electronicarts posts

Digital Illusions has about 5 million upcoming Battlefield projects in the works (ok, it's just four but it seems like 5 million at times). But the development teams continue to update two of their earlier games; Battlefield 2 and Battlefield 2142. This week the official Battlefield web site has posted up word that new patches for the game are in the world (1.50 for Battlefield 2 and 1.51 for Battlefield 2142).

The update will include an all new map, Operation Blue Pearl, that's designed for both games to be a tight infantry city based level. It will also include some kind of beach landing, a la the Omaha Beach level in Battlefield 1942. Open beta testing for the patch and map should begin soon.

With the release of Mythic Entertainment's anticipated Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning approximately two months away, the developer would like to remind you via this E3 gameplay trailer that online battles will be large, fast-paced, and utterly cataclysmic in their presentation.

At yesterday's Electronic Arts pre-E3 press conference, Will Wright took the stage to discuss a variety of Spore-related topics. Wright touched on issues such as the evolution simulator's unique blend of science and creativity, the fan-made byproducts of his Spore Creature Creator, and a comparison between Spore players and God.

God created earth in seven days. Now, if you assume that a biblical day was measured in 24 hours just as it is in our present year of 2008 A.D., that's pretty impressive. Filling the earth was species was a time consuming process as well, but one that was also completed within that expedient span of time.

According to Will Wright, we mere mortals are looking to overtake the big guy's admirable record. Since the release of the Spore Creature Creator last month, Wright notes that 1,756,869 species have been entered in the Sporepedia. The end result: the amount of species created in the time since the Creature Creator's release equates to humans "operating at 38 percent of God's capacity, or .38G," notes sister site Joystiq.

"The blaspheme-o-rama continued as Wright said he suspected that by Spore's official launch users will be at 1,589,000 species a week or 1G," Joystiq continues. "Which left us wondering ... just how long would it have taken God to make Spore?"

Allowing industry giant Electronic Arts to publish id Software's upcoming Rage is a decision id co-founder John Carmack wouldn't have made several years ago. In a recent interview with Gamespot, Carmack admitted that he shared the opinion that EA was "the Evil Empire, the company that crushes the small studios...I'd have been surprised, if you told me a year ago that we'd end up with EA as a publisher [for Rage]."

It was the opinion of other like-minded developers, such as Valve Software, that provoked a change of heart for Carmack. "When we went out and talked to people, especially EA Partners people like Valve, we got almost uniformly positive responses from them," he told Gamespot. Carmack seemed excited during EA's E3 2008 press conference yesterday, stating that the publishing deal provided id with "full access to the worldwide marketing muscle at EA."

Mythic Entertainment, formerly EA Mythic (and originally Mythic Entertainment), has announced the start of the next phase of their beta for MMO Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Titled the Guild Beta, this newest phase is another way to stress test Warhammer Online's servers before the game's debut this fall.

"WAR's Guild Beta is here and some of the world's most experienced MMO players will now get a chance to play one of the most anticipated MMOs of all time," said Mark Jacobs, vice president and general manager of Mythic Entertainment. "We look forward to seeing them beat, bash and burn their way through the world that we have created for their enjoyment. It's going to be a lot of fun and it's going to be glorious!"

Mythic reports that over 10,000 guilds applied for WAR's Guild Beta phase. Approved applicants will assist Mythic in testing Guild and Heraldry features, one of the most notable being WAR's "revolutionary Realm vs. Realm™ (RvR) gameplay that immerses players in a world of perpetual conflict," according to the official Guild Beta press release.

Speaking out in response to the perpetual debate over whether video game ratings are a boon or detriment to the industry, Riot Games' Mitch Lasky, who has held prominent positions at Activision and EA, vocalized his belief that "The industry has the power and incentive to police itself."

"I believe strongly in the existing ratings structure, which could be strengthened by better enforcement of violations," said Lasky. "State regulation of content, even for the necessary protection of children, is a dangerous path."

The statements are but a few of many that comprise an ongoing struggle to determine who should govern video game ratings in the UK, similar to the role played by the ESRB in the United States.

A new trailer for EA DICE's Mirror's Edge has been released, offering a look at some of the story elements present in the highly-stylized action title.

Download the HD Mirror's Edge story trailer from Big Download

Last fall brought Maxis and EA's popular The Sims franchise to Nintendo's DS and Wii platform in the form of MySims, a casually-oriented title in which players could construct not only their avatar, but entire towns and communities as well. Today, EA has announced That MySims will make its way to PC this October, complete with online functionality so that players can share their creations with the world.

The PC version of MySims will feature fun community-based activities such as Hide-and-Seek, tag, trading cards, and safe chat for up to seven friends. Creations can be shared outside of the game via instant messaging and email.

"MySims, made for the PC, opens up the world of MySims for you to explore, play and share with up to seven other friends that are online with you," said Rod Humble, Head of Studio for The Sims Label. "For the first time, you can express the creativity of MySims with others in a collaborative way, as you create and live in a shared town with your friends online. With MySims, made for the PC, it's a whole new world of interaction with personalized creations, buildings and towns to share, along with furniture and other tailored creations that you and your friends can trade. Players who enjoyed MySims on the Wii and Nintendo DS will view this as a great way to connect with friends in an online PC game and those new to MySims will find this a fresh and exciting game."

Are you enjoying the Spore Creature Creator? Good. Have you been creating all sorts of abominations. Even better. Have you submitted any of them to Big Download's Spore Creature Creator contest? You haven't? What are you waiting for?

Big Download is looking for your most ingenious, funniest, and absurd creations (nothing pornographic, please). Choose your absolute best design, submit it to us up until July 1, and cross your fingers in the hope of winning one of our awesome prizes.

Interested in full details? Of course you are! Everything you need to know is gathered right here, so read carefully, download the Creature Creator demo if you haven't already (you can use the full version if you have it), and let your imagination run wild.

Official Rules.
Contest announcement.
Spore Creature Creator demo.