Redwood City, CA – August 5, 2008 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that Toronto FC star Maurice Edu is taking his game to the cover of the world’s most popular soccer videogame* where he will join Brazilian International Ronaldinho and Mexican national team goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa as cover athletes and spokespersons for EA SPORTS™ FIFA Soccer 09 in the United States, Canada and other regions in North America.
Edu will also become the first and only Major League Soccer player to appear as a customized Mii™ character exclusively for the Wii™ home video game system in FIFA Soccer 09 All-Play. EA SPORTS has created a unique version of Edu and his character will be playable alongside some of the world’s biggest soccer stars, including Ronaldinho, Wayne Rooney, Franck Ribéry and others— all created as special Mii characters exclusively for FIFA Soccer 09 All-Play.
“I got a kick out of my Mii because it looks like he has a lot of fun on the pitch and he’s capable of pulling off some wild moves,” said Edu. “It’s fun to take control of my character and blast outrageous shots on goal with a flick of the wrist. I’ve never played soccer like this before.”
One of the rising stars of MLS and the U.S. Men’s National Team, Edu is in his second season with Toronto FC after being selected first overall in the 2007 MLS Superdraft and then being named MLS Rookie of the Year. Edu has earned caps with the US National Team and is currently training with the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team in Beijing. The 22-year-old midfielder was born and raised in Fontana, California, and prior to joining Toronto FC, played three seasons at the University of Maryland, winning the NCAA National Championship in 2005.
Earlier this month Edu participated in a body motion capture session with the EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer 09 videogame development team at EA Canada in Burnaby, British Columbia. During the session Edu’s body movements, individual moves and playing style were captured and digitized, and will become the life-like movement of his virtual self in FIFA Soccer 09 and future versions of the game.
Guillermo Ochoa, the popular goalkeeper for the Mexican national team and Club America of the Mexican Primera Division, is appearing on the game’s cover for the second straight year. Ronaldinho, one of the most talented and recognizable athletes in the world who now plays for AC Milan, is appearing on the cover in North America for the fourth consecutive year.
This year EA SPORTS is changing the way sports games are played online by becoming the first sports videogame to enable up to 20 individuals playing fixed positions to play a single game of FIFA Soccer 09 at the same time. Instead of thinking as an individual player now you have to think and play as a team in Be A Pro: 10 vs. 10 Online Team Play for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system.
Developed in Burnaby, B.C., by EA Canada, FIFA Soccer 09 is localized in 18 languages and sold in 37 countries –- it is the most popular franchise globally for EA SPORTS. FIFA Soccer 09 will be available for the PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360™, Wii™, PC, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo DS™, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and mobile. It is rated “E” for everyone by ESRB and it has not yet been rated by PEGI. To learn more about FIFA Soccer 09 visit www.FIFA09.ea.com/us.
All information contained in this news post comes directly from a press release sent out by EA Sports.
