Competing FTW

Everyone is a little bit competitive in their own way. Whether you play real life sports or sports video games, competition is what determines the best above the rest. For years EA SPORTS has set the benchmark in sports video games. And year after year gamers around the world connect to settle differences between foes, team-up to defeat rivals, and play their favorite sports with as much passion as the athletes that grace the real-life stage. This year is no different and with a stable of titles on the shelves, EA SPORTS fans are busier than ever competing FTW in their favorite sports games.

EA SPORTS Challenge Hits Anaheim
Alongside the guys at the Major League of Gaming, we've got our next round of Live gaming battles in Anaheim, CA, where some of the best sports-gamers in the nation will put their PS3 skills to the test. All the Madden Spectator passes have been sold out, though there still are some remaining for FIGHT NIGHT Round 4 and NBA LIVE 10 gamers for this weekend's live tournament. With some serious prizing, the competition is tough and it's no wonder the best from the entire nation find their way to compete at these live events.

Title Update and DLC Brings New Battles to FIGHT NIGHT Round 4
On the topic of tough, there are none tougher than the chins on Brizzo and Mahar (the 'Mike' variety) as the FIGHT NIGHT Round 4 producers will be fielding community questions about the upcoming title update, with game adjustments that the fans have hoped would be changed and haven't been shy voicing about on the forums. Well, just as they were critically vocal about what they wanted changed, it's these guys that have done a 180 themselves singing the praises as the team looks to deliver improvements that will enhance online play and further make the game even more realistic than it already has been. Check out what the title update consists of here.

If you're on the Playstation Network, Brizzo and Mahar will be hanging out Club Fight Night in the EA SPORTS Complex wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving on November 25th between 3-4PM PST. Catch the producers there if you have any questions or feedback for the guys. Or even just challenge them to one of the games in the EA SPORTS Complex.

For those that have a few bucks saved up come December, the next set of downloadable content will also include three new boxers and two new Game Modes, including Ring Rivalries and Old School Rules. Community members are chompin' at the bit for a chance to box with Evander Holyfield, Sonny Liston, and Bernard Hopkins and I can't wait to see some of the battles that'll come out of these new additions to the game.

If you haven't yet stepped into the ring, there's no better time than now as gamers can pick up the game for only 40 bucks. Get your buddy a copy so you can get online and beat the s!@# out of each other this holiday season. I wonder if I should copyright that...it could end up on a Hallmark card.

Compete and Chat with the Game Producers
Especially if you have an XBOX 360, you'll want to grab a copy as we'll be hosting another Community Playdate, FIGHT NIGHT style, after the title update and DLC drops. Look for more details to come on the December 9th playdate and live chat soon.

NHL 10 fans had their chance to match up against me and some of the devs last week. For about six hours members of the community got a chance to talk to the producers and give some game feedback while testing their stick-handling skills and going FTW against some the team's best. Check out the recap of the NHL 10 Community Playdate here.

Compete for a Chance to Play the Best in the Gillette Champions of Gaming
Back to the topic of competitions while the PS3 gamers battle it out in Anaheim this weekend, you XBOX 360 owners better brush up on your online skills as the Gillette Champions of Gaming makes a return for another year. Earn a shot at playing the world's best athletes including none other than Tiger Woods, Derek Jeter, or even Rodger Federer. The qualifying rounds start soon so if you play Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, FIFA Soccer 10, NHL 10, FIGHT NIGHT Round 4, or Madden NFL 10 bring your game online for a chance at some ultimate glory.

So as I said, there's a lot of competition going on. With all the competing going on though, the one thing that remains is the sportsmanship; the "Good-Game's" after the battles and the nods to your opponents for their nice play. Let's not forget that even the pro's meet at the on the middle of the battle field for a handshake after a game.

It is the competition, after all, that brings the best out of us and pushes us to be better every day.

Now that, I did read on a greeting card.

NHL 10 Community Playdate

NBA LIVE 10 Launches and It's ON!

Since the demo launched over three weeks ago, close to a million gamers got a taste of NBA LIVE 10 and have marked their calendars for the release and EA SPORTS latest pro basketball title. Well, today’s the day we hit the hardwood and welcome fans back for a big year of tomahawk dunks, behind-the-back passes, and ankle-breaking drives.

Linden to Stick to Virtual Ice and Guarantees "No Comeback"

In preparation for tonight’s Midnight Launch at the Robson and Granville Future Shop, former Canuck Trevor Linden got his hands on NHL 10 alongside Producer David Littman and some of the local press.

FTW - Hockey Time

September is one of my favourite months of the year, not only because I get a year older (or despite it, that is) but the presents I receive are usually in the form of one of my all-time favorite games, NHL 10. This year NHL 10 hits the streets next week on Tuesday the 15th and for the first time we will be hosting a couple of midnight releases at Future Shops in Toronto and Vancouver. With President Obama welcoming the Pens to the White House today and team prospects hitting the ice this week, it's officially time to think hockey.

Growing up in Vancouver I've been a fan of the Canucks since I was allowed as a kid to stay up late in '82 to watch their magical first run into the Stanley Cup Finals against the New York Islanders. The series didn't go the way Canucks fans wanted it to, but it was a great run and a great year for the guys who wore the Flying V's. At seven years old I was hooked on the game and the team, and over the years as the jerseys and the team changed, I longed for them to return to the finals for another chance at their first Cup.

Then came '94 and that chance against the other New York team, the Rangers. In a battle where players on both teams left it all on the ice, the series would go seven games and the Rangers would win the Cup by a goal. One of the most memorable pictures is of the team's captain Trevor Linden leaning his head on goaltender Kirk McLean's mask after the loss. It signified all the sweat and tears and eventual heartache that came with coming so close to capturing the holy grail of hockey.

Back then while at UBC, my buddies and I relived the series looking for different outcomes on the SNES with NHL 95 and spent more hours playing the video game than I should have. We'd set up tournaments and battle throughout the school year and I even remembered playing games to simulate what we thought would happen in games to come. We didn't care that the game wasn't as authentic as it is today, we only cared that we could be play as our favorite team and feel the rush of scoring the game winner (most of the time with the dreaded one-timer goals). We always wondered, "Could it get any better than this???"

Your damn right it could and next week the series that has received the Sports Game of the Year nod for the past two years isn't holding back with NHL 10. The team followed up '09 with 3-on-3 NHL Arcade and still managed to put in over 200 gameplay improvements to kick it up a notch for this year's game. The producers have been providing the community with regular blogs and videos and screenshots to whet gamers' appetites. Even the demo was one like none other giving NHL fans new and old to the series a taste of the new Battle for the Cup and Be a Pro modes.

And so with Linden retired, there's time for him to take up gaming and what better game to do so than with NHL 10 where he can don the '94 uni's or, better yet, go old skool with the Flying V's in this year's game. Recreate those Stanley Cup Finals and hope for a different outcome in the new Battle for the Cup mode which has been implemented into the game very nicely. Or just jump into Season Mode and play with Luongo fresh off one of the most lucrative contracts ever for a Canuck (is Gillis a genius or what?). A whole other blog there in itself but something that I may look into with some of my own players with the new Be a GM mode.

Like most hockey fans, I'm excited at this time of year as the release of the game next week means that the season is right around the corner. Can this be the year my 'nucks go FTW and finally put it together? Again, another blog for another time.

Next week however, join Trevor Linden along with me and the game producers at Future Shop on Granville & Robson Monday night for the Midnight Release event. Be first to pick up a copy and see if you have the stick skills to bring home the Cup yourself. And for those of you in Toronto (boooo! Lol), you can join other NHL producers along with former captain Wendel Clark and current Leaf Ian White at the Toronto Life Square Future Shop. It's time to go FTW with one of the Best Titles of The Year!

Tonight We Dine With Kings

Today the LA Kings had their opening day of LA Kings Fest and EA SPORTS was to not only be a part of the festivities with a large chunk of space carved out with systems set up to show off NHL 10, we were also invited to meet some of the Kings prior to their walking on to the stage to meet their fans at the Nokia Center.

FTW - These guys have played before

Over the weekend the LA Kings kicked off their 2009-10 season with interactive events and face-to-face time among fans at the first ever Hockey Fest in LA.