BioWare in Final Round of Developers' Showdown

We’re thrilled to report that EA’s BioWare studio has reached the final round of The Escapist’s March Mayhem Developers’ Showdown. Thanks to all of our fans who helped propel BioWare to the final round.

The Developers' Showdown is an exclusive event hosted by The Escapist Magazine where the top 64 game developers go head-to-head in an elimination style tournament to see who comes out on top. BioWare has already sailed through the Sweet 16, the Elite 8 and the Final 4. Now it is up to you to see who will take home the crown.

Best of luck to our worthy opponents at Mojang. Independent developers have always helped to foster and drive creativity and innovation in our industry. We have a lot of Minecraft fans here at EA -- two BioWare employees even got engaged in the game.

Make sure you vote in the finals before it's too late – voting closes on Tuesday, April 5^th.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters In Stores Now

Golf fans, we hope you’re not too rusty from the long winter, because Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters arrives in stores today. For the first time in franchise history, players can experience the rich history and tradition of the Masters Tournament and Augusta National Golf Club. An exciting development this year: Not only is the game available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and Wii, but it also supports the new PlayStation Move and Wii Balance Board functionality that allows players to earn “Balance Points” to activate a power shot.

Also new this year are a series of enhanced features, including a completely revamped career mode, all-new caddie system, fresh broadcast presentation, new courses and PGA TOUR golfers. For the first time ever, EA SPORTS laser-scanned every hole at Augusta National Golf Club to provide players with the most authentic digital representation of the Masters Tournament. Every tree, every azalea, and every undulation in every green was recreated down to the smallest detail.

“We’re excited to bring our fans the immersive and authentic Masters experience that they’ve been anxiously waiting for,” said Nick Wlodyka, Executive Producer for EA SPORTS. “This has long been the number one feature our fans have requested, so we’ve pulled out all the stops for this year’s game to ensure that our players feel as though they’re actually stepping foot onto the historic grounds of Augusta National Golf Club.”

Sixteen beautiful championship courses are featured on the Xbox and PS3, while 25 courses are featured on the Wii edition. Additionally, 19 courses plus Augusta National Golf Club will be included in the Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 12 Collector’s Edition, developed exclusively for PlayStation 3 .

Mini-golf, a family-friendly mode which originally debuted in Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 11, is available again on all platforms with the inclusion of five courses, including a new Boardwalk style layout.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 12: The Masters retails for $59.99 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and $49.99 on the Wii. The exclusive PS3 Collector’s Edition is available for $69.99. Order Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters today.

Crysis 2

Crysis 2 is a science fiction first-person shooter video game developed by Crytek and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360, that was released on March 22, 2011 (US). It is the sequel to the 2007 video game Crysis and its parallel expansion game, Crysis Warhead. The story was written by author Richard Morgan. Another science fiction author, Peter Watts, was also consulted and wrote a novel adaptation of the game. It is the first game to showcase the CryEngine 3 game engine.

The Sims 3 for Nintendo 3DS Handheld System Launches Worldwide This Week

Get ready to play in 3D! The EA Play Label of EA today announced that The Sims 3 for 3DS will be available for purchase for the Nintendo 3DS beginning this week. As a launch title for the Nintendo 3DS,The Sims 3 is in stores March 25^th across Europe and Australia and in North America on March 27^th.

“We’ve created a game for the Nintendo 3DS platform that includes everything players love about The Sims like build and buy mode, Create a Sim and more in order for them to have the richest experience possible in a 3D environment,” said Scott Evans, General Manager of The Sims Studio. “The Nintendo 3DS system is a highly anticipated launch for players across the globe, and we’re ecstatic that The Sims 3 will be one of the first games available for people to play.”

From the critically-acclaimed studio behind The Sims 3, The Sims 3 for the 3DS has features created specifically for the Nintendo 3DS system. Fans of The Sims will no doubt have endless hours of fun in a 3D world. Tools such as the facial recognition technology allow players to create a 3D version of themselves or their friends and then place their likeness into the game as playable Sims, characters unique to The Sims. They can change their looks including different hairstyles, facial features, and outfits all using the Nintendo 3DS stylus. Additionally, The Sims 3 will use Nintendo’s StreetPass™ system that allows anyone to share characters within a range**. For the first time on a handheld system for The Sims 3, players will be able to go visit new areas away from their lot. The zones are areas that give players different destinations to explore like a gym, library and museum and each one has full buildable lots and community features to go along with them.

Karma Powers, new to The Sims 3, enable players to create beauty or be devious with their Sims’ lives. By tilting their systems, players can be mischievous and cause their Sims challenges or they can watch bags of money fall from the sky that will give their Sims all the material items they could desire. Using the handheld, players will love the ability to either cause a stink storm or release a bevy of butterflies merely by blowing into it.

The Sims 3 is also available for PC, Mac, Playstation 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system, Nintendo DS, Wii, iPhone, iPod touch, and mobile devices.

The Sims 3 for the Nintendo 3DS was developed by The Sims Studio and has been rated T for Teen by the ESRB. For more information about The Sims 3 games, please visit the Official Website.

EA Extends a Blockbuster Franchise to Facebook with Dragon Age Legends

EA today announced that Dragon Age Legends, the ground-breaking Play4Free online RPG is now available to all Facebook users worldwide. Dragon Age Legends, a collaboration between BioWare and EA’s Play4Free studio EA2D, expands on the award-winning action RPG franchise and introduces deep, high-quality gaming to Facebook. Dragon Age Legends also ties directly into Dragon Age II, currently available in stores. Players who complete specific quests in Dragon Age Legends can earn up to five exclusive items for use in Dragon Age II*.

“We built Dragon Age Legends with one goal in mind: to bring the AAA quality gameplay BioWare is famous for to the social space,” said Mark Spenner, General Manager of EA2D. “Dragon Age Legends brings true RPG combat and style to this massive social platform and delivers it at BioWare blockbuster quality, raising the bar for social games.”

Set in the Free Marches, the primary setting of Dragon Age II, Dragon Age Legends combines accessible and engaging turn-based tactical combat with gripping co-operative gameplay. By simply logging in Facebook, players can jump in to the online RPG to recruit their friends and embark on a battle-rich journey filled with challenging quests. Like all classic RPGs, players will earn loot and share rewards with their friends to grow their hero’s might and their kingdom’s power. The game includes a gratifying character-customization and upgrade system that allows players to tackle demons and darkspawn to become a legendary hero within the Dragon Age universe.

For more information, play Dragon Age Legends on Facebook, visit the Official Website, or follow along on Twitter at da_legends. Dragon Age II is now available on PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, the PC and Mac. For more information on Dragon Age II, please visit the Dragon Age Official Website. For more information on EA2D, please visit ea2d.ccom.

* Offer expires March 31, 2012. Requires Internet connection, EA account, access to Dragon Age Legends on Facebook, ownership of or access to Dragon Age II game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, or PC. EA online Privacy Policy and Terms of Service are available at www.ea.com. Must be 13+. Valid everywhere Dragon Age II is sold. Code may not be substituted, exchanged, sold or redeemed for cash or other goods or services. To access items in Dragon Age II, you must register on Dragon Age Legends using the same EA Account that you used to register your Dragon Age II game. Items are nontransferable. May not be combined with any other offer, gift card, rebate or discount coupon. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law.

The Champ Has Arrived! Fight Night Champion in Stores Now

Fight Night Champion is an intense and deep new mature experience that builds on the rich legacy of the Fight Night series, which is one of the most critically acclaimed sports franchises of the past five years.

Fight Night Champion features new gameplay innovation that delivers the rawness and brutality of the most realistic boxing simulation ever created. The title is packed with a deep menu of new modes and features, including: the all-new cinematic, narrative-driven Champion Mode; more than 50 licensed boxers including Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao; Full Spectrum Punch Control; the deepest career mode yet, Online Gyms, and much more.

“The EA SPORTS Fight Night franchise has consistently pushed the boundaries of innovation in sports videogames, from ushering in the new console generation in 2006 with Fight Night Round 3, to Fight Night Round 4 which introduced real world physics to the franchise two years ago,” said Dale Jackson, General Manager, Fighting, EA SPORTS. “Fight Night Champion advances the critically-acclaimed series with genre-defining new gameplay innovation, a deep feature set and an all new type of experience for the EA SPORTS gamer.”

Champion Mode brings cinematic storytelling to the Fight Night franchise and is the first such story mode in EA SPORTS history. Written by Academy Award®-nominated screenwriter Will Rokos, Champion Mode allows players to step into the shoes of up-and-coming middleweight prospect, Andre Bishop, as he discovers that the road to becoming a champion in professional boxing is one that is filled with corruption, personal struggle and more than just what happens between the ropes.

Fight Night Champion also introduces a host of gameplay improvements. The refined punching system, dubbed “Full Spectrum Punch Control”, brings the most accessible and responsive controls ever to a Fight Night title. A new anaerobic stamina system tracks individual muscle groups separately, punishing a player’s overdependence on a single punch and encourages combination punching and diligent stamina management. In addition, improved visuals, multiple control schemes, realistic damage, boxer-specific animations and multiple stun states round out the key gameplay improvements players will experience in Fight Night Champion.

Fight Night Champion is available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and the Playstation 3 computer entertainment system. The game has been rated M by the ESRB, and 16+ by PEGI. The Fight Night Champion demo is currently available on Xbox LIVE and the PlayStation Network.

The Rise to Power Begins Now With Dragon Age II

EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Leading video game developer BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), announced today that Dragon Age™ II is now available at retail stores in North America and will be available in Europe on March 11. Featuring a gripping new storyline, stunning visuals and what PC Gamer magazine has proclaimed to be "the best RPG combat ever," Dragon Age II has already been hailed as a success by critics around the world. The game has received a 94 percent from PC Gamer magazine (US and UK), a 9/10 from Official Xbox Magazine and a 9/10 from PlayStation: The Official Magazine, which also said, "Fueled by its brains, a likeable cast, and a sprawling storyline, Dragon Age II delivers."

"I am very proud of the bold, ambitious direction our team took with Dragon Age II, which I think is some of the best work yet from BioWare," said Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder and Group General Manager of BioWare and Senior Vice President of Electronic Arts. "The Dragon Age team built on their success with Dragon Age: Origins and also focused on innovation for our players, delivering better combat, creating an incredible new art style and introducing a dynamic storytelling technique to really raise the bar for both the franchise and the genre."

Dragon Age II allows gamers to experience the rise to power of Hawke, a refugee who survives the destruction of his homeland, to become the Champion of Kirkwall. Hawke's rise to power is shrouded in myth and rumor, with these mysteries being the driving force behind a story that spans an entire decade. Players will experience how the legend unfolds by gathering the deadliest of allies, making tough moral choices, and amassing fame and fortune as they seal their place in history and change the face of the Dragon Age universe forever.

Also available today is "The Exiled Prince," the first downloadable content pack for Dragon Age II. "The Exiled Prince" introduces the noble archer, Sebastian Vael, with players joining him in the middle of his quest to avenge the horrific murder of his family. Sworn to the priesthood as a boy, Sebastian is forced to re-enter the viper's nest of princely politics when his family is brutally murdered, leaving him as the sole-surviving heir. Banding together with Sebastian and his unshakable loyalty and excellent aim, players will choose to either avenge Sebastian's murdered family to reclaim his title or direct his holy vengeance on their own enemies in Kirkwall. In addition to this action-packed storyline, players will also be able to enlist Sebastian as a follower throughout a majority of Dragon Age II. "The Exiled Prince" will be available for purchase separately for $6.99 or 560 Microsoft Points.

Dragon Age II is available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, the PC and Mac®. The game is rated ‘M' for Mature by the ESRB and ‘18+' by PEGI. For more information on Dragon Age II, please visit http://dragonage.bioware.com/, follow the game at http://twitter.com/dragonage and "like" the game on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/dragonage.

About BioWare

BioWare develops high quality console, PC and online role-playing games, focused on rich stories, unforgettable characters and vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world's most critically acclaimed titles, including Baldur's Gate™, Neverwinter Nights™, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™, Jade Empire™, Mass Effect™ and Dragon Age^™. BioWare operates in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec), Austin (Texas), Fairfax (Virginia) and Galway (Ireland). Currently announced projects at BioWare include Mass Effect 3, Dragon Age II, and the story-driven massively multiplayer online game, Star Wars®: The Old Republic™. In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global interactive entertainment publisher. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/biofeed. To join the millions of fans already registered on our community, go to http://social.bioware.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA™, EA Mobile™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2010, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.7 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million units. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

BioWare, Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Jade Empire are trademarks of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile and POGO are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Mac is a trademark of Apple Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.