FIFA 360 deserves red card, EA gyps again
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Sep 20th 2006 at 11:45AM }
It's as simple as this: FIFA 07 for Xbox 360 will include 7 professional leagues (actually, just 6, as Juventus is the only team featured from Italy Serie B) and 21 stadiums for $59.99. FIFA 07 for Xbox/PS2 will feature 28 leagues and 47 stadiums for just $39.99. Which one you buyin'?Heck, even the thrifty ($29.99) DS version's got 25 leagues packed inside that tiny cart, which begs the question: what's limiting EA's "next-gen" sports releases? Both FIFA and Madden continue to lack content and features present in the Xbox and PS2 versions.
The good news is, Pro Evolution Soccer's arrival on Xbox 360 will likely encourage EA to clean up its act for the next go-around. Unfortunately, without competition, the same can't be said for Madden ...
[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
fwacce @ Sep 20th 2006 11:51AM
Boy, no one wants to support the 360.
Fosco @ Sep 20th 2006 11:52AM
DVD-9 is not enough ;D Blu-Ray FTW!
apoc06 @ Sep 20th 2006 11:56AM
good call pointing out the MAJOR issue with exclusivity!
hohoho @ Sep 20th 2006 3:02PM
blimey, I expect better from 360's "exclusives"...
vidGuy @ Sep 20th 2006 11:57AM
Graphics > gameplay, huh?
Raskolnikov @ Sep 20th 2006 12:00PM
yea but the...graphics are.....shiny...
Dominic @ Sep 20th 2006 11:59AM
What do you know? EA lets down gamers again. Time to take a long hard look at Winning Eleven and Pro Evolution Soccer.
Derbeste @ Sep 20th 2006 12:01PM
The answer is more than obvious.
It's the same thing developers have been saying from the start. HD is expensive to develop for. EA is a money hording ass of a company. Therefor, you get either content or graphics with them.....but not both.
Same thing happened for a while when gaming jumped from 2D to 3D.
This is what they figure $60 is worth in HD - a pretty, short game.
Pyronite @ Sep 20th 2006 12:01PM
What's "holding them back" is probably the graphical fidelity that is expected from an Xbox 360. Whereas stadiums and players used to be quicker to create (due to less detail), now it takes much more effort to reach the expected level.
I.E. if EA is going to accurately model every Division I NCAA stadium down to the chair, they obviously don't have the time to do this to every division's stadium in the country.
They could probably fit more in, because hey... they're EA, and they have a lot of resources. But I'm sure at some point it came down to a production decision between graphical quality and numerican quantity.
White Rose Duelist @ Sep 20th 2006 3:18PM
Which game can I match the New England Revolution against U.S. Città di Palermo?
Cob @ Sep 21st 2006 10:19PM
Begging the question is a technical term used in philosophy to explain a type of circular reasoning, not a phrase meaning "This event requires that we ask"...
Lou D @ Sep 20th 2006 12:05PM
The HD content take up too much space on DVD-9...and since there's a "core" system, you can't have a second "media" disc to install on a possibly non-existant hard drive...
Releasing games on HD-DVD will eventually happen in a couple of years when bigger games on both the PS3 and 360 are compared.
In the meantime: Nintendo FTW!
Josh @ Sep 20th 2006 12:06PM
I'm assuming that James Ransom-Wiley, the author of the post, is not familiar with the fact that "gyp" (from "gypsy" is a racially derogative phrase to generalize the Roman and Sinti people (among others). Just doesn't seem all that professional to me.
EA Hater @ Sep 20th 2006 3:29PM
You guys forgot to mention that they also gimped NCAA Football 07.
Great business plan, EA. Charge more, for less features just because its on a next-gen system.
...and the graphic aren't that big of a leap either.
Pathetic.
fahmi @ Sep 20th 2006 12:22PM
what's the point of piracy protection really? two months after PS2 is released, there was already pirated games in my country, Malaysia. even with M$ unrelentless combating piracy, updating their piracy protection for xbox every 6 months.. there are still xbox pirate games everywhere. even nintendo 'exclusive' mini DVD (that seems only them can press their games), there are pirated copies out there. but of course, xbox and gamecube games are hard to find in southeast asia countries.. not because it's hard to crack. but nobody wants them. oh yeah, you also can buy pirate UMD in my country.
what's the point of BD-ray? to make life a living hell for american, european, japanese gamers? i bet, in 3-4 months after PS3 is released, i can buy PS3 pirate games for 5 USD per game.
Retrofied @ Sep 21st 2006 1:51PM
Knowing EA, I'd believe it's lack of wanting to work in HD rather than disc space. When porting to the 360 and unwillingness to render models properly, people would notice a difference. Instead of fixing it up and spend more money for more man hours, they'd rather just take some stadiums out. EA doesn't want to fork over the money and/or impatient.
vidGuy @ Sep 20th 2006 12:14PM
@Josh,
No one ever said this site aimed to retain professional-integrity.
Tom @ Sep 20th 2006 12:16PM
Wow Josh seriously you are the most overly sensitive person in the world. Gyp cna mean that sure but its normal meaning is to swindle someone. In fact here let me give you the dictionary definition.
1. to defraud or rob by some sharp practice; swindle; cheat.
–noun 2. a swindle or fraud.
3. Also, gyp‧per /ˈdʒɪpər/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[jip-er] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation, gypster. a swindler or cheat.
4. Also called gypsy. an owner of racehorses who also acts as trainer and jockey.
There is nothing at all wrong with the wording of the topic. You are merely an idiot.
On topic though, I have to say I would much rather buy the xbox version than the 360 version. It seems this is a perfect demonstration of graphics being more important than gameplay.
Advanced @ Sep 20th 2006 12:16PM
Well I hope they include the ball too. EA is becoming a huge Ca$h Cow machine. Just cranking out crap for the sake of grabbing a few bucks. When they put some effort into things (NHL 07), they can really impress. To bad that is not the standard.
DarkMavis @ Sep 20th 2006 12:16PM
Um, no PC police allowed here. I've never heard anyone complain about using "gyp" before. If you use dictionary.com to look it up it doesn't say anything about it being derogatory unlike other terms that come to mind.
gyp1 /dʒɪp/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[jip] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation verb, gypped, gyp‧ping, noun
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
1. to defraud or rob by some sharp practice; swindle; cheat.
–noun
2. a swindle or fraud.
3. Also, gyp‧per /ˈdʒɪpər/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[jip-er] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation, gypster. a swindler or cheat.
4. Also called gypsy. an owner of racehorses who also acts as trainer and jockey.
Also, gip.
Just my 2 cents....
Rondo @ Sep 20th 2006 12:17PM
EA SUCKS!
shizen @ Sep 20th 2006 12:19PM
My guess is that EA will want you to think its because of the HD or graphic quality, but they are truly doing this so that they can charge you money for each of the new leagues and stadiums using Microsofts microtransactions through Live. They probably have all the work done, they are just waiting to cash in on it :)
Sherm DidIt @ Sep 20th 2006 5:04PM
can anyone say MOOT? I'd hope after so many lackluster, half-assed FIFA iterations, people would finally wise up and check out the competition. Gameplay-wise, EA and FIFA have never been able to carry Pro Evolution/Winning Eleven's jock. The ONLY thing FIFA offered was it's lucrative licensing and sponsorship deals. Even then, this is remedied on WE/PES with the use of user-created option files. Now EA has this ish with leagues offered on one of the premier next-gen consoles. Who's to say there are ANY benefits to the 360 version over the xbox version other than minor graphical flare? The only assumption I can make is that EA will try to milk the petrified teat of the average soccer fan by releasing "league packs" for purchase with MS points. I find this disgusting for a $60 game. EA's lost the plot totally and I will never fill their overstuffed pockets for a FIFA game again. Everyone save your money and pick up the last gen version if you absolutely MUST. Otherwise, do yourself a favor and get Winning Eleven/PES when it releases in January.
vc @ Sep 20th 2006 12:25PM
"I'm assuming that James Ransom-Wiley, the author of the post, is not familiar with the fact that "gyp" (from "gypsy" is a racially derogative phrase to generalize the Roman and Sinti people (among others). Just doesn't seem all that professional to me."
This is not correct.
1. No dictionary recognizes the word as offensive.
2. Even the OED isn't sure of the etymology of the word. It may actually come from a piece of clothing that was never worn by Roma.
3. The term arose in the US, where Gypsies never lived. See quotes below to see how the word was used almost exclusively in the US.
========
Here's the OED entry for gyp (verb):
1889 in Cent. Dict. 1914 JACKSON & HELLYER Vocab. Criminal Slang 41 Gyp.., to flim-flam; to cheat by means of guile and manual dexterity... ‘Gyp this boob with a deuce.’ 1925 F. SCOTT FITZGERALD Great Gatsby (1926) ii. 42 We had over twelve hundred dollars when we started, but we got gyped out of it all in two days. 1930 D. BYRNE Golden Goat xiii. 106 Dariano had gipped the Greek Government during the war of millions in contracts. 1932 J. DOS PASSOS 1919 55 American dollars went pretty far if you knew enough not to let 'em gyp you. 1935 WODEHOUSE Luck of Bodkins xiv. 156 A suspicion was growing with him that..he had been gypped. 1962 Punch 28 Feb. 356/2 If he..thinks the conductor is trying to gyp him..he..need only look at the fares table. 1965 R. HOWARD tr. S. de Beauvoir's Force of Circumstance 658 Turning an incredulous gaze toward that young and credulous girl, I realize with stupor how much I was gypped.
In short, the use here is fine. This is not something to get riled up about.
See also: http://www.defectiveyeti.com/archives/000648.html
KilgoreTrout XL @ Sep 20th 2006 12:25PM
I'd put my money on seeing those other teams available through micropayments over XBLM.
Which is a lot like releasing Madden 07 and then releasing the "NFC Expansion Pack" two months later.
Sol.. @ Sep 20th 2006 12:53PM
dude..i like these articles (here and 1up) that keep dissing EA this week. This article is the worst of all. The people writing this stuff forgo real world logic just for a reason to attack EA. Yes it has 6 leagues + Juventus, but thats the TOP 6 leagues (plus the team that got wrongfully/rightfully relegated to a league that it will promply stomp and move back up from) that makes up some 70-85% of all FIFA World Cup starters including the US team (despite them neglecting MLS). Also the main reason they didn't include all teams was pure time. Next gen sports titles feature more stats that directly impact the gameplay from multiple trapping statistics to hundreds of ball physic variables. Also there is the graphics..but then again in sports games everybody tends to look the damn same anyways. ALSO Winning Eleven has featured only the same 6 leagues before (some of which didn't even have correct names) and nobody tried to stab em like this before. This is a small thing to go up in arms about. Now if they neglect whole modes of play (which they are doing to some extent) thats the proper story.
Aux @ Sep 20th 2006 12:27PM
Well Advanced,
The ball will actually be a downloadable add-on, and it will cost 500 points.
Subnet6 @ Sep 20th 2006 12:28PM
I think derbeste is right, if not eloquent.
Obviously, EA is not going to cut content for not reason, even if they are an "ass" of a company.
Its safe to assume its somehow based on cost.
If its based on cost, then we can attribute it to the platform.
If we can attribute it to the platform, we can blame HD seeing as most have stated the 360 is an easy platform to develop for.
That being the case, some might describe games like this as a graphically superior yet feature stripped port of a last gen game. A description like that is not what you want as the maker of a $59.99 game.
Hopefully in the coming months/year, as we get further into next gen and further out of last gen, there will be less desire to dual-release games on both gen systems. That way, we won't even know we are being shorted content as the price of HD, because we won't be able to compare.
Also with regard to the following comment:
"I'm assuming that James Ransom-Wiley, the author of the post, is not familiar with the fact that "gyp" (from "gypsy" is a racially derogative phrase to generalize the Roman and Sinti people (among others). Just doesn't seem all that professional to me."
I would hardly describe this derogative connotation as a "fact". Few sources can seem to agree on where the term "gyp" comes from with regard to the definition meaning a fraud.
The attribution to "gypsy" is anecdotal at best, certainly not fact, and harping on this term is most common among hyper-politically correct types overly concerned with seeking out and extinguishing any possible word that may have a negative connotation, whether real or perceived.
DarkMavis @ Sep 20th 2006 12:30PM
@Tom
Great minds....
OOOOPs @ Sep 20th 2006 12:38PM
Wacth for this:
EA is going to sell the missing leagues and stadiums on XBL. This keeps people engaged in the game long after its release by offering 'NEW' and 'EXCITING' expansion packs for the 360.
Suckers!
Derbeste @ Sep 20th 2006 12:47PM
I am eloquent only when speaking of things that deserve eloquence.
If you look back in my posts, when I speak of people/things which, imo, hold merrit, I speak with higher classed flare.
But when I see something/someone that I find repulsive, I let my tone reflect that.
I'm a bit bipolar that way. lol
In short, this is an opinion site.....I let my opinion show in my tone. ;)
On topic:
EA blows goats. I have proof.
Sean @ Sep 20th 2006 12:56PM
I hadn't realized that gypsies were a race of their own. Black, White, Hispanic, Gypsy?
Subnet6 @ Sep 20th 2006 1:03PM
Hey Derbeste,
My bad man, I was trying to be humorous. Don't get me wrong, I am agreeing with you.
nootau @ Sep 20th 2006 1:20PM
@Sol..
I think the point is that they had more content for the last gen (PS2/Xbox), and not this gen. I doubt time was a factor since the 360 came out last year. I do lean to the camp that it was because of cost. Making those statiums look awesome at 720p probably was way to much money, prediction: EA probably will move that cost to the 360 player by releasing the statiums as they are finished for 300-500 points a peice. They'll probably do two, and see how many people bite, and then commit the resources for more if it is profitable.
Anyone else shocked they are not making a Wii version? I mean, PS2/XBOX? Why not a Wii version?!
in5ane @ Sep 20th 2006 1:12PM
Its a small point, but I feel the global aspect of the internet is at work here: Gypsy is a very (funny) deragotory word here. To call someone a Gyppo is pretty bad, and consequently you very rarely hear the word gyp to mean rip-off here. But it's obvious what Joystiq meant :)
As for EA? What a bunch of Gyppos!
Z @ Sep 20th 2006 1:22PM
Derbeste,
I find your last sentence offensive towards the goats that frequent this site. Now goats would find it humorous if you turned it around, as Goat blows EA is funny to any of our furry hoofed friends.
anonymous coward @ Sep 20th 2006 2:09PM
Derbeste was right. It's funny to see a bunch of asshats trying to deny that it's offensive.
It's pretty clear what happened: a large number of people have been using it for years, not understanding its origin, and now that they're faced with the obvious fact that it *is* derogatory, they try to argue around it, in clear denial of the fact that they don't even understand what they've been saying.
Nice work, clowns. Show a little class and either admit that you're wrong or admit that you don't care, but don't pretend he's wrong. You *know* he's right.
JRM @ Sep 20th 2006 1:49PM
to render all those other leagues + stadiums + players in HD probably took more man-hours than they envisioned. Next year, either EA is going to hire more designers, or they're going to swallow their pride and just go with a handful of leagues again. This might be another example of how Nintendo can clean up with the Wii. Iwata must have seen that the work needed to make games so graphically polished compromised other aspects of gaming--including consumers' expectations. ...Too bad Nintendo isn't into sports.
What we know for sure is that 12 months is not enough time to make a decent "next-gen" game.
KineticOnline @ Sep 20th 2006 2:02PM
The problem with EA is that they are only using 6 leagues, its that they have so many more in the other versions. I'd rather get the exact same game as the xbox/ps2 version with the same standard of graphics than the half the game. EA are basically trying to charge 360 users an extra 50% for what is only 1/4 of the full game.
Efren @ Sep 20th 2006 2:00PM
Whoa.. is joystiq not aware that "gyps" is a very offensive racial slur?
Zeruel @ Sep 20th 2006 2:03PM
EA doesn't care about the Xbox 360. They've had their development lined up for Sony's console. It's not that the 360 can't get all this crammed onto a DVD-9 or anything else remotely ridiculous, it's the fact that more copies of their games are sold on Sony machines and therefore more features are built into those systems because of it.
EA is not only destroying sports games (I'm not a sports fan btw) they're wrecking the industry the same way 3rd party companies wrecked the entire industry by just pushing out the same crap over and over. It's no wonder people are excited about the Wii, because Nintendo is attempting more than any other company to go back to the core elements of gaming that Sony began to decimate in '95 with their PSX. (Microsoft is really close with XBLA)
KineticOnline @ Sep 20th 2006 2:02PM
JRM "What we know for sure is that 12 months is not enough time to make a decent "next-gen" game."
They have had more than 12 months, this is the first no world cup related version for the 360 since launch, with the engine in place and most of the players already modeled there wouldn't be as much work as your suggesting.
Nate @ Sep 20th 2006 2:06PM
There's no need to use "gyp" in the post title. There's enough evidence that is short for "gypsy" that it's unprofessional to use it. You wouldn't say "EA jews its customers", and you shouldn't say "EA gyps again."
I'm sure no one cares, but Joystiq has gone down hill enough recently that I'm not going to come here anymore. The Wii "announcement", firing Summa, Vladimir Cole's weird Latin ramblings, booting the guy with the ign.com address, and this post all adds up a blog that isn't worth visiting anymore. There are better videogame blogs without worthless commenters and mean-spirited authors. See you all there!
Jared @ Sep 20th 2006 2:09PM
I'm taking a class on "los gitanos de andalucia" right now (the gypsies of Andalucia, Spain" and the term "gyp" is considered an offensive racial slur. It is the same as saying that someone "jewed" you, another racial slur. Oh, and gypsies ARE a distinct race, like caucasion, or hispanic.
robots.txt @ Sep 20th 2006 2:13PM
Can someone verify teh size of the data on the 360 version? Did they run out of room from all teh HD stuff??? If they are out of room does that negate the comments some have made that nex-gen consoles such as 360 and PS3 don't need larger cpacity discs becaus eof all teh fantastic new compression technologies and superior processing power???
Derbeste @ Sep 20th 2006 2:18PM
"Derbeste was right. It's funny to see a bunch of asshats trying to deny that it's offensive."
When did I say that? O.o
You sure you got the right guy?
I wasn't offended by the use of "gyp" at all. Actually, I think it does have a different origin than "gypsy" (as VC pointed out very well).
Much like the word "Niggerdly", meaning "stingy", has absolutely NOTHING in common, origin or otherwise, with a VERY offensive (rightly so btw) slur that sounds much like it.
If it "gyp" and "gypsy" did come from the same origin...I still don't get offended at turns of phrase much anymore. I'm very used to it after hearing "That's gay" so much in my life. You'd think persecution would make people tuffer....not more senstitive.
blau @ Sep 20th 2006 2:20PM
This HD crap is nothing. EAs been doing above HD resolutions for years on the PC. They have the stadiums, they have the players. This is just flat out garbage that the 360 version gets gypped.
Pixelantes Anonymous @ Sep 20th 2006 2:43PM
Sol, so you'd be happy with a baseball game from EA, if it only included the top league? Would you be happy if it was AL? Or you more of a NL guy?
Whatever the hell the reason is (I'm sure it's production issues with HD content as others have been saying), the fact of the matter is the XBox 360 version features less content than the other versions and is still costing more. Why should consumers be happy with that?
Duscrom @ Sep 21st 2006 3:40AM
" It's no wonder people are excited about the Wii, because Nintendo is attempting more than any other company to go back to the core elements of gaming that Sony began to decimate in '95 with their PSX. "
That's why I fear the Wii, for destroying all the progress the industry has made in the last 10 years. Because yes, the industry was ruined by the PSX/PS2... that's 106 million dissapointed people. Remember, no system is as big of a dumping ground for half assed licenced games then the DS.
That being said, I don't blame the graphical content, DVD-9 size, or anything else. EA is lazy. THey don't do it cause they don't have to. Look at NBA 2k7.... it's got the fancy graphics, and has every feature it's current gen brother has... as far as FIFA... remember, this will be the 3rd FIFA game released since the launch of the Xbox 360. How have they had a 12 month dev cycle when it hasn't been 12 months yet, and there was another game released this summer?
Zeruel @ Sep 20th 2006 2:25PM
robots.txt - Don't know how big this game is in size, but Road to the World Cup was able to fit on a single layer DVD if it needed to. Like I said, I don't know what the difference between that and FIFA is because I'm not a sports gamer...
and when i posted about how "3rd party companies wrecked the entire industry", I was talking about the Atari era.