Electronic Arts kept its sights directly on games for its 2012 E3 Presser. With demonstrations for Crysis 3, Dead Space 3 and the new Sim City (all with February 2013 release dates) highlighting the event, Electronic Arts’ conference – titled “The Download” – played out mostly as a series of highly involved gameplay demonstrations.
Following Dead Space, Madden 13 hyped its use of the new Infinity Engine and use of a “Story Engine” that generates fake reactionary Twitter feeds to gamer performance. A new “Careers Mode” will combine Franchise, Online Franchise, and Superstar for a more socially integrated experience. Smartphone/tablet apps for the game were also announced, as was a playable John Madden character. Madden NFL Social was later revealed as a Mobile/PC game launching sometime this Fall. A trailer for the appropriately Zynga-esque Sim City Social Facebook game came with the announcement of a release just a few weeks away.
More content for Battlefield 3 was revealed, content packs including 10 new vehicles, 20 new maps and weapons, and exclusive camo kits and strategy guides. The content was announced as a part of a nine-month release plan for the game with five expansions, available for $50. Bioware issued a similar update to Star Wars: The Old Republic, which will be adding new PvP warzones, companions, playable species, increased level cap, and a new planet with unique storylines called Makeb. A new free-till-Level 15 system was also unveiled to be beginning in July.
A demo for Medal of Honor: Warfighter (October 23rd release date) lead to the announcement of the Global Warfighters multiplayer mode featuring 12 Tier 1 units from 10 different nations. FIFA‘s Football Club touted 11 million players, and announced that all returning players would keep their information and get a bonus in a yet unnamed new Club feature. In an announcement that almost immediately resulted in a bit of controversy, it was unveiled that EA has acquired the official UFC license from THQ for all future games. Need for Speed: Most Wanted (October 30th release date) took the stage, the Criterion produced game that allows player to compete against each other in a series of challenges for the title of “Most Wanted”.
Dead Space has lost its atmosphere now. I liked it for being dark and setting the mood to be scary. Now just TPS co-op.