Electronic Arts

The quiet buzz flying around Moscone Center on the final day of GDC was that Nintendo had an opening for a new speech writer.

To say that Iwata's comments about social and mobile game platforms and the need for developers to focus on real games (our translation, not his) didn't sit well with the production organizations, tool makers, developers who had smartphone games in the market or in development.

The other console folks didn't jump to his defense, they just encouraged the attendees to develop games for their units that would set the world on fire. What they did in their spare time…

The closing day of most conferences is something like everyone running around picking up loose change and shotzkys (the free stuff).

But GDC attendees seem to suck up as much information as possible.Read more

This is a report on GDC so we're going to start with the show's keynote speaker, Nintendo's president Satoru Iwata, then quickly cover the poorly kept secret of the iPad 2 announcement – there was excitement there though – then back to GDC.

GDC Keynote

While we may have been "Mortal Enemies" back when he was a kid in the industry and we were promoting Atari, the years have been kind to him!

Heck he's survived in the game industry for 25 years and that says a lot for anyone!

As the industry changed from game systems to mobile to social media he's learned a lot from the mistakes of others and his own.

Back in the early years it was all about technically superior, adrenaline kicking in and heart throbbing games. Only an idiot would roll out a family friendly set of games like Wii.

What do we know?Read more

September 16, 2009 -- Electronic Arts Inc. announced today that EA SPORTS NHL 10 is available in stores today world-wide for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system.

NHL 10 delivers a new, physical brand of hockey to match the physical and emotional intensity real-world players endure in pursuit of the Stanley Cup. New gameplay innovations include first-person fighting, all-new board play, Battle for the Cup and Be A Tough Guy modes, and spectacular new ways to score. NHL 10 features more than 200 gameplay refinements that replicate the skill and finesse of hockey and deliver the most responsive and authentic action ever for the series. Read more

SCRABBLE Also Available Across Mobile Devices, Social Networking Sites, Handheld Gaming Platforms, Xbox Live Arcade and Online

August 14, 2009--Electronic Arts today announced that SCRABBLE is launching on iGoogle in conjunction with the support of Opensocial, which offers users a more powerful and interactive way to play games on their iGoogle homepage, personal websites or desktop for quick pick-up-and-play fun. The new social features on iGoogle allow users to share content, play games and collaborate with friends on their personal homepage. SCRABBLE as a gadget is the 6th official version of the Hasbro owned SCRABBLE franchise launched by EA to give fans of the game a vast array of ways to play.

The SCRABBLE gadget customized for iGoogle provides the authentic game experience as well as an intuitive interface that allows head-to-head challenges against friends and family (based on subset of Google contacts). Gameplay is asynchronous and allows for up to five simultaneous games. With easy tracking of scores and statistics, one always will know where they rank against their friends as well as the iGoogle community at large. Players also can get help from extensive word lists and choose one of the several flexible speed levels to customize their level of difficulty. Read more

June 12, 2009--It's time to rev up the engines and race into an all-new adventure with the MySims! The EA Play Label of Electronic Arts Inc. announced today that MySims Racing for the Wii and Nintendo DS zooms into retail outlets this week. The latest title in the popular MySims franchise starts players as wannabe speedsters and after working their way up the ranks, it is time for them to burn rubber against the toughest MySims rival racers on the trickiest tracks in Speedville. The excitement never stops as the more successful the player is on the track, the more they will be able to customize their kart and trick it out with new engines and bodies.

Designed specifically from the ground up for the Nintendo platforms, MySims Racing offers something for everyone who wants to live life in the fast lane. Read more

June 9, 2009--Electronic Arts Inc. announced today that EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis is now available in North American retail stores and will be available worldwide by June 12, 2009. Developed specifically for the Wii by EA Canada, Grand Slam Tennis offers the deepest and richest tennis gaming experience at all four Grand Slams and is the only game to feature Wimbledon. Experience the thrill of playing on famed Centre Court or under the lights at the U.S. Open.

With authentic tennis motions, users will feel like they are actually playing tennis. They can vie for tennis immortality in Grand Slam Career mode by winning all four majors, a feat Roger Federer accomplished yesterday after winning his first French Open. With the win, he tied Pete Sampras with 14 career Grand Slam titles. Both are among the licensed players in Grand Slam Tennis, which includes some of the greatest in tennis history. John McEnroe appears exclusively in the game and graces the North American cover, along with Federer and Serena Williams. Joining the trio is a mix of current stars and legends who collectively own 136* Grand Slam singles titles.Read more