If you’re like me, the word “football” conjures images of Peyton Manning throwing a TD pass to Dallas Clark, controversy over the BCS, and Jim Mora talking about playoffs. But as Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast!” Apparently, to the rest of the world, football is what we Americans call soccer. Now, isn’t that just confusing. Couldn’t you guys also call it soccer? And how about switching to the customary system of measurement as well?
Anyway, I digress. The reason I mention soccer/football is because EA has officially announced a new addition to its wildly popular FIFA franchise–FIFA Online! If you own a PC (as all cool people do), beginning February 3rd you soccer/football fans can head over to the FIFA Online website and register for the closed beta, which looks to go through June when the open beta will start. And even better than making goals and taking penalty shots (that’s soccer speak, right?), you will be able to do all of this for the low, low price of free.
According to the press release:
Sounds like a good time for all you soccer-lovin’ folks out there. Or is that football?
“Listening to and engaging soccer fans has been one of the driving forces behind the success of our FIFA franchise and now we are inviting European football fans–in mass numbers and earlier than we ever have before–to help us develop a new soccer game,” said Executive Producer Kaz Makita. “Fans will determine the features that matter most, and at the end of this process, our goal is to deliver a game for fans looking for a quick soccer fix at home or at work.”
“There are a large number of soccer fans who do not want a console gaming experience due to time and other priorities in their personal lives but they still want to be able to play a top-quality soccer videogame,” explained Makita. “FIFA Online will be designed specifically for them.”
Goal.
What about you all? Fans of the FIFA series? Looking forward to FIFA Online?
FIFA Online will enter closed beta for the English version on February 3rd and open beta in June of 2010. Other language versions will begin to roll out shortly after.
