Darkspore Open Beta Launches

If you didn’t get a chance to play Darkspore during to the closed beta, now’s your chance! The FREE open beta for Darkspore is now available for a limited time. In this new breed of action-RPG, you awake from a hypersleep to discover that the entire galaxy is under siege by hordes of mutated creatures known as the Darkspore. Assemble your arsenal of customized living weapons and prepare to confront the menace that has terrorized earth for so many eons. Instead of playing a single hero character, you'll collect and control many heroes, each with their own unique set of special abilities.

Battlefield 3 Launches Facebook Community Challenge

Can’t get enough Battlefield 3? Curious what goes on behind the scenes in the making of Battlefield’s next big installment? Starting right now, EA is running a Community Challenge for our fans to push 1 million “likes” on the Battlefield 3 Facebook Page.

The full-length, 12-minute Fault Line trailer will be released to the web on April 17th. Discover the thrilling conclusion to Staff Sgt. Black and team’s foray into enemy territory, and see what it takes to survive in the war torn Middle East. And of course, watch in awe as BF3’s Frostbite 2 engine is displayed in full glory.

If you just can’t wait until then, we’re giving you the chance to get an early look. Upon reaching 1 MM Facebook fans, EA will release the complete Fault Line series for download in striking 1080p, as well as an exclusive version with producer commentary for special insight behind the game.

Tell your friends, tell your family, and help us unlock this amazing video early. Head over now to Facebook now!

Live Life To The Fullest With The Sims 3 Generations

If you’ve always wanted to throw a lavish wedding for your favorite Sims couple or drop a year’s salary on a shiny new sports car and thunder down the road with the top down as you navigate your first midlife crisis, you’re in luck. Today EA announced that The Sims 3 Generations Expansion pack is in development and will hit store shelves this spring. Players will be able to act out life’s memorable moments from childhood to teenage years to adulthood in this new expansion pack.

“The Sims 3 Generations includes new gameplay experiences and content that our community has been requesting for years including bunk beds, expansive weddings, midlife crises and more,” said Scott Evans, General Manager of The Sims Studio at EA. “Imagine booby trapping a friend’s toilet or turning your imaginary friend into a real person, throwing bachelor or bachelorette parties, all to spend your elder Sims years reminiscing about the past.”

You will be able to keep track of your Sims’ life moments with in-game cameras and upload and share their memories on the Official Website. Start off in the imagination-fuelled world of childhood, where you can take dance classes, misbehave with their imaginary friend or goof around in a tree house. Then you move on to embrace the drama of the teen years by pulling elaborate pranks such as exploding toilets, color dye in the shower or ding dong ditch, become prom king or queen, or forget the school dance and throw a raging party instead. As adult Sims, you’ll ride the wave of freedom. Attend or plan bachelor and bachelorette parties, throw lavish weddings, and even go through your own mid-life crisis. Whatever you choose, your Sims’ lives are sure to be more interesting in The Sims 3 Generations.

Battlefield Play4Free Now Open to Players Worldwide

The wait is over! The Battlefield experience is now available to anyone, anytime, anywhere – for free.

Today, EA launched Battlefield Play4Free, a deep, rich, adrenaline-filled Battlefield all-out war experience. Battlefield Play4Free delivers an endlessly entertaining experience that combines the most popular maps from Battlefield 2 with the popular classes and powerful weapons of Battlefield: Bad Company 2, all rendered with stunning visuals.

Progress through the game to learn new combat skills and earn in-game currency to spend on an array of devastating weapons that will help propel you to victory in epic 32-player online battles. At every level you’ll be creating a more unique, more customized soldier and creating your own, personal playing style to take to the battlefield.

Battlefield Play4Free raises the bar in the free-to-play space even further with 16 different vehicles including the Mil Mi-28 attack helicopter, its nemesis the F35 VTOL jet fighter, the massive Russian T-90 main battle tank, and the hard to catch LSV light strike vehicle.

IGN has already proclaimed that the game “...has all the components of what someone would expect from a Battlefield game, for free.” What are you waiting for? Play Battlefield Play4Free today!

Need for Speed SHIFT 2 Unleashed

Shift 2 Unleashed takes the driver’s experience to the next level with an all-new rendering engine and graphics overhaul, innovative helmet camera, night racing, and perhaps most exciting, authentic degradation of both tracks and cars. This game-changing new sequel is already being heralded by critics worldwide receiving nine out of ten from both PlayStation: The Official Magazine and Official Xbox Magazine. Official Xbox Magazine even said that Shift 2 Unleashed is, “the real deal” while Game Informer says, “Shift 2 defines the franchise.”

“Our goal with Shift 2 Unleashed is to put the series at the head of the racing simulation genre by injecting some much needed energy into it,” said Marcus Nilsson, Executive Producer on SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED. “Working with the aid of Team Need for Speed drivers, we incorporated real-world race driving insights to make key improvements and enhancements to the game, while also innovating at the very core of the racing experience. Our introduction of game changing features like helmet cam further blurs the lines between real racing and the in-game experience.”

And fear not, the Autolog technology pioneered by Need for Speed Hot Pursuit is standard in Shift 2 so you can connect with your friends and vanquish your foes in exhilarating head-to-head races.

Get ready to experience all the violence, energy and excitement of race day in this groundbreaking authentic racing experience.

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.