FIFA 08 demo on Xbox Live ... and now in Europe [Updated]

by Justin McElroy on Sep 13th 2007 10:10AM

In today's unintentionally hilarious news, the demo for FIFA 08 was released today on to Xbox Live in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States ... but not in Europe. So the demo for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association game was released in the country that doesn't even call it "football," but not in Europe, where a man can be shot dead in the street for calling it "soccer." Are they serious? Let us just soak it in for a second, OK? It rarely gets better than this for video game bloggers. Honestly, we feel like we should go out and buy a Powerball ticket or something.

Major Nelson told users EA has promised the demo will be coming to Europe "very soon." Until then, they'll just have to deal with our clumsy, misinformed American impressions of the demo. (Sample: "The kicking looks sweet, but why are the scores so low?")

[Update: The humor train has come to a screeching halt, and the demo is now available in Europe.]

Source

Tags: demos, fifa08, Xbox-360, xboxlive

Reader Comments (44)

Baffling.

@EU people

just make a us account! you can download demos and market place things just fine(minus videos)then if you want just switch back to your normal account and you can still play the content.

Nah, they made a change in one of the big updates, and that doesn't work anymore, trust me, I've tried it.

um it works for me .i have a EU and JP account and i still can download themes pics(free ones from jp) and demos fine.i never buy video so i havent tested that.

So... basically, EA is treating Europe like us PS3 owners?

for example... late or delayed release dates, barely ever putting out a demo(and even those flop over late), or the current kick-in-the-junk: claiming they still don't fully support the system as well as X360, with games averaging 30fps. Total crock o'$#!+...

Truepatriot: We all know that, that's not the point though.

The point is why have EA not put the demo up in Europe. What are they hiding?

LOL that's the funniest pic ever

Oh my god I totally didn't even see that until you pointed it out! Ha!

Ar those A: "balls" ?!
ZOMG!
/me died from pun-ishment

Gettin the shaft again!

That is strange.

A lonely shaft in a sea of balls jokes...

Testicular symbolism: Day 2
McElroy, you complete me.

Save me Jebus!!!!! (Homer Simpson)

Epic fail detected.

Oh, I get it now. They're saying it takes balls to not release the demo in Europe.

That would be like releasing a Madden Demo... in Japan only.

Heard that final fantasy demo won't be released in japan either... NFL, NHL, MLB and NBA (how many time can u say this fast?) demos will all be europe exclusives...

HELL YES. I've been waiting for this one for a long long time. I hope it's good.

who in europe would want to play fifa anyway. pro evo ftw

They probably know they lost to PES2008 already, and no amount of gimmicks is going to cover over the fact that the gameplay is not as good as Konami's masterpiece, so they are trying to go for "less informed" people.

But its just funny cause EA should think carefully about treating their core fanbase who lives in Europe as second best, cause if they turn against you, people in the USA aren't going to cover the loss of sales.

I don't give two shits about sport games but this is where regionalizing online content officially became one of the most fucking annoyingly stupid things of this generation.

And yes I'm still fucking pissed the TMNT Arcade game isn't "in" Australia.

Yet another example of how undervalued the european market is. We get shafted all the time, whether it be pricing, release dates, banning of games, we always seem to get the short straw... then again it could be a licensing issue

SEE? It is not just Sony that likes to bend over Europe, Microsoft and Nintendo are pounding away at the European continent with just as much vigor.

"The shortest straw has been drawn for you......."

@Zaphoid

Yeah but sony does it a hell of a lot more.

it's "pulled". "pulled for you".

-"superfan" tactics.

Yes, pulled....blech!

My Metalica is a little rusty.

There is no Metallica, there is only lica, there is no Metal left in them thanks to Lars and to a lesser extent James. Poor Cliff, he has probably rolled over in his grave so many times that he must have splinters all over his body.

What do you expect? Remember who is in charge of EA Sports now dont you? Peter Moore, overseer of the failed Dreamcast, overseer of the 33%+ defective 360's.

What will he do next? I'm with Matt B. on this one.
Madden 2009 demo, coming soon to the land of the rising sun.
Priceless stuff it is. Pro Evo blows FIFA out of the water.

try to stop saying stupid things in the same post that you say smart things. its hard to figure out how to respond.

Yeah, why ARE the scores so low?

Because all Americans have ADD, and fall into a narcoleptic coma unless someone scores every five seconds?

Works for me.

Maybe it's because I'm old and bitter, but has anyone noticed that the demo is being shown everywhere BUT the area's people will normally buy it? Japan, South America missed out too. My conspiracy theory is the the game is so shit that EA what to kick the demo under the carpet, losing it in areas that don't give a rodent's bottom about footy. They want us poor bastards to find out the game sucks balls (hehheh), AFTER they have parted us from our money.

"Until then, they'll just have to deal with our clumsy, misinformed American impressions of the demo. "

"Why is it so $!&*! hard to score a goal?"

hehe

So you're saying it's like hockey, but it's not played on ice, you can't touch the ball with your hands, and there is much less physical contact? I'll pass.

Oh yeah, I'll download the demo, but then I won't play it.

BALLS!

The idea that the scoring is too low isn't all just in American's heads.

The World Cup came to America, and the final game was 0-0 after the end of regulation, the "world champion" was determined by penalty kicks.

Penalty kicks are close to flipping a coin, the goalie either guesses right or wrong, based upon no real info.

So the "world's favorite game" came to the US and boiled down to coin flips.

And you wonder why Americans failed to get excited about the sport.

On behalf of America, I would like to thank McElroy for that low score zing. However, my question would be "Where the hell are the turtle shells and mega strikes?"

Who cares about FIFA anyway, there is just one good and awesome game out there and is called: Pro Evolution / Winning Eleven.

soccer is boring. little strategy and no overtime = gay

kinda like baseball and basketball. Stats = so exciting.

blame brussels or brussel sprouts

Anyway, why do you blokes want the demo? You are gonna buy the game anyway. Its the Americans and such that need the tease and preview before they drop cash on a game where you can score only one point at a time - uh.

Am. Football - 7 a pop
Basketball - 2 or 3 a pop
Baseball - upto 4 a pop
Hockey - no one watches hockey in US

either way there are 3 times as many copies of the game sold in the u.s. than in th uk. why couldnt you guys hold onto some of your colonies enh? could've upped the purchases. (either way im not complaining, im indian!)
love the game but doesnt it always seem that pes and fm are respectively better than fifa and total club manager? i just buy it for the sake of authenticity. pes' gameplay has always been a year ahead of fifa. konami just doesnt have the budget for the licenses :(
either way i only buy fifa as i perennially succumb to the comfort of authenticity.

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FIFA 08 demo on Xbox Live ... and now in Europe [Updated]

Reader Comments (44)

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