wraggster
January 7th, 2005, 02:03
Initially we weren't sure if EA actually had announced that FIFA Football was coming to PSP. We didn't have a very good view of it, and we couldn't guarantee that it had fully made the announcement. Then we reviewed the video footage and yes, EA definitely did announce that FIFA Football is coming to PSP.[br]The not-entirely-shocking revelation came during EA's unveiling of their PSP launch titles at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. When Sony's handheld launches in the US it will be flanked by six EA titles: Need for Speed Underground Rivals, Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf, NBA Street: Showdown, NFL Street 2: Unleashed and the newly announced FIFA Football and MVP Baseball.[br][br]Every title should be available for the PSP's European launch bar MVP Baseball, which will only be available in America.[br][br]Unfortunately EA hasn't offered many clues about what the PSP version of FIFA Football will offer other than confirming that "original game modes, head-to-head wi-fi multiplayer, unique content, party play and EA Pocket TRAX" will feature.[br][br]We can expect all the licensed teams, leagues, players, stadiums and strips that you could chuck a slice of pizza at. Rumours that EA is implementing extremely realistic referees who can't tell if the ball has actually crossed the line or not are yet to be confirmed.[br][br]FIFA's not the only footie game headed to PSP. Sony's London Studios is working on a PSP version of its This is Football series that should be ready for the system's UK launch and Konami has confirmed that it'll be bringing Pro Evolution Soccer to the slinky handheld. [br][br]The publishing powerhouse certainly seems to be going into PSP with all guns blazing. All six games are being developed by a specially created development team called Team Fusion which draws staff from the publisher's Tiburon Studios in Florida and Canada Studios in Vancouver, the guys responsible for the console versions of FIFA.[br][br]Warren Wall, Team Fusion's executive producer and director, reckons the PSP versions of EA's established franchises will be different enough from their console counterparts to satisfy fans. "We're taking the best of our franchises and customizing them for the PSP," he said. "The gameplay, graphics and sound are being fine-tuned specifically with the on-the-go gamer in mind."[br][br]All we need now is the PSP itself. Expect FIFA Football and the little black box of magic you can play it on to hit shelves in March.