EA Sports today announced a demo for the upcoming World Cup themed FIFA title will come to Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network tomorrow and detailed the game’s soundtrack as well.

In the demo, you can play as either Spain or Italy and try out the game’s new Two-Button control mechanic and even save and upload your replays to brag to your mates about.

EA also broke news about the game’s soundtrack and said it’ll feature 28 artists from 20 countries to celebrate the “cultural vibrancy”  of the first World Cup to ever be held in Africa.

As the resident soccer nerd here at Blast, I have to pinch myself almost daily in amazement that this is actually a World Cup year.

It’s 2010, which means it’s a World Cup year, which means EA Sports will release a limited edition World Cup branded FIFA installment.

World Cup!

Due out in late April, a little over a month before the tournament commences in June, will be FIFA World Cup 2010. It’s a game with all 199 national teams, all 10 authentically produced stadiums and more that allows you to play through the tournament with your squad of national heroes and take home the trophy.

Today we get a trailer for the game, but if you’re a footy fan like myself, you were sold at the mere announcement of the game.

Look for our review in April. Might be the best chance the United States has to win it all!

Living in the United States, it’s hard to remember soccer is the world’s most popular sport, but it is.

EA Sports recently announced that FIFA 2010, the premier soccer simulator, has sold over 9.7 million copies since it launched over fourth months ago in October.

FIFA '10

That  number represents the number of copies sold across every platform and, to put it in perspective, equates to 75,000 units sold per day.

2010 being a World Cup year, EA Sports is primed and ready to release a World Cup themed FIFA product in April, a few months before the once-every-four-years soccer tournament kicks off in South Africa.

Source: Destructoid

FIFA ’10, the game based on the world’s most popular sport, has sold over 4.5 million copies at retail according to Electronic Arts, which released the hefty statistic today.

We already knew FIFA ’10 was the fastest selling game ever, but, for a sports game, to reach the 4.5 million figure, well, that’s just impressive.

What’s more though is EA announced future plans for digital dominance in the form of FIFA ’10 Ultimate Team, DLC for the title due out in January for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Producer Paul Hossack spoke about the new DLC:

“We now have over 7,000 players from 27 leagues available, from which gamers will craft one or multiple squads to show their mastery of the revamped, more realistic chemistry system, and compete in tournaments with exciting requirements and rewards. On top of that, we’ll release new tournaments and other updates regularly to keep the experience fresh and exciting.”

And EA padded that announcement with even more statistics. According to the publisher FIFA ’10 sold 26 percent better than ’09 over the same period of time and “3 million games are played daily and over 113 million total online games have been played on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 over the past two months.”

I’ll chalk the ramped up excitement to 2010 being a World Cup year, but feel free to guess as well.

Source: Kotaku

Electronic Arts, publisher of the FIFA series, today detailed plans for east and west tours showing off the latest installment, FIFA ’10, to enthusiasts.

The tour, which spans 5 weeks and 15 cities, will hit major spots like Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Las Vegas, and more.

According to EA, vehicles outfitted with PlayStation 3 systems and 13 TVs in each, will travel the country and allow fans to try out the game, win free prizes, and put their name in a hat for a PSPgo.

I was always told to stay away from strangers, especially strangers with toys in their vehicle, but come on, this is FIFA we’re talking about here.

FIFA ’10 went on sale today in North America.

Electronic Art’s biggest franchise, FIFA, launched its newest iteration last week in the United Kingdom, and it sold, and sold, and sold to the tune of millions of copies and a new FIFA record.

According to Chart Track, FIFA ’10 enjoyed the largest “all formats” launch in the UK since Grand Theft Auto IV. An even more staggering feat? First week sales are up a mind-blowing 48 percent over last year’s numbers making it the highest-selling first week launch in FIFA history.

Xbox 360 sales contributed to 48 percent of the total, with PS3 figures at a very close 46 percent, with other formats making up the difference.

I’ll say 2010 being a World Cup year had something to do with the ballooning figures.

FIFA ’10 hits North America October 20, but don’t expect it to sell as well as its UK counterpart.

Thanks, Joystiq

The FIFA series is one of the most popular, profitable, and recognized franchises in the entire world. We in the United States love to hate soccer. But most everywhere else in the world, the sport is adored, and in turn the video game as well.

Today, Electronic Arts released FIFA ’10 for iPhone and iPod Touch, vastly furthering the reach of the footy game to the millions of Apple portable devices out there.

FIFA ’10 for the iPhone/iPod Touch sounds like a very promising version, as it features 12,650 players, 570 teams and 30 leagues and is controlled through what EA calls a “simple and innovative two button control system that offers a free flowingsoccer experience.”

Additionally, the game features multiplayer in the form of Wi-Fi, guaranteeing you and your friends a match any time of day or night.

Download FIFA ’10 in the App Store or on iTunes today for $9.99 , and look for the console version October 20.

Football, or soccer as we Americans know it, is the world’s most popular sport and EA’s largest franchise. So it comes as no surprise that the publisher would break the bank and market the game sparing no expense.

In this FIFA ’10 trailer dubbed “How Big Can Football Get?,” world-class footballers, including Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, and the like, take up controllers, yell at screens, and get us very excited for the 2010 iteration. Have a look.

FIFA ’10 hits retail October 2 in Europe and Oct. 20 in North America.

Electronic Arts today announced that the Dutch Nation Football (soccer) team will appear in FIFA ’10 as they do in real life.

According to today’s press release, EA and the Royal Netherlands Football Association reached an amiable accord to bring all Dutch footballers to digital form in FIFA ’10, EA’s latest football simulator.

The Dutch team was playable in past FIFAs but players’ likenesses were fake and their kits (jerseys) were ficticious. No more! says EA, as the agreement, based on what, we don’t know, brings the entire Dutch team, including standouts Wesley Sneijder, Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Mark van Bommel, and their respective kits to life in FIFA ’10.

FIFA ’10 is due out October 2 in Europe (where it’ll sell millions) and in North America on October 20 (where it’ll sulk in isolation on shelves).

Electronic Arts today released demos for NBA Live ’10 and FIFA ’10 on Xbox Live for sports games enthusiasts to try their hand at before they make that $60 decision.

The NBA Live ’10 demo lets gamers play as either the Orlando Magic or the Los Angeles Lakers in a 2008 NBA Finals rematch of sorts. As for this year’s game refinements? An overall graphical overhaul via arena specific lighting, crowd behaviors, and signature pre-game rituals (Lebron’s chalk thing) are the noted updates. And as you’d probably guess, EA claims this year to be the “most authentic basketball simulation experience in a videogame to date.”

The FIFA ’10 demo, which will undoubtedly be downloaded exactly 1 gajillion times more anywhere not named the United States, highlights the knowledge EA learned from the over 275 million games played online in ’09 by adding significant refinements including 360 degree dribbling, refined goalkeeper AI, jostling, and more physical play.

Start your FIFA ’10 demo download here and your NBA Live ’10 demo right over here.

Electronic Arts today revealed a premium version of the “Live Season” service coming to football (soccer) fans everywhere in FIFA ’10.

The service is basically an upgrade from 2009′s “Live Season,” this time around however the system has morphed into a full-on Game Mode enabling paying subscribers access to real-world updates regarding player form (lay off the pasta Rooney), injuries, suspensions, fixtures, results, and league standings.

The updates are available for a handful of leagues, all the ones you’d probably expect, so yes, the MLS isn’t on the list:

Barclay’s Premier League, La Liga BBVA, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Serie A and Mexican Primera Division.

“Every Wednesday is Live Season day where dynamic real-world data and analytics will be updated in FIFA Soccer 10 to match the weekly rhythm of real-world soccer and subscribers will have the chance to rewrite their clubs’ history” said David Rutter, producer of FIFA Soccer 10.

“My Live Season” will be available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 for $5/400 MS Points for each league with a package offer of $10/800 MS Points for all leagues.

Electronic Arts today announced that Chicago Fire midfielder Cuauhtƒ©moc Blanco, Chivas USA attacking midfielder Sacha Kljestan, and the dynamic wonder-boy from Chelsea, Frank Lampard are your 2010 cover dudes for the perennial powerhouse, FIFA ’10, at least in North America.

As a United States citizen, and an avid fan of football, or soccer, as I’m forced to call it here, I simply cannot wait for FIFA ’10, as this is the year, the year of the World Cup. And with U.S. player, Kljestan on the cover, maybe, the stars have aligned and we’ll make a deep run at it!

FIFA ’10 is due out this October for home consoles.

Electronic Arts announced today that the next installment in the famed futbol (soccer) series, FIFA ’10 will be the most “complete and intelligent simulation of soccer” ever made.‚  Quite a lofty claim indeed from the mega-publisher, but I can think of 275 million reasons why they’ll pull it off.

EA revealed today that over 275 million matches of FIFA ’09 have been played online between September 2008 and June 1 2009 and have received helpful feedback from a considerable number of footballers across the globe to help build the next game the way the fans want it.

Included additions to FIFA ’10 include

• More sophisticated ball control and physical interaction between players
• Players move, behave, and position themselves more realistically
• On offense players will bend runs and analyze space more effectively
• Better balance on lofted balls
• Improved goalkeeper intelligence (THANK YOU!)
• More realistic shooting mechanics with less shots hitting the goal posts
• The first-ever true 360‚° dribbling system gives players finer control of the ball
• “Freedom in Physical Play”-allows for the player to perform wider dribble touches

I am still learning to perfect the intricacies of FIFA ’09, but I can say that I’ve helped buff that tally up to 275 million in the past year, although I usually find myself on the losing end of the draw. Soccer is my favorite sport and if we’re going to have the FIFA vs. Pro Evolution debate, let it happen in the comments and I’ll throw my sentiment in there.

Until then, look for FIFA ’10 in the fall with forthcoming details spawning in the coming months.