Electronic Arts Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

EA Sports responded to the sexist statements from fans saying that including female football players in EA Sports FC 24‘s Ultimate Team mode is unrealistic as ‘female players are not as skilled as male players’.Ultimate Team Evolutions — its new name in EA Sports FC 24 — allows men and women to play with and against each other for the first time in the series. In an interview with IGN, Electronic Arts vice president and executive producer John Shepherd said that the team “thought deeply” about the inclusion and that Ultimate Team was a “great spot” to communicate its mission that this sport is for everyone.“We have a vision of connecting not just the 150 million fans we have now, but a billion fans,” said Shepherd.

Star Wars Jedi series, has said that he would like a live-action appearance of his character as long as it was “right”.Speaking at a panel at Fan Expo Vancouver 2024 on February 17, Monaghan was asked if he had thought any more on the possibility of reprising his role in a film or TV show.“It would have to be right,” answered the actor (via The Direct). “By that I mean, it has to continue the story or the character in some way.

The Rolling Stones have confirmed a collaboration with EA Sports FC 24, with the iconic rock & roll band designing an in-game vanity kit.The kit is one of three new artist-designed outfits coming to EA Sports FC 24, with DJ Michaël Brun and afropop star Obongjayar also working on special vanity kits.“I’ve been an EA Sports fan my whole life, so to be able to create my own kit in EA Sports FC 24 is honestly a dream come true,” said Brun in a statement. “Being able to merge my culture, my love of football and fashion in one collaboration is a true honour.

Apex Legends has announced what is in store for players in its Post Malone-themed event, after a teaser from the rapper and songwriter himself was revealed in October.Post Malone has expressed his enthusiasm for Apex Legends in the past, bestowing it the award of being his favourite battle royale game. The “biggest partnership in Apex Legends history” begins on November 7 and will last for a fortnight.The new game mode has been designed for his “love of The Games”, titled Three Strikes.

Post Malone will be collaborating with Apex Legends for “two weeks of beautiful mayhem” in an upcoming crossover event.In the announcement to X, Post Malone was shown in a video to be prone on the floor and then calling out, “Can someone res me? Yo!” in an echoey room. Check it out below:Get ready for two weeks of beautiful mayhem #ApexLegends pic.twitter.com/q4OEzyvmUQ— Post Malone (@PostMalone) October 16, 2023That was the extent of the information about what this event might be about, though it was confirmed to start on November 7 and assumedly end on November 21.Also, the end of the video showed what seemed to be a new Octane skin, though it’s not known whether or not this will be a free addition or unlocked through challenges in the crossover event.Apex Legends has crossed over with a number of other games, films and TV shows, such as Star Wars, Mass Effect, Power Rangers and more.

Activision, Electronic Arts, Epic Games and more.SAG-AFTRA, which stands for the union of Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, had announced its intention to strike against these companies earlier this month.Under the Interactive Media Agreement, companies like Activision, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Take 2 Productions, VoiceWorks Productions and WB Games “failed” to resolve the issues that SAG-AFTRA explained to them upon the renewal of their contract.“It’s time for the video game companies to stop playing games and get serious about reaching an agreement on this contract… the time is now for these companies – which are making billions of dollars and paying their CEOs lavishly – to give our performers an agreement that keeps performing in video games as a viable career,” president Fran Drescher said in a statement.The vote was almost unanimous with 98.32 per cent of members of the union arguing in favour of strike authorisation. As a result, SAG-AFTRA is able to sanction a strike immediately should negotiations fail between the union and those included in Interactive Media Agreement.The next set of negotiations will occur from September 26 to September 28.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and its sequel Survivor, has confirmed the existence of a third game in the series.In a panel at this year’s Ocala Comic Con in Florida, Monaghan said that things are moving and shaking on the third Star Wars Jedi game. However, it doesn’t appear that production has started based on his statement.“We’re in the process of doing that right now.

Criterion, the developer of Need For Speed, has been brought on board the Battlefield series by publisher Electronic Arts.The developer, based in Guildford in the United Kingdom, has joined DICE, Ridgeline and Ripple Effect as the teams that are working on constructing a “connected Battlefield Universe”.Electronic Arts had revealed that the next Battlefield game would be a “reimagination” of the series following the chaotic launch and support for Battlefield 2042 from 2021 onwards.The reallocation of Criterion, though, will engender “an immediate positive impact” on Battlefield 2042 and pre-production on the next title.“Criterion has a rich history in gaming, having worked on Battlefield, Battlefront, Burnout, and of course, Need for Speed. I’m thrilled to have a studio with such pedigree join the studios I oversee,” shared Vince Zampella, Respawn Entertainment founder and EA Entertainment general manager, in a post to Electronic Arts’ blog.Criterion Games contributed to the development of Battlefield 5 and Battlefield 2042 but its most recent release was Need For Speed Unbound. This entry was the first game that Criterion was credited as the core developer since Most Wanted in 2012.The last “volume” of downloadable content for that game arrived in August, adding a custom Porsche 911 Carrera S and Porsche Taycan Turbo S to celebrate of the 75th anniversary of the manufacturer.Zampella addressed the future of Need For Speed in the announcement, however, did not offer any specifics.

Ascendant Studios, the Californian company founded by former Electronic Arts developers, has lost almost half of its employees in a wave of layoffs.Polygon‘s report attributed this to the poor commercial performance of its debut title, Immortals Of Aveum, though no sales statistics were supplied in the official statement. CEO Bret Robbins said he was “heartbroken” to be imparting the news and that it was a “painfully difficult, but necessary decision that was not made lightly”.“I am so proud of what out independent development team has accomplished with Immortals Of Aveum,” he continued in a post to X.

BioWare announced that approximately 50 employees – including Dragon Age writer Mary Kirby – have been let go in order to “preserve the health of the studio”.Gary McKay, general manager of BioWare, broke the news in a post to the developer’s official blog and described it as a “deeply painful” decision. “We are doing everything we can to ensure the process is handled with empathy, respect, and clear communication,” he continued.McKay stated that the development of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf and the next Mass Effect game would not be adversely affected by the losses.

Electronic Arts has announced a new single-player Black Panther game from a team composed of developers who have worked on Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, Halo Infinite, God of War and more.The game is in the hands of Cliffhanger Games, a new triple-A development studio based in Seattle, Washington, and the studio is collaborating with Marvel Games.The aim of the currently untitled game is “to build an expansive and reactive world that empowers players to experience what it is like to take on the mantle of Wakanda’s protector, the Black Panther.” Additionally, the announcement coincides with the 57th anniversary of the character’s comic debut this month.Marvel Games and EA’s latest studio Cliffhanger Games are proud to announce a new, original, third-person, single-player Black Panther title in development! Read more now: https://t.co/kBS0MTsFbH pic.twitter.com/7aQEdYo7Qg— Marvel Games (@MarvelGames) July 10, 2023Studio lead Kevin Stephens – who came from Middle-earth developer Monolith Productions – expressed his excitement for the reveal in a press release and shed a little light on what comic book fans will look forward to in the final game. “We’re dedicated to delivering fans a definitive and authentic Black Panther experience, giving them more agency and control over their narrative than they have ever experienced in a story-driven video game,” he said.“Wakanda is a rich Super Hero sandbox, and our mission is to develop an epic world for players who love Black Panther and want to explore the world of Wakanda as much as we do,” continued Stephens.“It’s an incredibly rare opportunity to build a new team around the values of diversity, collaboration, and empowerment.

EA has unveiled two brand-new DLC (downloadable content) for The Sims 4, the Grunge Revival and Book Nook Kits.The Grunge Revival Kit is exactly what The Sims 4 players would expect from the name, as it features a variety of grunge-inspired styles, including worn textures, layered options, and bold accessories.The Kit is straight from the 90s, allowing players to create comfortable and stylish alternative looks. “Whether it’s rocking an old band tee or a baggy hoodie and faded jeans from the thrift store, these slouchy silhouettes are now yours to make new with styles for every frame,” the blog post reads.For players who are in love with books and creating cozy at-home libraries in The Sims 4, the Book Nook Kit is perfect.

FIFA 23, yet several of the players have expressed disappointment over their likeness in the game.On Tuesday (March 22), a major FIFA 23 update introduced the likes of the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) and National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) to the game.The update introduced all 12 NWSL teams, along with their kits and four of the league’s stadiums.However, the newly-introduced leagues do not appear to have adequately captured the likeliness of many of its stars (via Kotaku).“I’m grateful EA Sports is finally including the NWSL but this does not represent me,” wrote Caprice Dydasco, who plays for Houston Dash.“Be grateful they gave you hair lol,” joked Liverpool striker Katie Stengel.Be grateful they gave you hair lol— Katie Stengel (@ksteng12) March 22, 2023“Please tell me I did not do an entire body scan for that,” tweeted Sydney Leroux, an Olympian gold medalist who currently plays for Angel City FC. “You are going to scare my children.”You are going to scare my children.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has shared that the organisation’s upcoming FIFA game series will be “the best egame for any girl or boy,” despite moving away from long-time developer Electronic Arts (EA).As noted by The Times‘ chief sports reporter Martyn Ziegler, Infantino confirmed that FIFA still plans to launch its own football game to rival former FIFA developer EA.“The new FIFA game – the FIFA 25, 26, 27 and so on – will always be the best egame for any girl or boy,” stated Infantino, who added that FIFA will “have news on this very soon”.Infantino says FIFA will go head-to-head with EA Sports by launching rival video game (EA Sports refused cash demands to keep FIFA's name)"The new FIFA game – the FIFA 25, 26, 27 and so on – will always be the best egame for any girl or boy, we will have news on this very soon."— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) March 16, 2023The company’s partnership with EA came to an end in May 2022, following reports that negotiations “hit the wall” when FIFA demanded double the money it was receiving from EA in its existing deal.When the partnership ended, Infantino said “the only authentic, real game that has the FIFA name will be the best one available for gamers and football fans”.“The interactive gaming and esports sector is on a path of unrivalled growth and diversification,” he added.

EA has released a new The Sims 4 patch which addresses a bug where Sims would want to date their family members.After the release of The Sims 4 High School Years expansion on July 28, many players reported a series of bugs that were making the game unplayable. One of them included an issue where family members would flirt and try to date each other, while another was forcing Sims to age up at an accelerated rate, meaning they were growing up, getting old and dying really fast.Thankfully, a recent update seems to have fixed both of these problems along with several other issues that were plaguing the game (via PC Gamer).

EA boss Andrew Wilson has received a hefty pay cut, reducing his annual pay from roughly £32.5million ($39.2million) down to £16.2million ($19.9million).The report comes from the publication Axios, which spotted the company filing detailing the pay reduction. Despite the cut, Axios states the pay is “still within the stratosphere of executives of multibillion-dollar corporations.”This comes on the heels of reports last year that EA would be making substantial changes to executive pay due to negative feedback from shareholders.

EA has revealed the first concept images of several Sims 4 characters who will receive appearance overhauls.During a developer livestream earlier this week (November 23) which showcased The Sims 4‘s upcoming Kit, Neighborhood Stories, a new look at the game’s NPCs were also revealed – as reported by PC Gamer.SimGuruRusskii went on to present several images of characters who will get an appearance overhaul when the update drops, including Mortimer Goth, Bella Goth, Dina Caliente, and Nina

EA turned down a pitch for a third Star Wars: Battlefront game, according to claims from a “past developer”.The claim comes from journalist Tom Henderson on Twitter (as spotted by VGC), who cites an anonymous developer.

EA has confirmed that no new Sims 4 expansion pack will release before the end of 2021, but two updates are in development.As spotted by Simsvip, the Global Community Manager for The Sims – who goes by SimGuruFrost on Twitter – has confirmed that The Sims 4 content road map that was released earlier this year will cover October through to December.“The Season of Selves covers October, November, and December,” they said on Twitter, responding to a fan’s question about the content timeframe.

Star Wars Battlefront II mod turns the 2017 shooter into a Doom game.DoomFront, which was created by bk2modder, is a new Star Wars Battlefront II mod that changes up the art style of the 2017 shooter and introduces the classic Doom aesthetic instead, as spotted by PCGamesN.As the description reads, “DoomFront is an era mod that brings Marines and Demons inspired by the classic Doom games as well as the 2016 reboot of the series into the gameplay style of Battlefront II.”With this mod installed,

BioWare has released a new patch on the Star Wars: The Old Republic public test server so players can try out the new combat styles.Ahead of the release of the new Legacy of the Sith expansion, Star Wars: The Old Republic is letting players trial the expansion’s new combat styles.The combat styles available to test out on the public test server (PTS) are for the Mercenary, Powertech, Juggernaut, and Marauder classes.

The Sims 4 developers, the game’s roadmap is focusing on improving the content that is already in the game.In a new blog post, developer Maxis responded to player forum questions, with one asking about the possibility of adding more occult characters such as werewolves (thanks, PCGamesN).“We definitely hear the occult fans’ strong desire for werewolves, faeries, and zombies in The Sims 4,” Maxis said.

EA has made it so users can play as women in FIFA 22‘s Pro Clubs mode – the first time this has been made possible in the series’ history.As reported by Eurogamer, the online mode that allows players to create and control a football player of your own design now lets you create female players. After designing a player to your liking, you can then take that player into Pro Clubs where you can compete in matches.

FIFA will introduce its first-ever English-speaking female commentator with presenter and football pundit Alex Scott.The announcement was made by Scott herself (via Twitter), where the former Arsenal right-back showed her enthusiasm to be involved in the popular football game series.In FIFA 22, Scott will report on other matches that are happening within the virtual world during gameplay.

F1 2021 has released a new patch to temporarily remove ray-tracing on PS5 after reports of performance issues.Codemasters released patch 1.04 today (July 20) – as spotted by VGC – to address the problems involving ray-tracing on PS5 saying it was a “difficult decision”.“We are aware of some instability within the game for a limited number of users on PS5 relating to Ray Tracing,” the developer said.“As such, we have taken the difficult decision to temporarily disable it to aid stability.

EA has revealed that FIFA 22 Standard Edition will not include a free upgrade for next-gen consoles, with fans having to buy the Ultimate Edition instead.In an FAQ on their website, EA confirmed that the upgrade would not come as standard.FIFA 22’s Ultimate Edition is currently priced at £89.99 and is so far the only way to guarantee the game on both console generations.

Respawn Entertainment has confirmed that Apex Legends will receive a ranked Arena mode once Season 10 rolls outAs confirmed by Respawn head Vince Zampella during EA Play Live 2021 Spotlight, the newest season of the Titanfall spinoff – expected sometime in early August – will introduce a permanent ranked version of its newest three versus three mode.A new character (or Legend) is also expected to make its debut at EA Play Live on July 22nd.

Battlefield 6 have seemingly leaked ahead of the EA live stream.According to a new Reddit thread, it looks like the next game in the first-person shooter franchise is called Battlefield 2042 and will release October 15.The leak was supposedly discovered through EA’s game launcher, Origin, where the summary of the game, details about its maps as well as official artwork has been found.Here’s the official cover art for Battlefield 2042:Official #Battlefield 2042 cover art has leaked on Origin.

Electronic Arts is teasing a brand new expansion pack for The Sims 4, inspired and themed around the English countryside.As reported by GamesRadar, popular Sims 4 influencers and content creators are receiving postcards from a fictitious Sims town called Henford-on-Bagley.Lilsimsie, one of the most well-known influencers in The Sims community, posted an image of her postcard to Twitter with the caption “heard from an old friend today xx”.A closer look at the postcard reveals artwork from the