North America) showcases the most extensive collection of celebrity commentators found in any sports game. Depending on the territory in which the game is purchased, the game contains localized speech and text for the following nine languages/dialects: UK English, US English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Hebrew, Greek and Brazilian Portuguese (PC only). A Japanese version is planned for shipment in 2000. The game is also localized to support Swedish and Dutch text.
“Having been involved with EA’s FIFA Soccer series since its inception in 1993, I am incredibly proud to be involved with a development team that has raised the bar for interactive gaming year after year,” said Marc Aubanel, the game’s executive producer at Electronic Arts. “It was a pleasure and a privilege to work with stars Sol Campbell, Julie Foudy, Eddie Pope and Robbie Williams who graciously lent their talent and expertise to make FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer the definitive interactive sports entertainment experience for the new millennium.”
The PC version of FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer is optimized for use with the 3Dfx Voodoo 2™ 3D-accelerator card, and it supports other major Direct3D™ accelerator cards. These cards graphically enhance the playing experience by adding richly textured players and stadiums, as well as real-time lighting, scoreboards and shadowing effects.
FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer for the PlayStation game console supports Analog Control delivering force feedback. A Game Boy® Color version is scheduled to ship later this fall. The suggested retail price for FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer PC and the PlayStation game console is (U.S.) $39.95. Consumers may purchase the game directly at the EA StoreSM (http://eastore.ea.com) or by calling EA Direct Sales at 1.800.245.4525. The game carries an ESRB rating of “E” (Everyone).
EA SPORTS (www.easports.com) is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world. Its top-selling franchises and games include FIFA Soccer, John Madden Football™, NHL® Hockey, Knockout Kings™, NBA LIVE Basketball, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® Golf, Triple Play Baseball™ and NASCAR® 99.
Electronic Arts, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of more than $1.2 billion for fiscal 1999. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and video game systems. Electronic Arts markets its products under seven brand names: Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS™, Maxis™, ORIGIN™, Bullfrog™ Productions, Westwood Studios™ and Jane’s® Combat Simulations. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.ea.com.
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Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS, Maxis, ORIGIN, Bullfrog and Westwood Studios, EA Store, John Madden Football and Triple Play Baseball are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Electronic Arts in the United States and/or other countries. Jane’s is a registered trademark of Jane’s Information Group, Ltd. Major League Soccer and MLS are proprietary rights of Major League Soccer, L.L.C. FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer is an Official FIFA Licensed Product. NBA, NHL, PGA TOUR, Tiger Woods and NASCAR are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners and are used under license. PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Game Boy is a registered trademark of Nintendo of America, Inc. Voodoo 2 is a trademark of 3dfx Interactive. Direct3D is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
To add realism to the game, two-time MLS Defender of the Year and three-time MLS All-Star team member Eddie Pope, from DC United, participated in a motion capture session earlier this year. Motion capture, a technique used in high end special effects, has been perfected by EA, and adds to authenticity by accurately reproducing an athlete’s moves in a game. By motion capturing several of Pope’s soccer moves such as leaping headers and diving slide tackles, his exact moves are simulated in the game. In addition to Pope, star defender Sol Campbell, who plays for the English National Team was also motion captured. Pope, who is featured on the North American package, and Campbell, who is featured on the UK package, are both highlighted in EA SPORTS marketing and advertising campaigns in their respective countries.
“A lot of MLS players, including myself, have been fans of the FIFA Soccer series since the first games came out years ago,” said Eddie Pope. “After MLS games and especially on road trips, we often compete playing FIFA Soccer. This year it is especially fun to compete against my teammates and my friends while seeing myself in the game.”
FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer features: More than 75,000 words of commentary by Julie Foudy and Phil Schoen (ESPN). More than 40 classic teams that allow game players to pit their favorite legendary teams against one another or challenge a historical team against a modern team. Game animations that capture the rough and tumble aspects of soccer with increased physical contact, giant collisions and gnarly falls. Instant response to player commands for fakes, dekes, bicycle kicks, volleys, headers, chest traps, scissors kicks as well as pinpoint passing, shots and dribbling. An original musical track by UK pop sensation Robbie Williams, as well as tunes from bands Apollo Four Forty, Elite Force, Gay Dad, Junior Blanks, Lunatic Calm, Reel Big Fish and Sniper.
FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer (called FIFA 2000 outside of North America) showcases the most extensive collection of celebrity commentators found in any sports game. Depending on the territory in which the game is purchased, the game contains localized speech and text for the following nine languages/dialects: UK English, US English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Hebrew, Greek and Brazilian Portuguese (PC only). A Japanese version is planned for shipment in 2000. The game is also localized to support Swedish and Dutch text.
“Having been involved with EA’s FIFA Soccer series since its inception in 1993, I am incredibly proud to be involved with a development team that has raised the bar for interactive gaming year after year,” said Marc Aubanel, the game’s executive producer at Electronic Arts. “It was a pleasure and a privilege to work with stars Sol Campbell, Julie Foudy, Eddie Pope and Robbie Williams who graciously lent their talent and expertise to make FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer the definitive interactive sports entertainment experience for the new millennium.”
The PC version of FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer is optimized for use with the 3Dfx Voodoo 2™ 3D-accelerator card, and it supports other major Direct3D™ accelerator cards. These cards graphically enhance the playing experience by adding richly textured players and stadiums, as well as real-time lighting, scoreboards and shadowing effects.
FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer for the PlayStation game console supports Analog Control delivering force feedback. A Game Boy® Color version is scheduled to ship later this fall. The suggested retail price for FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer PC and the PlayStation game console is (U.S.) $39.95. Consumers may purchase the game directly at the EA StoreSM (http://eastore.ea.com) or by calling EA Direct Sales at 1.800.245.4525. The game carries an ESRB rating of “E” (Everyone).
EA SPORTS (www.easports.com) is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world. Its top-selling franchises and games include FIFA Soccer, John Madden Football™, NHL® Hockey, Knockout Kings™, NBA LIVE Basketball, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® Golf, Triple Play Baseball™ and NASCAR® 99.
Electronic Arts, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of more than $1.2 billion for fiscal 1999. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and video game systems. Electronic Arts markets its products under seven brand names: Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS™, Maxis™, ORIGIN™, Bullfrog™ Productions, Westwood Studios™ and Jane’s® Combat Simulations. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.ea.com.
# # #
Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS, Maxis, ORIGIN, Bullfrog and Westwood Studios, EA Store, John Madden Football and Triple Play Baseball are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Electronic Arts in the United States and/or other countries. Jane’s is a registered trademark of Jane’s Information Group, Ltd. Major League Soccer and MLS are proprietary rights of Major League Soccer, L.L.C. FIFA 2000: Major League Soccer is an Official FIFA Licensed Product. NBA, NHL, PGA TOUR, Tiger Woods and NASCAR are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners and are used under license. PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Game Boy is a registered trademark of Nintendo of America, Inc. Voodoo 2 is a trademark of 3dfx Interactive. Direct3D is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.