Tiger Woods not on PGA Tour 12 box art

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 4 January, 2011

Has he paid the price for his infidelity?

The world's most famous golfer, Tiger Woods, appears to have been dropped by EA Sports for the box art of the latest game in the long-running Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf series.

Box art for the standard edition of all three versions of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters go big on the Masters Logo, with poor Tiger nowhere to be found. Check it out below.

Although a golfer that looks like it may be Woods is shown swinging a club, EA told Eurogamer this afternoon the ex-world number one does not appear on the cover of the game.

He may, however, appear on the box art of the PS3-exclusive Collector's Edition, Eurogamer understands.

Is the move a slap on the wrist from EA following the controversy surrounding Woods' private life and loss of form?

In a statement provided to Eurogamer, EA said the box art "is all about celebrating the Masters".

"This year's iteration of the game is all about celebrating the Masters and the inclusion of the historic Augusta National Golf Course in the game," EA said.

"And the box art is a direct reflection of that celebration. We want consumers to experience the rich history of the tournament and having one of the most iconic holes in golf (No 12 - Golden Bell) makes the cover art instantly recognizable to a broad spectrum of gamers and golf fans."

Sales of the 2011 iteration were down 68 per cent compared to the previous year's edition.

Last month, EA boss John Riccitiello said Woods needed to start winning games in order for his business relationship with EA to make sense.

"We have no plans to move away from him, but it's a business relationship on the basis of we make the best golf game and he's the best golfer," Riccitiello said.

"Both of those things need to be true in the long run for the partnership to make sense.

"He sort of stuck with us for a very long time and we made great business together," he added, "and we're willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for a period of time."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (29) Latest comment 1 year ago

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  • Inquisitor #1 1 year ago

    That's an atrocious cover. Looks like one of those ten a penny early 90's golf 'sims' you'd get.

  • towser #2 1 year ago

    all this hassle just because he likes a quick fuck every now and again. What a bloody storm in a tea cup.

  • discobiscuit #3 1 year ago

    Thats Tiger playing a shot onto the Green isn't it?

  • cianchristopher #4 1 year ago

    They'll most likely drop him completely for next years game, unless he has an incredible year this year.

  • NotSoSlim #5 1 year ago

    Yea drop him completely even though less people watch golf when he is not around.

    Tiger is not the problem, releasing the same game every year is.
    Edited by NotSoSlim at 04/01/11 @ 16:40

  • Machetazo #6 1 year ago

    EA Sports MASTERS Golf (also featuring Tiger Woods) '12? Classy!
    Plus, I think I detect a lack of sincerity in the second paragraph of that statement in the article. Because a giant, socking great yellow flag obscuring the course shot, evokes the tournament, so strongly...

  • Buztafen #7 1 year ago

    Isnt that Tigers back to the right of the EA logo? He's there...just reeeeeeeeeeally small.

    /dammit disco!
    Edited by Buztafen at 04/01/11 @ 16:39

  • Machetazo #8 1 year ago

    @3 no, obviously a body double. Look again!

  • cowell #9 1 year ago

    That packshot is horrible. As Inquisitor says it looks like a box from the 90s!

    Was this a stipulation of the Masters to get the licence?

  • TheGrumble #10 1 year ago

    And he would have been such a good boy too, if it hadn't have been for that damned alien wizard

  • Eraysor #11 1 year ago

    It'd look a lot better without that massive flag in the way...

  • Spooke #12 1 year ago

    I would drop him completely, just call it PGA Tour Golf 12.

    Also, when is it out, I passed on 11 because 10 is just so good on the Wii and this time (if they sort out the spin) I'll pick it up on PS3 with a Move.

  • Bogie19th #13 1 year ago

    Why drop Tiger? He is a great golfer, and one of the worlds best.

  • Chamone #14 1 year ago

    May be just a matter of time before they drop the Tiger Woods name altogether and just call it PGA Tour Golf xx

  • stanthaman #15 1 year ago

    i was thinking it looked quite nice but these comments are changing my mind :/

  • stanthaman #16 1 year ago

    oh, and the game's still called Tiger Woods PGA TOUR :/
    guess they're sort of stuck with that name like it or not?

  • Machetazo #17 1 year ago

    Sillothian: you discount the anti-project $10 effect. (check the article from before, about the amount of unclaimed Gears 2 bonus content "coupons" as supporting evidence)
    Tiger on the cover, probably didn't make much of a dash of difference, although the TW name and EAS Golf are to most minds implicitly connected. I think, that if they were to seperate, the public would be confused, and there would be a reaction seen on sales. People refer to it as the Tiger Woods 'xx game. That EA publish it, is not as crucial to them.
    Edited by Machetazo at 04/01/11 @ 17:19

  • lennon #18 1 year ago

    Atrocious cover or not it has just convinced me to purchase the game. Stopped buying a few editions back due to no inclusion of Augusta.

  • NotSoSlim #19 1 year ago

    EA ditch tiger then a new golf game with his name will pop up. Project 10 dollar especially with a golf does not help one bit.

    How the biggest game in COD avoided it yet EA feel every one of there game needs it is baffling.

  • metalangel #20 1 year ago

    "Has he paid the price for his infidelity?"

    I don't think he's too concerned. He got to screw innumerable hot broads inside-out and back-to-front... never having to appear on an EA Sports game cover again is just a bonus.

  • effinjamie #21 1 year ago

    Welcome news for me, I'd much rather these games not focus on a celebrity, not that Tigers antics would have interested me either way. Still don't think they've bettered Links on the Xbox.

  • Osahi #22 1 year ago

    Wow, that looks really really bad. No, really, like shovel-wear-to-lure-half-blind-grandma's-to-buy-shit-games-for-their-kids-bad. Man, was there like a twelve year old intern doing the design or something?

  • romelpotter #23 1 year ago

    To get a digital recreation of the masters goplf course is massive news and something I have wanted for a long time. They should rename it Lee Westwoods PGA 2012

    But who's that on the 12th tee?
    Edited by romelpotter at 04/01/11 @ 21:21

  • jamhead #24 1 year ago

    "They'll most likely drop him completely for next years game, unless he has an incredible year this year."

    I am sure he could shag a few more birds than he did last year if he really puts his mind to it!

  • rashes #25 1 year ago

    Very short sighted of EA..

  • Bealsy #26 1 year ago

    Does this mean Michael Jackson won't be on the front of the 360/PS3 version of Michael Jackson The Experience? Or am I getting the idea of that game wrong?

  • ianodev #27 1 year ago

    God forbid a man rides everything that moves!!!

  • Mr_Bogus #28 1 year ago

    You gotta think like a corporate fatcat looking at bar charts.

    TW11 sold just over 1 million copies, less than half of TW10's 2.7 million.

    So rather than thinking "perhaps we shouldn't be releasing yet another one every single year", they decide to give it a makeover.

    The most obvious makeover is to remove Tiger's face from the box, IN CASE it was his personal/public shenanigans that turned people away.

  • JimmyT67 #29 1 year ago

    this is the best tiger woods game he he

    [link url=http://www.atom.com/fun_games/tiger_woods_defense/
    ]http://www.atom.com/fun_games/tiger_wood...[/link]