{"id":6134,"date":"2017-06-11T12:15:58","date_gmt":"2017-06-11T02:15:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reckoner.com.au\/?p=6134"},"modified":"2017-06-11T12:15:58","modified_gmt":"2017-06-11T02:15:58","slug":"e3-2017-ea-press-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reckoner.com.au\/features\/e3-2017-ea-press-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"E3 2017: EA press conference"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Just like last year EA will not be a part of the main E3 show inside of the the LA Convention Centre choosing instead to hold their own event next door at LA Live. To further solidify their independence they\u2019ve moved their own press conference forward a day to the Saturday before E3, essentially extending the show to nearly a full seven days &#8211; much to the chagrin of international travellers.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"EA\u2019s E3 2017 press conference in 8 minutes\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kVUNQgF5Nh8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><!--more-->Also to the chagrin of internationals and I dare say locals, the conference beginning with a far too over enthusiastic, drum-line wearing New England Patriots Brady jerseys and their drums skinned in Madden \u201918 graphics. This of course led into the introduction of the long anticipated story mode previously seen in FIFA now being introduced into the Madden franchise as \u201cLongshot\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium_large wp-image-6135\" src=\"https:\/\/reckoner.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Screen-Shot-2017-06-11-at-11.56.31-am-768x432.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Andrew Wilson, the Australian born, jeans &amp; sports jacket wearing, CEO of EA then justified their reasoning to continue with \u201cEA Play\u201d (their independence from E3), putting the games into the players\u2019 hands with some emphatic cries of \u201cyeeeeee-ah\u201d with as much muster as a teleprompted robot can.<\/p>\n<p>Battlefield 1 was then introduced and it was announced that the new expansion would be coming for the game later in September. Entitled \u201cIn the name of the Tsar\u201d it will include all new maps, vehicles and weapons for Battlefield 1s dedicated multiplayer community.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"FIFA 18 REVEAL TRAILER | FUELED BY RONALDO\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l1FJfr_spJQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>FIFA 18\u2019s trailer was nothing short of impressive. EA\u2019s tentpole sports title it likely accounts for over half their revenue so you\u2019d expect it to look so. I\u2019m not a big sports game guy but after seeing just how realistic in-game Ronaldo looks I\u2019m keen to pull on the shin guards and take a dive this year. Contributing to the game\u2019s realism is for the first time movement capture for modelling by none other than Ronaldo himself, FIFA 18\u2019s cover star.<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly instead of starting a new \u201cjourney\u201d with a fresh face FIFA 18 looks to continue the story of last year\u2019s introduced Alex Hunter as he embarks on the next chapter of his professional football career. I think it\u2019s a great move on EA\u2019s part and am more interested in playing FIFA for the story than the online multiplayer where I\u2019ll undoubtably have my ass handed to me repeatedly.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Need for Speed Payback<\/em> wins the award for most cringe-worthy introduction of E3 so far (it\u2019s early I know) but there was either a failure of crowd enthusiasm of the poor wrangled in YouTube \u201ccreator\u201d Jesse Wellens\u2019 had a major teleprompter failure and just repeated his name over and over.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium_large wp-image-6136\" src=\"https:\/\/reckoner.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Screen-Shot-2017-06-11-at-12.00.21-pm-768x432.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" \/><\/p>\n<p>As for the actual game. Think Fast and Furious without the licensing deal to actually call it that. In what appears to be a series of scenarios that you could easily rip from any of the eight F&amp;F films the game could definitely be a little fun for those wanting more arcade than racing sim.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Need for Speed Payback Official Gameplay Trailer\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/K-5EdHZ0hBs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>EA Originals was EA\u2019s new arm for small indie studios to pitch the company and potentially gain the help and wonders such a large publisher can offer. Last year\u2019s <em>\u201cUnravel\u201d<\/em> was one of its first recipients and a big hit with many. This year it was oddly introduced saying that they\u2019d received hundreds of submissions and great ideas but instead of talking about any of them we\u2019re going to highlight another whom we actively pursued, <em>Brothers: A tale of two sons<\/em> creator Josef Fares.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"A Way Out Official Reveal Trailer\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yGZGSdgJVPM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><em>A way out<\/em> is the first game from Fares\u2019 new studio Hazelight. Heavily borrowing from Brothers\u2019 co-op mechanics it looks to be a much more beautiful and refined version of his original title with a much more fleshed out story that revolves around two men breaking out of a prison. The game is designed and meant to be played in local split-screen co-op but can be played online although Fares is very adamant that\u2019s not how you should play it.<\/p>\n<p>Does it really matter that its mechanics are something we\u2019ve seen before? I don\u2019t think so, and if Fares\u2019 enthusiasm for the game and it\u2019s development is even half as emphatic as the game it should be exciting to play. Brothers was a phenomenal game and with the detail shown in the trailer I\u2019m really excited to give this a go.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It seems not even the gaming world can avoid the buzzwords of \u201cdeep learning\u201d, \u201cneural networks\u201d and \u201cdisrupt\u201d as EA revealed their own R&amp;D team SEED: Search for Extraordinary Experiences Division. There was nothing actually shown from the group, it was all kind of weird to even bring it up other than to spout industry trends but they did pivot to some 4K Project Scorpio screen grabs that did look phenomenal.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Anthem Teaser Trailer Breakdown - New Bioware Game - EA E3 2017\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LBw1AL4rihg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Now we get a taste of what the main team at Bioware have been working on, a brand new IP called <em>\u201dAnthem\u201d<\/em>. Many are expecting this to be Bioware\u2019s answer to Destiny or Ubisoft\u2019s The Division. More details are coming at Microsoft\u2019s conference tomorrow and I expect to be a Scorpio exclusive for next year &#8211; or if we\u2019re super lucky a day one release because we certainly know no one was really working on Mass Effect Andromeda were they.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Finally EA\u2019s short but sweet conference was capped off with what everyone wanted the most, the November launching Star Wars Battlefront 2. In the answer to everyone\u2019s prayers the new game will introduce a solo campaign to the franchise and will tell a brand new Star Wars story that takes place between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Star Wars Battlefront II: Official Gameplay Trailer\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_q51LZ2HpbE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The other large issue with the original Battlefront in game size is also being addressed. An addition 30% being added to the game across the board with new heroes, more worlds, more space battles, bigger progression systems and content from across all Star Wars eras.<\/p>\n<p>Big news on the DLC front for Battlefront 2, all new heroes, maps and content will be free for anyone that owns the game. That\u2019s pretty impressive and a great incentive to invest in the game (as if you didn\u2019t have enough already).<\/p>\n<p>Sadly there was no word on a VR experience for Battlefront 2. This could be simply because there isn\u2019t one or\u2026.. it could be because Sony might have something to announce in their press conference in a few days. Time will tell.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In the end it was a good showing for EA. Not enough about Anthem, but clearly a deal with Microsoft is holding that one at bay. Zero about the Mass Effect franchise and the fact they dropped the ball &#8211; but that&#8217;s kinda to be expected.<\/p>\n<p>I thought this years conference was a little more balanced than it has been in the past and thank goodness they didn&#8217;t go with the UK\/US split of last year! Expect a lot more info to come out about the sports lineup and minute feature changes that are lacking wow factor but important to those committed to the franchises.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Just like last year EA will not be a part of the main E3 show inside of the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":6137,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[11],"tags":[1337],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"reckoner_social_message":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/reckoner.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6134"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/reckoner.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/reckoner.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reckoner.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reckoner.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6134"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/reckoner.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6134\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reckoner.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/reckoner.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reckoner.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reckoner.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}