It was hilarious until 1:20

So I caught this truly funny mock presser from a FIFA 16 match courtesy of Metro. You can see it below too.

It is a hilarious concept and was done fairly well, until 1:20 when the "manager" called the "referee" a racist.

Now before everyone starts screaming at me that it was all in jest, I get it. It was all in jest. There are some things that just aren't funny though and accusing a referee (or anyone) of racism just is not funny. Sorry.

Just to be fair I would be reacting the same way if this was something that had occurred between "players" as we see is typically the case in real life. So here we don't even have art imitating life.

It's not funny.

You want to say the referee was crap or gave a penalty that they shouldn't ... great. That's funny ... it's a computer program.

But claims about racism ... not funny.

Honestly though, if you exclude that 10 seconds of video, it is truly brilliant. For me, they *just* missed on this one.

WWE meets FIFA

This hilarious FIFA 15 glitch has given us an idea for an awesome new game

Somebody has really trolled the game's designers here - but it could be the start of something wonderful.

Image courtesy of EA Sports

There's no doubting that that the FIFA series has got more and more sophisticated over the years.

Shooting, crossing and passing have all become more realistic, while the game physics are more lifelike with every edition. No wonder, then, that each one feels like a more satisfying gaming experience than the last. ...

See the whole story (and video!) here, courtesy of Mirror.

Kicking Back Comments: Where was the referee in all of this? Also, that foul is so violent I think it turns into VC not SFP!! =)

DENMARK WINS THE WORLD CUP!! ... kinda

Danish teen wins FIFA Interactive World Cup by outplaying almost two million entrants in FIFA 14 PlayStation battle

While his nation did not make it to the real World Cup, 18-year-old August Rosenmeier did his bit for Danish pride by beating England’s David Bytheway 3-1 on Thursday to win the FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC). Rosenmeier, who said he 'trains' four to six hours a day, won $20,000.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A Danish teenager has claimed the virtual World Cup by beating his English rival in the final of the online Playstation gaming competition, overcoming a field of almost two million entrants.

While his nation did not make it to the real World Cup, 18-year-old August Rosenmeier did his bit for Danish pride by beating England’s David Bytheway 3-1 on Thursday to win the FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC). ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of the NY Daily News.

Kicking Back Comments: Might have well been the real World Cup ... Football starts, prize money, glory ... I have to believe this young man feels the same way.

From Humble Beginnings

Rejection, tragedy and billions of dollars - The story of FIFA

“EA didn’t give a shit about FIFA.”

Neil Thewarapperuma (or Neil T to his friends) isn’t a man to mince his words. He was the European marketing boss for EA Sports back in 1993, the year the publisher would launch its first ever football game.

He wasn’t wrong. EA didn’t care about FIFA, or soccer at all for that matter. The US publisher had no interest in a sport that was practically non-existent in its home country.

But the persistent bloody-mindedness of EA’s European outfit made FIFA happen. And it was this team who would go on to work alongside a small group of talented developers some 5,000 miles away, to build what would become one of the biggest video game franchises in the world.

This is how they did it. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of MCVUK.

Kicking Back Comments: Art imitating life I think.

This is really an amazing article for both the gamer in you, and a fan(atic) of The Game.

Don't Talk ... Don't Watch ... Just Listen

Kicking Back Comments: We thank you Sir Patrick Stewart. What a promo!

I've got to turn this into a ring tone.

FIFA 14 ... Best Ever?

FIFA 14: Harder, Faster, Stronger, Maybe Better

Let’s just get this out of the way up front - FIFA 14 on the current-generation of consoles feels very different. I know there’s always a great deal of cynicism surrounding annualised games and how different things really are, but this year’s FIFA really has made some noticeable changes. If you’re set in your ways – you know, one of those people who sprint whenever they receive the ball – you’ll undoubtedly find FIFA 14 a shock to the system. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of IGN.

Kicking Back Comments: Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!!!!

Madam X? I know what I want for Christmas!!!

No Wii for U

FIFA 14 not coming to Wii U due to poor FIFA 13 sales

With this morning's revelation that EA does not have any Wii U games in development comes the outright confirmation that FIFA 14 will not be appearing on the system as well.

"Although FIFA 13 on Wii U featured our award-winning HD gameplay and innovative new ways to play, the commercial results were disappointing," an EA representative told Joystiq. "We have decided not to develop FIFA 14 on Wii U. We have a strong partnership with Nintendo and will continue to evaluate opportunities for developing FIFA for Nintendo fans in the future." ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of joystiq.

Kicking Back Comments: I'm not surprised frankly. While I am a fan of the Wii, the Wii U I can do without. I doubt EA is the only one halting development for that platform.

Who said gaming does not pay

Your essential guide to the FIWC

From 6 to 8 May, 21 of the world’s best EA SPORTS™ FIFA 13 gamers will gather in Madrid for the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2013 Grand Final. At the Grand Final this elite group of finalists will play one another at EA SPORTS™ FIFA 13 on the Sony PlayStation®3 in the hopes of being crowned the next interactive world champion. Do you think you have what it takes to challenge for the title of the world's finest FIFA 13 player? ...

See the whole article here, from FIFA.com

Kicking Back Comments: 20K and a trip to Switzerland to see the Ballon d’Or Gala?!?

I should start training now!

For kiddies of all ages

FIFA 13 Wii U Review

You may have heard how great FIFA 13 is on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The annual soccer franchise launched with a host of new features, enhanced graphics, and improved intelligence engine on those platforms. Unfortunately, EA’s first crack at FIFA Soccer on the Wii U is not this game. In fact, it’s a bad port of FIFA 12, which is a big letdown for soccer fans looking for a comparable experience on the new console. Differences from other consoles aside, FIFA 13 on the Wii U is the first high definition soccer experience for Nintendo fans, and the best that the franchise has ever been on this platform. ...

See the whole review here, courtesy of Attack of the Fan Boy.

Kicking Back Comments: Pretty cool stuff! Looks like another platform for the home soon.

Best Comment Ever

Take a look at this story from Wired, How Game Developers Tackled the Soccer Slide in FIFA 13.

Pretty standard stuff, right?

Well take a look at the comments ... first up is below.

Absolutely classic stuff.

Funny thing is of course, it is a consideration in FIFA 13.

FIFA 13 Pre-Order Incentives

For any who have not seen the trailer for FIFA13 .. here it is ... and is pretty cool:



Also, check out, "FIFA 13 pre-orders to feature 'extensive incentives' says EA", from T3 as apparently early adopters are in for some cool treats.

You know it's bad when ...

... there are people teaching you to cheat in FIFA for PES.

At least the author has the sense to note not to try this in the "real world."

Free FIFA Soccer?

‘FIFA Soccer’ Maker Enlists Facebook To Lure New Players: Tech

Forty years after Pong bounced across screens to kick off the modern video-game era, Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is struggling to adapt to the shifting nature of play, as gamers abandon high-priced consoles for tablets and smartphones. Now, the company has a plan.

The video-game giant plans to unveil free versions of some its most popular games for its Play4Free website and other sites, including Facebook, at the annual E3 video game expo, which begins today in Los Angeles. The move is part of bid to lure customers, who may not own an Xbox or Playstation, to try best-selling games such as “FIFA Soccer” and “Battlefield,” according to Peter Moore, chief operating officer. ...

See the whole article here, courtesy of Bloomberg.

Kicking Back Comments: Interesting idea. Mr Moore is a smart, smart guy in this arena and I look forward to seeing what the result will be. Heck, anyone who is parodied on South Park has to have some mojo, right?

EA is at it again ...

Developers EA Sports has revealed a range of innovations for its latest upcoming game FIFA 13.

The game comes with new features giving realistic touch with improved artificial intelligence. FIFA 13 introduces game changing features like Complete Dribbling, First Touch Control and Attacking Intelligence.

"We are perfecting the best sports game in the world with innovations that capture all the drama and unpredictability of real-world football," said David Rutter, Executive Producer for FIFA 13 in a press release. "These are game-changing innovations that will revolutionize our artificial intelligence, dribbling, ball control and collisions to create a true battle for possession across the entire pitch, and deliver freedom and creativity in attack," Rutter added. ...

See the whole story here, from GamenGuide.com.

Kicking Back Comments: I remain amazed at this EA franchise and how incredibly lucrative it remains for them. I would still love to see a "player" option through the referee eyes. Not a big seller likely (and I recognize that this is what it is all about at the end of the day), but neat none the less.

FIFA Street is here!

EA Launches FIFA Street
By: Zacks Equity Research

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) recently released FIFA Street, the latest game from the FIFA Soccer franchise. The game captures the essence of “the beautiful game”, ala street style. The game can be played on Sony Corp.’s (SNE) PlayStation3 and Microsoft Corp.’s (MSFT) XBox 360.

FIFA Street, as the name implies, gives the gamers a chance to test their street football skills in 35 locations around the world with different modes (Panna Rules, Last Man Standing and World Tour story mode). The game won 9 points out of 10 by Official Xbox Magazine, which commended it by saying that FIFA Street is “setting the standard for all other sports games”. Meanwhile,PlayStation: The Official Magazine described the game as “chaotic, tense, and above all, super fun”.

EA SPORTS’ FIFA franchise has attained an almost cult status among soccer fans. Thus, the release of the latest version is not only going to amplify the present craze but also rake in the revenues for the company. Interestingly, more than 2.1 million gamers have downloaded the demo version of the game, making it the second-most downloaded demo. It is FIFA Soccer 12, also from EA SPORTS’ stable that currently holds the top rank in that list, according to Sony and Microsoft. ...

See the complete story here, at zacks.com.

Kicking Back Comments: I am looking forward to getting a hold of this one ... so is Jr.

Word on the street ...

... is FIFA Street 2012 (FIFA Street 4) will be available March 13th, 2012. Check out the trailer below. Looks pretty cool.

FIFA12 House Cleaning ... Including Roo

So as part of my "day job" I am involved in managing a line of business that produces among other things, software. Over the last few days I have been running across just how incredibly well FIFA12 is doing and was thinking I should have gone into gaming software, not the stuff I currently do. Kidding of course, but it continues to amaze me how well the FIFA franchise is doing.

Take a look here at "FIFA 12 claims sixth week at top of UK charts", where FIFA12 is just rolling over everybody else in the UK. Also from several articles, we find out that FIFA12 is becoming the largest sports game in history with a 23% year on year increase in sales to FIFA11.

Now the last stactistics that really caught my attention were from videoganmer.com.

"Four weeks into the launch, we have hosted 271 million online games, an increase of 105 per cent over last year. Fans are currently playing an average of 94 million minutes per day of FIFA 12 online. These numbers can be confusing so let me provide some context."

Yes he said 94 million minutes of FIFA12 per day. Yeah that equates to about 65,000 people playing 24 hours a day. (I need to find what Jr. is up to =/)

"One month after FIFA 12 launched in stores, the game is still on the console tray and thus still generating incremental revenue. Players are rewriting our assumptions about their traditional decay curve. They're playing longer, they're more engaged and they are eager to spend in order to extend the experience."

Do you think these guys at EA Sports have this one wired?

Finally, and funny, was this article how Roo lost the Ballon d'Ore (I though he had it personally), but how he then lost to a 17 year old Portuguese teenager in a FIFA12 match. Afterward Roo was apparently making excuses about how he was not able to play as much as he would have liked.

To which frankly I say good (as I do with Jr.) as I would rather see them both kick a real ball around, than a video image of one.

FIFA Hack on Xbox Still Very Much at Issue

Xbox Live 'FIFA hack' concerns continue to escalate, Microsoft states Windows Live ID not compromised

Following an increasing occurrence of Xbox Live account hack reports, we are growing concerned over Microsoft's Windows Live ID system, the only layer of protection between a hacker gaining access to a person's Xbox Live account and their information. In our research, the only consistency we saw across users who were hacked was the general inconsistency of what email and payment method was used on their account. Hotmail, Gmail and school emails were used for their Windows Live ID, while payment methods used were credit cards and PayPal. Other than a compromised Windows Live ID, there wasn't a common thread we could identify. ...

See the whole article here, courtesy of Joystiq.

Kicking Back Comments: In my "day job" I am responsible (in part) for investigations like this. IMHO Microsoft needs to take this a little more seriously or they could find themselves in a world of hurt if a large number of people are stolen from.

The Xbox 360’s FIFA Phishing Continues Unabated

Since October, we've heard anecdotal accounts of Xbox Live members finding suspicious purchases on their credit cards and learning their accounts had been recovered to another machine. Now it's happened to a games writer—just this past week. Dan Crawley of VentureBeat provides a detailed rundown of exactly what happened, and in the process asks some detailed questions of Microsoft. ...

See the whole article here, courtesy of Kotaku.com.

Kicking Back Comments: Rumors that Sepp himself is the party responsible for phishing for credit card numbers via the XBox game are of course, false. He is after all far too busy scamming others in far more lucrative ways, IMHO.

An interesting story however for those of us who play in the electronic world as well as the real one.

PES v. FIFA. The Greatest Debate of Our Time? Really?

FIFA or PES? The greatest debate of our time.

The greatest rivalry in the history of video-games cranks up another notch with the launch of Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 this weekend.

As some of you will be aware, Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 will be released this weekend and with it comes the re-establishment of videogames' greatest rivalry. With FIFA 12 already on the shelves for two weeks and being the fastest-selling sports game of all time the boys from Konami will have a lot of catching up to do, both financially and critically.

A quick look across the internet will tell you that FIFA is once again dominating the critical acclaim, scoring about 90% on average with poor old Pro Evo barely scraping 80%. So will the gaming public be acknowledging FIFA as the king of this genre? Not likely as PES fans are a proud stubborn bunch that just won’t let go, and they've good reason for it. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Joe.IE.

Kicking Back Comments: Entertaining to be sure. In fact I used to play the MLS match I was going to be refereeing on FIFA, before the match happened. However, as I tell Jr. every time he tells me how good he is at FIFA 11 ... go outside and kick a real ball.