The Xbox 360 forecast is absolutely droughtful this week at retail, with the Clash of the Titans theater DVD release tie-in drying up store shelves. Thankfully, the Xbox Live Marketplace is overflowing with new content this week, including today's release of the new Madden demo.
Additionally, DLC for a pool of recent releases -- Alan Wake, Lost Planet 2 and Transformers, to name a few -- flowed out today, and the "Summer of Arcade" shines on tomorrow with Hydro ThunderHurricane. (Did you read our review yet?) Finally, Borderands' trio of add-ons is on sale through Sunday.
Check out complete details of the week's XBLM content after the break.
#golf
Electronic Arts was one of the few major brands not to run from Tiger Woods during the golfer's embarrassingly public sex scandal this winter, but that loyalty hasn't paid off, frets one analyst. More »
The NPD figures for June show that Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 didn't have a debut comparable to the previous year's game. In fact, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 only managed to unload 32% of the copies sold during Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10's initial launch month, Venturebeat offers. We contacted the NPD, who told us the same thing: "The new Tiger Woods release sold only 32 percent of what last year's release sold in its introductory month at retail. That said, last year's game saw a huge sales increase over previous versions, but still, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 did not break into the top 10 games for the month."
Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is Tiger's promiscuity -- a likely factor behind Tiger's waning popularity. But, EA's Rob Semsey contributed that the slowing Wii market and Tiger's performance on the course as of late are also contributors to the dip in sales. Now the real question is: with the drop in sales, will EA still stand by its man?
I've played a lot of golf games over the years, from the arcadey Hot Shots series to my all-time favorite, Links 2004. But I've never played anything quite like Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11. For someone new to the series on Wii, its MotionPlus controls aren't just a revelation -- they're the only way I want to play golf games from now on.
Last year, Jimmy Fallon beat Tiger Woods at his own game — his own Wii game, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10. Last night, Fallon, continued his winning streak against the fabulously attired Ian Poulter. How does he do it? More »
#clips
Tiger Woods remains a toxic title sponsor thanks to bad play and lingering punch lines from a scandal-plagued winter, but he's still got a game coming out next week. How to market it? I got it, bring in Mike Ditka! More »
Check out more screens in our Flickr set
Product Description
Lead your team to glory with Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 11. Fight for honor, fight for country in the all new Ryder Cup Challenge on The Celtic Manor Resort in Wales; home to the 2010 Ryder Cup. Play like a pro with fully enhanced swing mechanics with [...]
Attention, virtual linksmen: A demo for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. This trial version offers players a chance to experience "a fully customizable Ryder Cup match that includes three holes on Celtic Manor Resort." In addition to the Celtic Resort holes, players can also try out three holes of the Liberty National course.
The demo also has a unique feature, allowing players to earn in-game experience points by sharing the demo with friends. Using the "console messaging system" to share the demo, players will earn XP for each friend that downloads it. This XP can then be used to upgrade golfer stats in the retail version of the game that launches next month. Just make sure you buy the game new if you want to make the most of that XP online.
Xbox.com: Add Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 demo to your Xbox 360 download queue
#easports
Publisher EA is extending its "Project Ten Dollar" scheme to make buying used copies of EA Sports games a bad idea. Don't expect to play your EA Sports games online without the "Online Pass" included in new copies. More »
EA just announced the next step of its "Project Ten Dollar" initiative, one that's likely to affect a lot of people much more deeply than the allure of some extra DLC. Starting with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, out June 8, EA Sports games for PS3 and Xbox 360 will include a title-specific "Online Pass" that enables access to "online services, features, and bonus content." If the code has already been redeemed (i.e. if you bought the game used) additional Online Passes will be available for (you guessed it!) ten dollars. Each game will include a seven-day free trial.
The online services under the Online Pass vary by game, but an EA rep told us they can include basic online multiplayer, as well as group/league features, roster and playbook updates, downloads of user-created content (like Photo Game Faces) and tournament support.
We'd think GameStop would be most upset about this plan, given that it's basically the destination for trade-ins of last year's sports games toward the new model, but CEO Dan DeMatteo offers a cheerful quote in the announcement. "GameStop is excited to partner with such a forward-thinking publisher as Electronic Arts," DeMatteo said. "This relationship allows us to capitalize on our investments to market and sell downloadable content online, as well as through our network of stores worldwide."
Product Description
Lead your team to glory with Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 11. Fight for honor, fight for country in the all new Ryder Cup Challenge on The Celtic Manor Resort in Wales; home to the 2010 Ryder Cup. Play like a pro with fully enhanced swing mechanics with the Wii MotionPlus accessory and experience True [...]
#wii
The next big golf video game on the Wii, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 adds mini-golf. Why? Best answer I got from EA Sports yesterday is because they like to add something every year. But is it true mini-golf? More »
Today, a recent post on Daily Informer was brought to our attention, which reports that EA has decided to sue over a recent South Park episode, "Sexual Healing." The episode in question shows a mock-up of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, mixing in some ridiculous fighting elements (involving the wife he cheated on) into the golf sim portion of the game. It's really over-the-top, akin to the show's usual satire practices.
We contacted EA to get to the bottom of this, to which an EA spokesperson commented the rumored impending lawsuit is "nonsense." So, there you have it: EA is not suing over the episode. Nothing else to see here -- move along.
EA Sports' latest attempt to breathe new life into the Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise's eleventh installment is an online multiplayer mode, previewed in the "Ryder Cup" trailer posted above. Players will be able to align themselves into teams, and go head-to-head (to-head-to-head, and so on) in an attempt to dominate the lush, rolling greens.
The only question that remains is what team you'll choose to enlist in. Will it be team Tiger Woods, who's repeatedly proven his prowess for hitting golf balls into faraway holes? Or will it be team Rory McIlroy, who is exactly one vowel away from being totally awesome?
#gameon
A Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 release without an active star is no longer a going concern, with the golfer's return to active duty at the Masters Tournament next month. More »
