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"We do not have an NCAA Basketball game in development at this time, and we're currently reviewing the future of our NCAA Basketball business," said EA Sports' senior director of communications David Tinson in a recent Game Informer interview. "This was a difficult decision, but we remain a committed partner to the NCAA and its member institutions."

It's an odd move, considering EA's biggest rival, 2K Sports' NCAA College Hoops series, hasn't seen any new releases since its 2K8 installment, leaving the market wide open. Tinson confirmed that the team responsible for the series won't be laid off, but rather assimilated into the NBA Jam and NBA Live teams at EA Canada, dashing our hopes that an EA-developed Harlem Globetrotters game could come from this.

Are you upset by the fact that people who see your Xbox Live Avatar don't immediately know your favorite NBA team? Well, you can rectify that with the new Avatar gear available on Xbox Live, courtesy of NBA 2K10 and NBA Live 10. The subtle difference between each series on offer is that NBA2K10's set has numbers on 'em, whereas the NBA Live 10 jerseys only feature team names.

You can snag your own virtual jersey for 240 ($3) right now on the Avatar Marketplace.

You were probably expecting the first gameplay footage of NBA Live 10 to feature a reenactment of the 2009 NBA Finals match-up between the LA Lakers and the Orlando Magic, but it doesn't.

It seems at first glance to be the Eastern Conference Finals between the Magic and the Cleveland Cavaliers. But wait -- Shaq's in the game! He wasn't traded to the Cavs until after the Finals, so we can only guess this is one of those crazy "What If?" scenarios. (Or, more likely, EA wanted the game's debut video to include the power couple of Shaq and LeBron James.)

Time-traveling Shaq aside, it looks good to us. What's your first impression of EA's latest hoops sim?

So what if we've known about this week's Xbox Live Deal of the Week -- NBA Live 09's downloadable "Live 365" feature -- for, oh, say, three weeks now? That doesn't make it any less rebateful at 560 ($7), down from the usual 800 ($10). What does, however, make the now bargain-priced content less valuable, is the impending end of the 2009-2010 NBA season and the relative uselessness of the feature during the off-season.

For a feature that touts "updated player trades, injured players, free agent signings, starting lineups, as well as hot and cold streaks of players," buying the DLC at this moment, just months from the end of the NBA season, might not be the most fiscally responsible idea. How is EA Sports going to push all those hot, up-to-the-minute statistics to you when there isn't a season to push out?

[Thanks, Samit!]

Of the many GDC 2009 announcements taking place this week, we were most shocked to see EA sneakily introducing some of the company's most popular franchises to the Apple device some are calling the newest gaming platform -- the iPhone. Travis Boatman, VP of worldwide studios at EA Mobile, made the announcement at GDC Mobile, naming SSX, Wolfenstein RPG, Red Alert, FIFA 10, Madden 10, NBA Live 10, American Idol, Spore Creatures, Clue, Risk, Mystery Mania, Connect Four, Battleship, Tiger Woods and Star Trek, according to reports from Patrick Klepek (former MTV Multiplayer writer) and Shacknews.

While most of the titles are the to-be-expected EA mutliplatform titles like Madden 10 and NBA Live 10, the SSX series will be getting its first update in two years according to this announcement. Also of note, Wolfenstein RPG is of no relation to the just released Wolfenstein 3D for the iPhone; rather, it makes up half of the two iPhone games id Software is purportedly working on. Details are unfortunately scant at the moment but we've reached out to EA for comment.

On a personal note, we'd like to extend our personal "WHAT THE HELL?!" regarding Risk being announced for the iPhone and still not hearing a peep on it coming to XBLA/PSN. Seriously, EA. What the hell?!

[Via Shacknews]

Apparently, all it takes to manage an NBA roster these days is a working knowledge of a game console and a copy of NBA Live 09. (LA Times seems to think you'd do just fine with the '08 edition, too, but it's simply not in that version's "DNA.") You don't even need to know how to play -- just sit back and let the game run its own simulations, as Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey recently admitted. While it sounds like the sort of desperation measure fit for a Clippers GM, reportedly, roughly half of NBA teams use EA's NBA Live to evaluate players around the league. "Say if you're thinking about acquiring Ron Artest," explained Morey, "On the game, you can see how adding Artest can change the dynamic of your team. You can program it to run offensive sets with Artest and any combination of your players."

On the flip side, "you can't simulate a player being out too late the night before or his body language on the bench or how he interacts with teammates" conceded Morey; or his potential to attend practice in a bathrobe or put out an embarrassingly clichéd hip-hop record. (All great ideas for the next installment of NBA Live, by the way.)

[Thanks, Wonderflex]

We could get used to this, folks. Around this time of year, we're bombarded with new games, across all fronts. Well, this week is no different, so we won't waste time yakking it up here, other than to say no dice on Gradius II. Head past the break and get the lowdown on this week's releases.

During yesterday's EA conference call, EA Sports boss Peter Moore briefly mentioned concepts the studio is considering for the future of their various titles. Moore stated they were looking at instituting "subscription programs" to the EA Sports library in order to "take advantage" of customer loyalty. Of course this could translate to a number of ideas so before we get bent out of shape we should consider it doesn't have to be a bad thing.

Consider a subscription based model that would drop by-the-minute roster updates for your favorite sports games over multiple seasons rather than having to plunk down another full retail chunk of change. While we can't guess what might, if anything at all does, come of this idea we can at least credit EA for being one of the publishers that keeps trying to innovate. Whether some like it or not.

"All-Play" is the new brand of Wii-exclusive EA Sports titles that takes the publisher's perennial franchises and simplifies them in ways that make the games accessible to, well ... all. It's the obvious direction to take, as the changes in the Wii versions of EA Sports' games continue to distinguish themselves from the linear advances of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. All-Play isn't groundbreaking, it just wants to fit.

All-Play succeeds in its commitment to consistency. Whatever whip Riccitiello is cracking has got the herd moving together in the right direction. We recently spent time with four of the five featured All-Play titles (sorry NCAA Football!) and can report that each has been treated with a certain level of care above the usual year-to-year tweaks EA Sports has come to be criticized by. These treatments are most definitely shaping a more casual product, which gives EA an advantage at both ends of the current-gen playing field.

Following word that they would be doing so, EA has revealed its EA Sports 'All-Play' line-up of Wii games. These Wii titles feature a new casual approach, which include mini-games, as well as simplified controls. The titles also include simplified versions of each individual sport, including 5-on-5 in Madden or 8 vs. 8 in FIFA.

[Via Joystiq]

EA Sports today announced its Wii-exclusive "All-Play" brand lineup: five familiar franchises with a new wrapping. Inside you'll find passable versions (jaggies alert!) of the usual, hardcore simulations, but the reason you might choose All-Play over the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 editions is the new casual focus that aims to appeal to, um, well, just about anyone with a few minutes to waste. Yes, that means minigames ("Party" modes in All-Play), but also simplified versions of the sports -- like 5-on-5 in Madden or 8 vs. 8 in FIFA -- and optional All-Play control settings, which balance the playing field by going as far as to auto-control players. Hear that? That's grandma in your face after she just dunked on you ... and didn't even press a button.

Check out our hands-on with the All-Play lineup right here.

Despite the fact that there's not much PSP action in North America this week, the two other major regions are getting some games that should please just about all PSP owners.

North America Games

• Downstream Panic!
  

Europe Games

• Final Fantasy
• Final Fantasy II

Asia Games

• Mobile Suit Gundam Gundam: Giren's Ambition - Axis no Kyoui
• Bomberman Land Portable (Hudson the Best)
  
• Coded Soul: Uke Keigareshi Idea
• NBA Live 07 (EA Best Hits)

It seems weird that the Final Fantasy remakes are just now getting their European releases, since they were released Stateside in June and July last year. In Asia, gamers are getting yet another Gundam title, and they usually sell like hotcakes so it will be interesting to see how well it does.

[Edit: Oops, we were wrong, or should we say Sony's official PSP site failed to list Downstream Panic! as shipping this week.]

Ballers from around the world will be happy to know that EA has plans to "unlock" a new feature in NBA Live 08 which will allow for big team basketball gaming. The free "Online Team Play" download will be available later this month and will allows ten gamers to control all players on the court in the same game over Xbox Live.

It's a nice move by EA and we couldn't agree more, out with the AI and in with the human intelligance. Maybe this type of true sports team online play will slowly become the standard from now on. We can only hope.

Yay for licensed games! While some people would normally be upset with most of the games being released this week of the licensed variety, we're just happy that we're getting any releases at all, which hasn't happened in North America the past couple weeks. Across the pond, however, the Europeans are rewarded with a massive release of games. Good luck playing them all!

Importers will be most interested in Yuusha, the new anti-hero RPG that's been gaining a fair bit of attention amongst the PSP hardcore.

NA Games

• Beowulf: The Game
• The Golden Compass
• Warriors of the Lost Empire

EU Games

• Beowulf: The Game
• NBA Live 08
• Pimp My Ride
• Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice
• SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals Tactical Strike
• Sonic Rivals 2
• Telly Addicts
• Wipeout Pulse
• Worms Open Warfare Platinum
• Yu Gi Oh! GX Tag Force 2

Asia Games

• Dungeon Maker 2
• Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida
  

Noticeably absent from this week's releases is Atari Classics Evolved, which is apparently delayed until early 2008. Despite that, however, we're sure gamers from all regions can find something worthwhile to play this week.