FIFA hits mobile phones
EA™ FIFA™ World Cup™ game™ comes to mobile phones .. ™
EA have teamed up with Digital Bridges to make sure that no platform under the sun is without an EA SPORTS™ 2002 FIFA World Cup™ game this year, with the announcement today that the franchise is heading on to mobile phones. In fact Digital Bridges are developing two seperate games under the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ brand, both of which will be available in lo-fi SMS and not-quite-so-lo-fi WAP formats, with a special colour WAP version available for those of you with the latest mobile technology. The first game puts you in control of one of the national teams and lets you play either a single quick match or a full length tournament. As well as having the option to go up against a random stranger, you'll also be able to set up your own private competition for up to eight people. The second game is more of a management affair, letting you choose a starting squad of 11 from your chosen country's 23 player team and set up training, formations and tactics for them. Meanwhile individual members of your team will gradually pick up experience (or merely injuries) which can effect your team's future performance. "This year, there is nothing bigger than the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™", Digital Bridges CEO Brian Greasley declared in the most ™ festooned press release in living memory. "We believe the EA SPORTS™ 2002 FIFA World Cup™ mobile games will introduce a huge number of new users to the world of mobile entertainment, and drive the most dynamic new medium in the world today towards its deserved status as a mass market activity and business." For their part, EA believe that "wireless gaming has a very big future in Europe", with EA.com European director Andrew Phillips adding that "we are delighted to bring our most important European sports franchise to the mobile market". Both World Cup™ games will be available to over 36,000,000 Orange mobile phone customers across Europe this summer thanks to Digital Bridges' UNITY (™?) platform. Related Feature - 2002 FIFA World Cup screenshots (Xbox)