THE WORLD'S #1 SOCCER FRANCHISE Features * World-Class Soccer Action

Take on the world with all-new authentic gameplay and compete with officially licensed leagues, players, and national teams. * Dominate With Europe's Best

The Club Championship showcases the top 18 European clubs in a world of soccer detail and culture. * Total Ball Control

Unlock the skills of the world's best players with the all-new EA SPORTS Freestyle Control.

Source:

Back of Box, XBOX (U.S./Canada)

ELECTRONIC ARTS SHIPS FIFA SOCCER 2003

REDWOOD CITY, CA -- November 5, 2002 –Better get back in training. Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) announces the release today of FIFA Soccer 2003, the world’s number one selling soccer video game. The game will ship on six platforms with FIFA Soccer 2003 for the Game Boy® Advance shipping on November 12.

A game developed by soccer players, for soccer players, Electronic Arts (EA) created the EA SPORTS’ Soccer Council comprised of stars Landon Donovan, Edgar Davids, Ryan Giggs, and Roberto Carlos. All four athletes were involved in the development process, contributing feedback from a player’s perspective in order to ensure that FIFA Soccer 2003 mirrors the world of soccer in both its look and feel.

FIFA Soccer 2003 offers users the broadest, most authentic representation of world soccer. An official game of Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), it also offers over 175 additional licensed entities, including 16 leagues, 450 teams, and 10,000 players.

With a new game engine, this year’s game offers total ball control, new ball physics and dribbling models. The addition of Club Championship Mode, comprised of 18 of Europe’s greatest club teams, offers intense friendly and tournament competition, big match atmosphere, the world’s top players, the most famous stadiums, and soccer’s liveliest fans. Also new to FIFA Soccer 2003, the EA SPORTS’ Freestyle Control gives the user total control over their player in order to deke past an opponent.

A first in franchise history, FIFA Soccer 2003 for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox’ video game system from Microsoft allows users to select their language preference with a choice between English or Spanish, including localized commentary game menus. All other platforms but Nintendo Gamecube’ will include Spanish menus.

Developed by EA Canada, FIFA Soccer 2003 carries an ESRB rating of “E” for Everyone and a MSRP of US$49.99 for the PlayStation 2 console, US$49.99 for the Nintendo GameCube, US$49.99 for the Xbox, US$39.99 the PlayStation console, US$39.99 for the PC-CD and US$29.99 for the Game Boy Advance. Consumers may purchase the game directly by going online at (http://www.eastore.ea.com) or by calling toll free at 877-EA GAMES (877-324-2637). Screenshots are available on EA’s informational press site at http://www.info.ea.com

ABOUT ELECTRONIC ARTS Electronic Arts, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of more than $1.7 billion for fiscal 2002. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for the Internet, personal computers and video game systems. EA markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS’, EA GAMES’, EA SPORTS BIG and EA.COM. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.info.ea.com.

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Source:

Press Release

Total gameplay experience, total ball control, total authenticity, total skill.

The world's most successful football franchise returns to classic form by focusing on the fundamentals of football. FIFA Football 2003’ provides an immersive, authentic experience driven by an ALL NEW game engine. This is football gaming that lives by the rules of the real sport and absorbs the users in a world of detail and culture. FIFA is TOTAL FOOTBALL.

FEATURES - Total Gameplay Experience - FIFA Football 2003 introduces a completely re-worked AI engine that focuses on three new enhancements; team play, team tactics and real player attributes. Use the advantage of playing as a team to break down the opposition with precision passing and quality finishing. Face the onslaught of an opposing team 1-0 down in the 80th minute as they throw all their players upfront. And experience the challenge provided by the individual strengths and skills of European football's top stars.

• Total Ball Control - A fundamental change in the control of the ball including shooting, dribbling, and passing results in more natural gameplay - with deflections, missed headers and scrambled goals reflecting the real nature of football.

• Free Kick/Set Piece Control - Dead ball situations are a pivotal part of the real game. FIFA Football 2003 incorporates a new interface that requires the level of skill and strategy that has allowed stars like Roberto Carlos to shine in the real world. A new set-piece dynamic provides complete control over the power and swerve of free kicks. Find the angle, find the sweet spot and find the top corner.

• Total Authenticity - All the great players looking and behaving as they do in real life, competing in all the top leagues and all the greatest national teams from around the world. FIFA offers you total licensed football with over 175 licensed entities - 16 leagues, 450 teams, 10,000 players.

• Club Championship Mode - Experience total immersion and ultimate competition with 18 of the greatest European teams. Feel the intense big match atmosphere with all the star players, real stadia, real stats and your favorite club specific crowd chants. Now you too must endure the pressure of playing in Galatasary's famous stadium of hell.

• Unparalleled Match Presentation - Continuing the excellence of FIFA style TV presentation with some of Europe's greatest commentary teams calling the action. All new half time and end of match highlights let you re-live every key moment.

Source:

Electronic Arts UK website - PlayStation 2

The latest update to EA Sport's FIFA Soccer series delivers improved ball physics, more aggressive AI, and a revamped control scheme. Soccer fans will also be pleased to see a huge crop of teams and players along with 18 fully licensed stadiums.

In FIFA Soccer 2003, you will need actual knowledge of the sport to succeed. This is a testament to the focus on realism that dates back to the beginning of this series.

Computer-controlled opponents will show soccer smarts by changing strategy depending on the game situation. If they trail late in the game they will attack the ball relentlessly. When they have the lead, they will be much less aggressive, instead focusing on clock control.

A big factor in the realism of FIFA Soccer 2003 is the ball physics. When you make a quick turn, the ball will no longer follow as if it were tethered to the player's foot. Players will dribble realistically and perform context-sensitive special moves with a press of the C-Stick.

Because soccer enjoys such worldwide appeal, the developers have gone to incredible lengths to include more than 400 teams. It's safe to say that your favourites are included. Most teams have real-life players in their actual positions and sporting their actual jersey numbers.

FIFA 2003 is as close the real thing as Soccer fans could hope for.

Source:

www.nintendo.com.au – GameCube

Heads up!

The latest update to EA Sport's FIFA Soccer series delivers improved ball physics, more aggressive AI, and a revamped control scheme. Footie fans will also be pleased to see a huge crop of teams and players along with 18 fully licensed stadiums.

Controlling the Action

In FIFA Soccer 2003, you will need actual knowledge of the sport to succeed. This is a testament to the focus on realism that dates back to the beginning of this series. Mangoes will grow in Manchester before you can just charge down the field and score a goal in an EA Sports' FIFA game.

Computer-controlled opponents will show soccer smarts by changing strategy depending on the game situation. If they trail late in the game they will attack the ball relentlessly. When they have the lead, they will be much less aggressive, instead focusing on clock control.

A big factor in the realism of FIFA Soccer 2003 is the ball physics. When you make a quick turn, the ball will no longer follow as if it were tethered to the player's foot. Players will dribble realistically and perform context-sensitive special moves with a press of the C-Stick.

The C-Stick feature is part of EA Sport's much-touted Freestyle Control. The direction you press the C-Stick determines the type of move you perform. It takes a few matches to learn the moves, but with practice you will have more control than ever over your footwork.

The passing mechanics are easy to master. Pressing the Y Button will pass to a specific teammate. Pressing the A Button will pass in a specific direction. You lob by pressing the X Button. You can also use the Y and L buttons together to perform through-passes.

Teams and Players

Because soccer enjoys such worldwide appeal, the developers have gone to incredible lengths to include more than 400 teams. It's safe to say that your favorites are included, including the MLS, for all you USA-centric soccer fans.

Most teams have real-life players in their actual positions and sporting their actual jersey numbers. The focus, though, is on the 18 top-flight teams found in Club Championship Mode:

* AS Roma

* Ajax

* Arsenal

* Bayer Leverkusen

* Bayern Munich

* Borussia Dortmund

* FC Barcelona

* Galatasaray

* Inter Milan

* Juventus

* Liverpool

* Manchester United

* Olympique Lyonnais

* Paris Saint-Germain

* RC Lens

* RSC Anderlecht

* Real Madrid

* Valencia CF

Home stadiums for each of these teams have been faithfully replicated. There are also four generic and two unlockable stadiums.

EA Sports obtained just about every significant soccer-related license, except for the World Cup, replaced here by the International Cup. Only teams that qualified for the 2002 World Cup are allowed into cup play -- sorry, Holland.

Most teams have multiple jerseys. With all those teams, only the persnickety few will complain about the lack of a create-a-team feature.

Game Modes

The game modes are pretty basic but they allow you to play a friendly match or season with any team. The Tournament Mode allows you to compete in one of six tournaments or make your own ladder.

Season Mode is structured just like Club Championship, except that you can choose from 14 leagues.

As many as four can play in any mode. Cooperating with a friend adds strategy and spontaneity.

Graphics

Props to EA Sports for the realistic graphics. Player models are incredibly lifelike and feature fluid animation and celebrations. The motion-captured player animations make ball interaction look especially natural.

The developers' obvious reverence for the sport means that graphics play a definite second fiddle to realistic gameplay. Rival sports games have taken to ladling on Hollywood-style flashy effects, but the FIFA series continues to favor subtle lighting and a complete lack of Matrix-style slo-mo replays.

FIFA Soccer 2003 is an excellent game that's packed with details. The improved ball physics adds a great deal to the realistic feel of the game. The controls allow you to take advantage of many new moves and passes. Learning all is time-consuming, but highly rewarding. The dual lack of the World Cup license and a create-a-team feature keeps it from being the ultimate soccer videogame -- at least, until FIFA 2004.

This game offers Progressive Scan Mode for televisions that support that feature.

Source:

www.nintendo.com – GameCube

FIFA Soccer 2003 aims to be the definitive soccer game for the Nintendo GameCube and pulls out all the stops to delight hardcore soccer fans. The game is chock full of new player animations to give the game lifelike feel. Of course, with the power of the Nintendo GameCube, the graphics have never, ever been so realistic. The game tracks every stat imaginable across literally hundreds of teams. Throw in customizability and player creation and you have a kicking good time.

Source:

"Nintendo Winter 2002" promotional booklet - GameCube

FIFA Football 2003 provides an immersive, authentic experience driven by an ALL-NEW game engine. This is football gaming that lives by the rules of the real sport and puts the users in a world of true football detail and culture. Control the ball and you control the game.

Source:

www.xbox.com