FIFA Soccer 2004

CHALLENGE THE WORLD'S GREATEST TEAMS FEATURES * Jostle for space, lose your marker, and control the player receiving a pass with all-new Off the Ball control. * Manage budgets, promote and relegate players, and guide your franchise to the championship in new Career Mode. * Challenge the world's greatest teams with more than 18 leagues, 35 national teams, and 10,000 players. * Unlock special EA SPORTS Bio rewards in FIFA Soccer 2004 by playing multiple titles, including Madden NFL 2004, NBA Live 2004, and more.

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Back of Case (Xbox, Canada/U.S.)

Challenge the World’s Greatest teams in FIFA Soccer 2004 with immersive atmospheres, benchmark presentation, total authenticity, and industry–leading gameplay.

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PlayStation Holiday Catalog 2003 - Print/website

EA KICKS FIFA SOCCER 2004 INTO STORES The World’s Top-Selling Sports Franchise Adds Revolutionary “Off the Ball” Control and EA SPORTS Nation Online Play

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – Wednesday, November 5, 2003 – FIFA Soccer 2004, the deep and authentic videogame from Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) that allows users to play the world’s most popular sport with the world’s greatest teams and players, is now available in stores under the EA SPORTS’ brand. Complete with the revolutionary new Off The Ball’ Control, comprehensive game modes, and benchmark presentation, FIFA Soccer 2004 offers the most authentic soccer gaming experience available.

Off The Ball Control adds a revolutionary dimension to gameplay, allowing control of both the man on the ball and the men off it. Timing runs, anticipating moves, and jostling for space adds a new dimension to soccer gaming that puts players in charge of realistic soccer play and tactics like never before. Along with the gameplay innovations, new Latin American teams and clubs from the lower divisions across Europe highlight the 18 leagues, 450 teams, and a whopping 15,000 players available for play in FIFA Soccer 2004.

EA SPORTS Nation provides the ultimate interactive experience through online gameplay* for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. The game features an online lobby area where gamers can meet, greet, chat, and play head-to-head matches, while EA SPORTS’ Talk (USB Headset and Broadband connection required) allows users to talk to each other in-game. Developed by Electronic Arts Canada, FIFA Soccer 2004 is available on the PlayStation®2 console, PlayStation game console, Nintendo GameCube’, Game Boy® Advance, the Xbox’ video game system from Microsoft, and the PC. FIFA Soccer 2004 is rated “E” (Everyone) by the ESRB and MSRP $49.95 for console and $39.95 for GBA and PC. The game’s official website is www.fifasoccer2004.com. EA SPORTS is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world. Its top-selling titles and franchises include John Madden Football’, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, MVP Baseball’, NCAA® Football, and NASCAR Thunder’. *PlayStation 2 online play requires Internet connection and Network Adaptor for PlayStation 2 (sold separately).

ABOUT ELECTRONIC ARTS Electronic Arts (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of $2.5 billion for fiscal 2003. The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under three brand names: EA SPORTS’, EA GAMES’, and EA SPORTS BIG’. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

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Press Release

It's not what you do on the ball, it's what you do off it.

For true football fans that demand the finest gameplay and comprehensive game modes, FIFA Football 2004 is the most complete and authentic football experience. All new Off The Ball’ Control lets you control the man on the ball and the men off it. Timing runs, anticipating moves, positioning players and jostling for space adds a new dimension to football gaming. A new Career Mode gives you the chance to take a team from the lower divisions, battle through ranks, sign new players, and turn them into champions. The action is deeper than ever with advanced levels of player detail and responsiveness. With immersive atmospheres, benchmark presentation, the world's premier clubs, and industry-leading gameplay, the world's best selling football simulation returns as the true authority in football gaming.

FEATURES - Groundbreaking Gameplay: FIFA Football 2004 offers a fine-tuned game engine and a new animation engine dramatically enhancing the smoothness in player movement through organic motion.

• Off The Ball’ Control: FIFA Football 2004's unique and exclusive Off The Ball’ Control system lets you take command of players not in possession of the ball. Call in tackles, jostle for space, lose your marker and send players on runs at the touch of a button.

• Formation Technology: New formation technology now models the behaviour of eleven individuals playing as one team. FIFA Football 2004 now carefully architects the interaction of two teams plus also individual positional awareness, as well as 2, 3 and 4 man sub-units who work together to manage space and create opportunities

• Expanded Database and Controls: Enjoy richer depth to team AI, attributes, tactics, playing styles, and individual player personalities. New depth to control keeps FIFA Football 2004 easy to pick up and play but gives greater depth for the master.

• Player Manager: Be your own player manager with FIFA Football 2004's deep Career Mode. Build your team and guide your club to the Championship by making calculated decisions. Manage your team's budget and promote or relegate your players to sustain team objectives on the pitch. When one season ends and another begins new challenges will present themselves. The most successful player managers should also be ready for promotions, as some of the world's top clubs may have new job offers.

• In-game Management: You think it's easy being the coach? Prove your tactical genius on the fly. Don't second-guess yourself after the final whistle-make adjustments mid-game and call plays in real time via the d-pad.

• Immersive Environments: More than 300 new crowd chants at an ever growing list of officially licensed stadiums help put you in the best seat in the house. From stadiums small and large, no football gaming experience offers a more complete library of the game's authentic environments.

• Play With The Best: Now includes 17 leagues, 350 teams and 10,000 players. New additions for 2004 include the Dutch and Portuguese leagues as well as the lower leagues from across Europe's greatest footballing nations.

• A Game With No Boundaries: Take on opponents from across the world via EA SPORTS online (PlayStation 2 and PC only). The online lobby area allows gamers gamers to meet, greet, chat and play FIFA Football 2004 head to head.

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Electronic Arts UK website - PlayStation 2

The grass is greener in FIFA Soccer 2004.

Enhanced Off The Ball Control and more players than you would find in a small town highlight the latest version of the world's best-selling soccer video game.EA has added new sod to the pitch for FIFA Soccer 2004. In addition to all the fast-paced, realistic gameplay you come to expect from the EA Sports franchises, the field competition has greatly expanded to include less-prominent clubs alongside the powerhouse clubs of the world.FIFA Soccer 2004 also gives you a chance to show the world that you're the best manager in Career Mode. Career Mode lets you pick any club team and begin a five-year campaign. If you have a little less time to invest, set up a match or a tournament and get on with the game.Features* 18 leagues, 23 divisions, 35 national teams and an astounding 10,000 players * New Latin American teams and clubs from the lower European divisions * Up to four players can play * Replicas of 20 club stadiums * New Career Mode

The standout enhancement this year gives advanced players even more control over the movements of the players. "Off The Ball Control" lets the player control both the man with the ball and one of three nearby players. This is no easy task so movements need to be made quickly or a defender will steal the ball away. Once you are in possession of the ball, press the Z Button. This brings numbers up over three players' heads. Press Z to toggle through the players. When you find the player you wish to move, control his motion by moving the C-Stick. This can help you find an open man in the face of a stingy defense or brings an extra man toward the net when you're trying to make a cross.With Career Mode, FIFA Soccer 2004 gives you a series of objectives that your team needs to meet, such as win 20 league matches or qualify for the European cup. If you meet theses objectives, you are granted additional budget points. You use these points to increase the skill level of your players, either as a team or by devoting points to individuals. Points can also be taken away for bad play.As the manager, you also have the option of transferring players from your club to another or release a player outright. Injuries are also a part of the game, and the more serious ones may call for you to transfer a player in to add some depth to your team. You are only able to transfer players during January or the July-August period.The game keeps extensive statistics and offers several camera angles, close ups and distances for you to choose from. Some camera angles, however, are not very conducive to the Off The Ball Control feature. Of course, FIFA Soccer 2004 includes customizable formations and offensive and defensive strategies.The feel and gameplay of FIFA Soccer 2004 is top-notch, but it would have been nice to see more enhanced managerial options, including simulating league games you don't wish to play. It's great to have the Career Mode, but some of the features are not very intuitive, most notably the training area. Outside of that, though, FIFA Soccer 2004 is pretty amazing. Great gameplay, great moves, great strategies, massive team and player base: you can get lost for days in a soccer haze.Bottom LineWith atmospheric stadiums, great presentation, total realism featuring the world's premier clubs and industry-leading gameplay, FIFA Soccer 2004 returns as the true authority in soccer gaming.

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www.nintendo.com - GameCube

The world's best selling football game returns for a new season, looking more beautiful than ever and now complete with new 'Off the Ball' control

Despite increasingly fierce annual competition from Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer series, EA's FIFA remains the top selling football game out there. And, with a host of improvements, innovations and new features, the latest instalment is looking fighting fit for the new season. Described by EA as the 'most complete and authentic football experience ever released', the latest iteration in the all-conquering sports series includes a new animation engine, a new Career mode, improved team AI and innovative new 'Off the Ball' control.

As fans of the series have come to expect, FIFA 2004's presentation is second to none. Once again, EA's licensing muscle has secured a mind-boggling amount of official content; 16 leagues, 350 teams and 10,000 players to be precise. The number of official stadia has also rocketed, and you can expect to hear more than 300 crowd chants on your quest for footballing supremacy. The series has never been known for shabby graphics, but 2004 takes FIFA's visual splendour to dizzying new heights, with a finely tuned game engine and new animation engine making player movements more natural and organic than ever before.

But it's not just a case of prettier graphics and more content. Perhaps taking a leaf out of Pro Evolution's book, EA has made numerous changes and additions to the gameplay that result in a far more tactical game. Probably the most significant of these is the innovative Off the Ball control feature. When in possession of the ball, this nifty feature allows you to control supporting players, running them into space and creating opportunities that previously only came about at the team AI's discretion. You can even bring out your inner manager mid-match, using the D-pad to change team tactics on the fly.

This increased focus on management extends to the new Career mode, which lets you build your own squad and lead them to Championship glory, all the while making numerous management calls relating to the squad list, budgets and more besides. If you're really into the sheepskin coat side of things, FIFA 2004 allows you to import your squad from EA's new footie management sim, Total Club Manager, and put them through their paces on the pitch.

There's good news also for Network Adaptor owners, as FIFA 2004 is online, exclusively to PlayStation 2. Take on players all around the world and show off your skills online in numerous leagues, tournaments and special events.

• The most comprehensive football sim returns to PS2 with 16 leagues, 350 teams and 10,000 players
• Tweaked game engine and new animation engine, resulting in more fluid and natural player movements
• Broadcast Plus - cutting edge, TV broadcast style presentation brings the action on the pitch to life in style
• Enhanced gameplay features include 'Off the Ball' control, deeper AI and on-the-fly tactics

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uk.playstation.com

FIFA Football 2004 er den næste udgave af det bedste fodboldspil til Xbox. Spillet byder nu på en lang række nye spilfunktioner, herunder et nyt "uden bold"-spillesystem, som giver spillerne større kontrol med alle spillerne på deres hold. Spillet kunne meget vel gå hen og blive årets ultimative fodboldspil. FIFA Football 2004 indeholder 18 ligaer. Entusiastiske fodboldfanatikere kan i år desuden glæde sig over den splinternye, gennemførte karrierefunktion!

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www.xbox.com (Danish)