Do you ever feel like trying out a horror game ??to branch out of your ever-comfortable space of sports games? Or, perhaps, are you feeling like venturing into sports game territory but without wanting to betray the spirit of the spooky month? I have just the thing for you.

I'm talking about FEAR FA 98, an in-development project?? where you play the goriest and spookiest soccer game ever conceived. Joining the 22 players that regularly duke it out on a soccer pitch will be the fog from Silent Hill, a myriad of deadly traps, and even monsters out to murder whoever is on the pitch. Also, murdering your opponents is as ??important as scoring, as their heads are what you'll be using for scoring goals.

The past has a few examples of games that take some liberties with the soccer formula. In Red Card Soccer, committing fouls wasn't that big a deal. In FIFA Street, you pretty much have superpowers. Still, this is the first Soccer game I ??can recall where you choose which weapons and evil spells to bring onto the pitch.

Creator Jacob Jazz intends to make Fear FA an arcade-style fast-paced fun romp where you can play against the CPU or oth??er players, locally or online, but there's much more he wants to implement:

Third-person horror - a single-player mode where you embody only one member of the team as he uses all the weapons at his disposal to destroy?? the enemy team.

Story Mode - yes, a story mode like you'd see in any survival horror game, except it takes place on?? a hellish pitch.

Asymmetric Online - last but not least, we have what's likely my favorite mode. In Asymmetric online, you get to play as the referee and summon all kinds of monstrosities to make the ??game harder for both players.

Commentator - A new multiplayer system where you get to join other people's games and act as the? commentator.

FEAR FA TV - Another new system that will allow players to store and share their most gruesome highlights online?.

Graphically, Fear FA has a retro style highly reminis??cent of the PS1 era, but it seems to go beyond just the visual flair. It really does look like a game that will provide us with the same kind of unhinged fun we had back in the less risk-averse times of the OG Sony console.

I?? don't know about you, but simple character crossovers aren't doing it for me anymore. After seeing this Kickstarter, I will accept nothing less than absolutely bizarre genre crossovers.

Consider backing here on the game's Kickstarter page so we can one day all enjoy it on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Steam, A?nd Nintendo Switch.

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Something I never considered when FIFA and EA ended their partnership was how this would affect the former's own esports competition, FIFAe. With EA continuing its football game series as EA Sports FC, there's no new, officially licensed FIFA game to take its place. So, for this year's FIFAe tournament, the organisation has opted to run Rocket League instead.

"This move signifies a major step in FIFA’s commitment to embrace the entire ecosystem and drive the global growth of football esports globally," reads an announcement from FIFA. "The partnership brings the intensity and excitement of the FIFAe nations�narrative to an electrifying new stage and allows players to fame their game in their nation colou?rs. This inclusion represents a broader engagement with the community and embraces esports beyond traditional football simul??????????????????????????ations."

At first, this seemed a bit bizarre to me, but Rocket League is technically a football game. Sure, you're drivi?ng cars around the pitch, but the aim is to knock a ball into the opposing team's goal to score points. Plus, the game has remained incredibly popular since its 2015 launch and has cultivated its own esports scene, so it being the star of this year's FIFAe tournament should help draw more attention to it, or at least help it capture a new audience.

An exact date for the tournament hasn't been confirmed yet, but it will consist of 16 national teams, which will be chosen "based on the number of representatives from each country in previous Rocket League Majors." Director of eFootball and Gaming at FIFA Christian Volk added, "The FIFAe World Cup featuring Rocket League marks a new era for ??FIFAe, providing a groundbreaking platform ?for FIFA’s member associations to compete on one of the most relevant esports titles. This milestone partnership highlights our commitment to evolve our football esports ecosystem and continue to build the biggest stages for all communities to fame their game."

I do wonder whether this will be a long-term partnership considering FIFA does have plans to release officially licensed FIFA games again. After skipping 2023, it's been claimed that FIFA has formed a new deal with 2K, and that their first project together, FIFA 2K25, will launch later this year. If so, you'd think this would be the game FIFA would run for next year's FIFAe tournament, unless it decides to have separate competitions for the FIFA game and Rocket League.

It would make sense for FIFA to pick 2K to helm new FIFA games since it already has its own sports sims for basketball and golf, and 2K getting its own football series could make for some good competition with EA Sports FC. There's little else challenging EA on that front, although the upcoming free-to-play UFL had a very successful beta session earlier this month, with over one million players taking part.

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EA's football has a whole new look

Electronic Arts and FIFA have officially parted ways, and now EA is teasing what it's been working on for EA Sports FC, its next step in virtual? football. That is to say, a logo.

The EA Sports FC logo was unveiled today, with a lengthy blog post detailing just how it was made. The company teamed with Uncommon Creative Studio to create its new brand identity, with its new triangular logo becoming the symbol for all things EA Sports FC.

It's a lot of discussion about how and why the upside-down triangle was chosen, mostly as a reference to both formation design / set pieces and also t??o player control indicators.

[caption id="attachment_372718" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via EA[/caption]

No??tably, this symbol will also start popping up in "more than 100 matches" in leagues around the world. That includes partners at the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Seria A, Ligue 1, WSL, NWSL, and more. Merch featuring this new logo will also start popping up at various games, too.

Moving on from FIFA

If EA and FIFA had a break-up, this is like the updated profile pic and status. That said, EA is laying the ground for what's to come. It's been the longtime developer of the series, but now EA Sports FC will have to exist without the FIFA brand name, and even compete against it too. And FIFA is adamant it will remain the best.

Electronic Arts is coming off a very successful entry, at least financially, in FIFA 23 and is reportedly inking plenty of deals. Plus, EA has the benefit of having made the games all these years. EA CEO Andrew Wilson reportedly told staff last year that FIFA had been an "impediment" to the company's ambitions, and su??ggested that the only value EA got from the license in a year without a World Cup was "fo??ur letters on the front of the box."

With their future in their own hands, it'll be interesting to see how the reigning king of virtual football tackles a FIFA-less future, fresh logo and all.

More info about EA Sports FC is set to arrive sometime in July.

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Court demands full refunds for all Austrian FUT players

The controversial and highly lucrative FIFA Ultimate Team system ?is in hot water once again �This time, the?? trouble comes from an Austrian court, which has officially ruled that the microtransaction-based digital card collector violates the nation's gambling laws.

As reported by German news outlet GamesWirtschaft, the verdict comes at the end of a 2022 lawsuit that was filed against Sony Interactive Entertainment by a group?? of PlayStation FIFA players. The suit is dire?cted at Sony rather than FIFA publisher Electronic Arts because the FUT packs were purchased on the PlayStation Network, which makes the sales contract with Sony, and not with EA itself.

The court decreed that players being able to sell FUT cards on a secondary market added elements of value to many randomized items. The court argued that this action gives FUT players the opportunity to access a profit margin for their randomly accessed products, which is what violates Austria's gambling laws. As such, the court has ordered Sony to refund Austrian FIFA players who have?? made FUT purchases on PlayStation Network??.

Padronus, a law firm specializing in recovering losses from online casinos, reports that over 1000 FIFA players have contacted them looking for compensat?ion, with individual purchases ranging from three to five figures. It seems, however, that there is a cap on the amount Sony will ?have to refund any one player, and it should also be noted that Sony has the option to appeal the verdict, which it most likely will.

Since its initial inception in 2018, FIFA Ultimate Team has been both lucrative and controversial. The mechanic has faced up to legal scrutiny time and again �especially in the European court system, while EA came under heavy fire back in after it was discovered employees had been selling highly sought-after FUT items "under-the-table", in what was unimaginatively dubbed "EAgate". Despite the headaches, EA has remained steadfast in its decision to keep the FUT system live and kicking, and given that it has raked in somewhere in the? reg?ion of $1.5 million USD every year since its launch, it is unlikely to pull the plug until forced.

Aus??trian court rules that FIFA loot boxes violate gambling laws [GamesIndustry.biz]

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License to bring in UK teams for six-year period

As Electronic Arts prepare for a life without the official FIFA brandin??g, the publisher is reportedly already taking steps to ensure the future of its hugely lucrative footballing franchise, reaching out to the UK Premier League in order to secure licensing for its tea??ms and players.

According to a report from Sky Sports, EA is in the process of negotiating with the Premier League to come to terms on a partnership for the upcoming EA Sports FC series �essentially the "FIFA" series sans official endorsement from the FIFA organization itself, which officially parted ways with Electronic Arts with the publishing of recent release FIFA 23, bringing an end to an almost 30-year partnership.

The EA x Premier League deal is, according to Sky Sports' sources, in its closing stages, and is said to have a worth of around £488 million (roughly $588 million USD). This figure, if correct, is believed to be around double the value of the previous deal betwee?n the two participants. The new contract will reportedly last for six years and will see EA retain its role as the lead partner of the Premier League, while also retaining its licensing for the use of 20 UK teams and their corresponding players.

As for FIFA itself, the group has previously suggested that it intends to launch its own football game franchise, and is currently seeking a developer for this as-yet-untitled new series. Ultimately, the long-running and incredibly po?pular "FIFA" experience lies with the talent of EA Sports, and while the transition period for EA Sports FC will be a little clunky, EA is expected to go above and beyond to ensure that its annual football releases remain a hugely lucrati?ve part of its portfolio.

Premier League closes in on £500m deal wi??th E??A Sports [Sky Sports / GamesIndustry.biz]

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Sam Kerr and Marcus Rashford prove key players

Despite having only launched just one month ago, Electronic Arts' FIFA 23 has already seen more engagement and playtime than some games can only dream of in their entire lifespan �Not only is the soccer sim the fastest-selling entry in franchise history, but the community? has already played some 1.7 billion matches over the course of th?e past four weeks.

EA Sports noted the bewildering figure in a fun stat sheet pertaining to the new title, which launched on PC and consoles on September 29. According to the figures, over 200 nations have played for a total of 15 billion minutes, scoring 4.3 billion goals across the 1.7 billion matches. The top male goal scorer is Manchester United and England National player Ma?rcus Rashford, while the top female scorer is Chelsea Women's Sam Kerr. Kerr also features on the cover of the Ultimate Edition and is the first woman soccer player to do so.

??//twitter.com/EASPORTSFIFA/status/1587127376974151688?s=20&t=r1NmmBMRRLW1qa-Z22GOrA

I??t should also be noted that AFC Richmond has racked up one million match?? wins to date. Good job, Ted.

FIFA 23 will be the final title in the decades-long franchise to feature joint collaboration between developer Electronic Arts and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) brand. Following a complex (and somewhat bitter) licensing dispute, the two billion-dollar juggernauts decided to part ways in 2021. Electronic Arts' future soccer sims will retail under the new name of EA Sports FC, while the FIFA organization has stated its intention on developing its own rival soccer series, which it claims will "remain THE BEST". Hmm.

FIFA 23 is available n?ow on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

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Multi-year partnerships with UWCL announced

This year's final collaboration between Electronic Arts and FIFA, FIFA 23, is the first title in the long-standing series to feature women's club football. And, in addition this long overdue feature in smash-selling franchise, EA Sports has also announced its intention to invest in women??'s footb??all via a series of new initiatives.

Firstly, EA will contribute $11 million USD via its "Starting XI" fund, which will be invested in women's clubs, leagues, and up-and-coming players. This will be followed in 2023 by a new internship program, which will be exte??nded to all of its women's footballing partners in order to help support and finance new and upcoming players as they begin their journey to glory within The Beautiful Game.

"EA Sports is at the epicenter of global football fandom, and we recognize the role we have in ??representing and elevating diversity and participation in the sport,�said Brand SVP Andrea Hopelain. “Our commitment extends beyond the pitch in the virtual and real world. The Starting XI Fund reinforces our dedication to unrivaled authenticity and representation in our games, and also showcases our focus on being changemakers for the future of the sport."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tIW1X2dv0c

In addition to these investments, EA has entered into a multi-year partnership with the UEFA Women's Championship League (UWCL), to license and include its team's within its future footballing releases, (which will be released under the newly licensed title of EA Sports FC). In alignment with the new UEFA license, EA will become a sponsorship partner for the streaming platform DAZN, which is poised to becom?e the official streaming network for UWCL matches as of spring 2023.

"We are thrilled to officially announce EA Sports as DAZN’s newest global broadcast sponsor of the UWCL coverage, as part? of a budding roster of like-minded brands investing into the ever-strengthening women’s football economic ecosystem," said DAZN Group CEO Shay Segev, CEO. "What EA SPORTS is doing to adv?ance the women’s game is game-changing, and we look forward to activating this new partnership to collectively reach and engage millions more fans around the globe and inspire the next generation along the way.

FIFA 23 is available now on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms. It has already seen the biggest launch in franchise history, pulling in an incredible 10 million players in its launch week.

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Manage the comedy series' team your way

This is a bit different from the usual news of a club signing on for FIFA. Electronic Arts confirms that Ted Lasso, of the series Ted Lasso, and the AFC Richmond squad are joining the roster of FIFA 23.

Jason Sudeikis' portrayal of lovable coach Ted Lasso will appear in-game, as well as a host of others from the AFC Richmond crew. Coach Beard, Jamie Tartt, Dani Rojas, Sam Obisanya, Roy Kent, and Isaac McAdoo are all lined up. Their home field of Nelson Road is also being integrated into FIFA 23.

And honestly, they all look solid in motion. Check it out in the trailer below.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUamiLX6gp4

According to the EA blog about the news, Ted will be selectable as a playable manager in Career Mode. You can also opt to manage AFC Richmon?d, swapping them into the Premier League or other playable Career Mode leagues.

AFC Richmo??nd will also be playable in other mo?des, like Kick-Off, Online Friendlies, and Online Seasons, with the Nelson Road stadium available.

Kits and TIFOs for AFC Richmond are also being incorporated into Ultimate Team, as well as the option to have Ted or Coach Beard as your club manager. All AF??C Richmond content in the FUT mode will be available through objectives an??d challenges.

Barbeque sauce

If you're not familiar, Ted Lasso is a series on Apple+ based on an NBC shorts series. Ted is an American football coach who moves to England to take up th??e head coach?ing job for a Premier League team, and while it's definitely a comedy, it's also pretty heartfelt and enjoyable.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u7EIiohs6U

So it's definitely rad to see the whole AFC crew in here, and yeah, I'm actually kind of into the idea of playing a season as Ted and AFC. That chance isn't far off either. FIFA 23 goes live on September 30 for Play????Station, Xbox, PC, and Stadia.

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FIFA's final days keep EA in the premiership

It's the turn of long-time developer/publisher Electronic Arts to share its results from the most recent quarter of the 2023?? financial year. And while many publishers ar?e showing a slump in overall revenue, EA seems to be relatively healthy, powered by its ongoing dominance over the sporting game industry.

Overall revenue for EA is up 14% year-on-year, which translates to a meaty $1.77 billion USD. Net income is also up �offering a huge 52% rise which equates to $311 million. It will probably come as zero surprise that the FIFA franchise is still one of the aces in EA's portfolio, with FIFA Mobile and microtransactions serv??ice FIFA Ultimate Team continuing to grow in both revenue and users. FUT has, notably, seen its user base rise by 40% in the past 12 months.

It also seems that EA's purchase of Codemasters was a very savvy decision, as the UK developer's F1 22 has actually outperformed on the publisher's expectations. Codemasters was, of course, purchased by EA for $1.2 billion back in early 2021. EA was hoping that the acquisition would give it a dominant stake in the racing ?game market, and it seems that the British studio is already delivering on those hopes.

This year's FIFA entry, FIFA 23, will be the final football sim released with the official FIFA branding. While EA has a huge task ahead in rebranding one of the biggest and most profitable gaming franchises on the planet, the community knows where its dedication lies, and it seems hugely unlikely that the loss of the FIFA brand will harm EA's ??bottom line in the bigger picture.

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'Surprise Mechanics' back in the crosshairs

Gaming's most controversial economy, the Loot Box and? its random-related brethren?, are once again the target of European councils, who are calling for new legislation for the controversial in-game purchase mechanic.

This latest venture follows the publishing of a new report titled "Insert Coin," penned by The Norwegian Consumer Council (NCC) which looks into the short-and-long-term impact caused by so-called "Surprise Mechanics" on the health, welfare, and wallets of video game players. The report targets the predatory and compulsive nature exhibited by the loot box concept, noting that the mechanic "exploits cognitive or behavioral biases to incentivize spending." The report calls out certain examples by name, including EA's FIFA franchise and mobile title Raid: Shadow Legends.

Following the report's publication, over 20 consumer groups from 18 European countries have partied together to call for immediate and severe legislation against all forms of loot box/gacha gaming and the publishers who chose to include it in their titles. While the report lists several potential compromises �such as banning misleading in-game currency, further declaring prize odds, and removing loot boxes from all games targeting min??ors �the council also suggests simply banning paid loot boxes altogether.

Loot boxes, gacha, and other "surprise mechanics" have remained both a lucrative and highly controversial part of gaming for many years now. While there have been repeated instances of investigations, lawsuits, and governmental interference into the application of in-game purchases, there is �staggeringly �yet to be definitive law on what a loot box is/isn't, and how they can be globally instigated (or not) in video games the world over. In the meantime, publishers such as Activision Blizzard, EA, and myriad mobile game makers have been making money hand-over-fist and thus will be unlikel??y to pull the pl?ug anytime soon.

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"Year after year growth driven by live services"

Alongside of Nintendo and Capcom, EA also dropped its financial report for the fiscal year e??nding March 31, 2022 �and we can glean a few thing??s from the EA financials dump beyond the raw numbers.

Most notably, under EA's revenue gains, it cites "year after year growth driven by live services, particularly in mobile, and the strong launch slate in the second half." The three games specifically called out for part of the success are Apex Legends (with 40% booking increases year over year), FIFA (which has "over 150 million accounts," with FIFA 22 serving as "the most successful game in franchise history"), and the Lord of the Rings series as a whole (now you can see why they just announced yet another LOTR tie-in this week). Battlefield 2042 is practically absent from the entire report, as EA continues to sweep it under the rug: even Battlefield V, which came out in 2018, got a direct mention. It Takes Two got an "award season-esque" shou?tout, as EA points out that it "won over 90 awards" in the?? report.

In terms of what they're gearing up for in the 2023 fiscal year, Apex Legends Mobile (which is set to arrive this month) is allegedly out soon, and the beta for The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth will roll out later this year.

They also have "four titles scheduled in Q4:FY23 that have not yet been publicly disclosed," so expect at least one o??f those to be announced during the summer void E??3 left. Here is the breakdown of what all of those entail:

• A major IP
• A "partner title"
• A remake
• A sports title

The Dead Space remake already exists, but given th?at it's still in active development and is openly announced and not named in the EA financ?ials report, it could be something else entirely.

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Own Goal

Yesterday saw the inevitable closure of one of gaming's most expensive ongoing licenses. After a 30-year branding relationship, EA Sports finally parted ways with the?? Fédération Internationale de Football Association, better known globally by the instantly recognizable acronym, "FIFA."

Following three decades of annually successful football simulations, Electronic Arts announced that this year's FIFA 23 will be the final title to carry the football association's branding. The series will be retitled EA Sports FC from 2023 onwards. This legendary turn of events has come about due to the two companies' inability to come to terms on a license fee for the next iteration of releases, with FIFA reportedly?? ?asking for double its initial licensing fee, rumored to amount to some $2.5 billion USD.

In response to the news, FIFA president Gianni Infantino released a statement informing fans that the FIFA brand will continue, with new titles being potentially produced by a variety of different studios. Perhaps a littl??e loftier, Infantino also went to some length to assure fans that FIFA's own football sims will be the best and most authentic games within the sub-genre.

"I can assure you that the only authentic, real game that has the FIFA name will be the best one available for gamers and football fans," stated Infantino. "The FIFA name is the only global, original title. FIFA 23, FIFA 24, FIFA 25 and FIFA 26, a??nd so on �the constant is the FIFA nam??e and it will remain forever and remain THE BEST."

While one cannot fault Infantino for his... passionate response, the fact of the matter is that FIFA did not develop those titles for three straight decades �EA did. The game �the beautiful game, as it were �lies within the hearts, heads, and hands of the EA Sports team. While FIFA undoubtedly gets to be the "official" foo?tball sim, EA Sports has the pedigree, the legacy, and the knowledge to make fast-track, fast-return, annually developed titles.

EA knows this, sponsors know this, fans know this and, ultimately,? FIFA knows this.

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This year's FIFA will be the last

Electronic Arts has announced that its partnership with FIFA is coming to a close. The video game publisher confirms today that after over two decades, EA will be splitting off and making its own series, dubbed EA Sports FC.

The rebrand will take effect in 2023, so this year's virtual soccer title will still be under the FIFA name. Then, in summer 2023, the EA Sports FC franchise will become the new franchise.

In a blog penned by Cam Weber, the EVP of EA Sports and Racing, the publisher confirms that many aspects of their previous soccer games will remain intact. This includes Career, Pro Clubs??, Volta, and of course, Ultimate T??eam. The licensing will still remain in effect too, including partnerships with the Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and the MLS.

Weber writes that this independent platform will bring an opportunity to "innovate, create, and evolve." The publisher is looking to increase the numb??er of partners it works with, and expand to "new authentic experiences."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLj-27T-SEQ

The long game

The writing has been on the wall for this move. Earlier this year, VGC reported that EA CEO Andrew Wilson was l??ooking at breaking off its relationship with FIFA. According to VGC's source??s, Wilson called the FIFA license an "impediment" to Electronic Arts' ambitions.

Weber had even floated the idea of EA Sports football without FIFA involved in a letter last year. "As we look ahead, we’re also exploring the idea of renaming our global EA SPORTS football games," Weber wrote at the time. "This means we’re ??reviewing ??our naming rights agreement with FIFA, which is separate from all our other official partnerships and licenses across the football world."

Despite tensions mounting, this is still a major shift for the sports scene. After one more year of FIFA football, the series will be moving to a new name. Seems like we'll have to wait until next year to hear if the changes amount to more than a name, however. EA says it will share more info about its new era in summer 2023. Until then, I suppose there's always FIFA 23.

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FUT decreed not 'an isolated game'

In a surprising bit of legal news, a Dutch court has overturned the â‚?0 mi?llion fine handed down t?o Electronic Arts over its popular loot box mechanic FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT). The Dutch Administrative Jurisdiction Division has upheld the publisher's appeal, effectively overruling the decision handed down by The Court of The Hague in 2020.

The Hague had previously decreed that EA broke Dutch gambling laws via the sale of in-game FUT packs, fining the FIFA publ??isher a hefty â‚?00,000 for each week it continued to sell the digital add-ons, with a maximum penalty fixed at â‚?0 million. EA chose to call the ruling's bluff, filing for appeal and continuing to sell the digital trading cards in the meantime.

A risky endeavor that has paid off (quite?? literally.)

On Wednesday, as reported by Eurogamer, The Dutch Administrative Jurisdiction Division �essentially the highest order of law in the Netherlands �decided that the purchasing and opening of FUT packs did not qualify as "an isolated game," and that it was an element of chance voluntarily utilized as a part of a "game of skill" (FIFA itself).

"The vast majority of packs are obtained by and used for game participation," ruled the court. "Since the packs are not a standalone game, they are not a game of chance and do not require a licence. The publisher has therefore not violated the Games of Chance Act and the Gaming Authority should therefore not have imposed a penalty payment on the publisher. The Administrative Jurisdiction Division has 'revoked' the imposed ??penalty."

Though this particular situation has worked out in EA's favor, it has been a turbulent 12 months for the FIFA franchise. In the summer of 2022, a scandal dubbed "EAGate" saw employees selling high-ranking FUT cards "under-the-table" for ludicrous amounts of money. More recently, it seems more and more likely that EA and FIFA itself are scheduled to part ways, with the former rumored to be considering a full rebrand, following the alleged doubling of the latter's licensing fee.

For decades, FIFA has been one o??f the most financially lucrative franchises in all of gaming. As such, any and all controversies and criticisms are simply storms that EA will gladly weather if, ultimately, it is able to keep the ball rolling.

EA's â‚?0m Dutch FIFA loot box fine overturned [Eurogamer]

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The squads are leaving the sports games in response to the invasion of Ukraine

Electronic Arts says it will remove Russian teams from several FIFA games, as well as its NHL series. The national team and all Russian clubs will be removed from FIFA 22, Mobile, and Online, and NHL 22.

This lines up its partners FIFA and UEFA's recent decision to suspend all Russian clubs and national teams from competition. EA says it is also "actively evaluating" other related changes to other areas of its games. The IIHF also announced a similar ruling over Russian and Belarusian teams.

These moves are in response to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia. "EA Sports stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and like so many voices across the world of football, calls for peace and an end to the invasion of Ukraine," reads today's statement.

//twitter.com/EASPORTSFIFA/status/14990??570??30857777154

EA is now one of several tech companies who have altered their s??ervices in response to the invasion.

The games industry has been issuing responses on the matter throughout the week as well. Several game studios in Ukraine have spoken on the matter, and many studios and publishers are calling for humanita??rian support and offering donations, through game sale??s and their own contributions.

This isn't the first time EA Sports games have had to respond to real-world issues. In 2020, the Washington NFL team name was updated to a generic one in Madden NFL 21. And last year, Madden replaced Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden with a generic likeness over reports on remarks he'd made.

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All good things must come to an end

For years now, sports games have dominated the gaming industry. Titles like Madden, NBA 2K, and FIFA make their way onto each year's top sellers list consistently, and rake in millions of dollars in revenue every year. While Electr??onic Arts' soccer (or football) centric series has been one of the most promi??nent among them, the company just announced that they might be parting ways with the FIFA brand, bringing a partnership stretching thirty years to an end.

At an internal company meeting last November, EA's CEO Andrew Wilson gave an insight into how license negotiations with the governing footballing body had been going. Based on comments shared anonymously with Video Games Chronicle, EA reportedly thought of FIFA as holding them back from making th?e creative decisions that they wanted to implement beyond the standard 11v11 mode. Being free of the expensive brand would also free up EA's resources to focus on different projects, as well as implement changes that players want much more quickly.

//twitte?r.com/Nibellion/status/1496552297987559426

Wilson then went on to suggest? that the value that FIFA gave EA as a brand outside of World Cup years didn't amount to much more than "four le??tters on the front of the box."

In that same meeting, Wilson went so far as to say that "the FIFA brand has more meaning as a video game than it does a??s a governing body of soccer." Bold claim, but not an entirely unfounded one.

According to a report from the New York Times also published last year, negotiations slowed to a halt due to EA's demand for more rights in what they can do with the series, as well as FIFA's alleged demand for nearly doubled licensing fees, which would come out to about $2.5 billi??on over the next ?decade.

Ties haven't officially been severed yet, but in an official statement from EA last October, the company implied that even if they choose to part ways with FIFA, they would not necessarily be dropping their other player, league, and stadium licenses. FIFA also divulged that they are open to working with new game companies.

It seems like the w??riting is on the wall for these two organizations, but only time wil??l tell.

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The gift that keeps on giving (buying)

This year sees Christmas Day fall on a Saturday, the same day the charts for the previous week are compiled. As such, we already know the UK's Christmas Number #1 video game for 2021, and it's Electronic Arts' annual soccer sim, FIFA 22.

The final UK Charts Top Ten before Christmas is a who's who of by-the-numbers bestsellers, with the listings packed out with all of the titles one would expect to be rocking around the Christmas tree come December 25. Following FIFA 21's premier position is Activision's Call of Duty: Vanguard at number two, perennial mainstay Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at number three, with positions four and five rounded out by Insomniac's excellent Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Innersloth's viral sleuther Among Us. Rockstar's horrendous Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy �Definitive Edition is also in the mix at number six. Lordy.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYsi5QuOJNE

This is one of the many reasons I stopped reporting the weekly charts back in the summer of this year. Not only are high street sales becoming less lucrative on a yearly... nay... monthly basis, but the UK Charts simply isn't an authentic representation of what the world is playing, or which new releases are worth your cash. With the slow decay of physical sales, COVID-19 causing severe damage to the retail industry, and Britain's unending love affair with the same four franchises �regardless of output quality �nothing is to be gain??ed from knowing what titles shifted the most copies last week at your local Sainsbury's. Around half of the games in the Top Ten below didn't even debut within the last 12 months.

FIFA 22 might be Christmas No.1 2021, but it doesn't pop the Top 30 when it comes to the year's best video game releases. The UK Charts is an archaic concept, barely representative of the industry's sales, product quality, or market sh??are. While I dusted off the concept today in order to announce the UK's "holiday favorite", writing this up has only further confirmed that I made the right decision when I decided to stop reporting on it weekly.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: December 18, 2021
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. FIFA 22 �Electronic Arts
2. Call of Duty: Vanguard  �Activision
3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe �Nintendo
4. Among Us �Maximum Games
5. Spider-Man: Miles Morales �Sony Interactive Entertainment
6. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy Definitive Edition �Take-Two
7. Minecraft �Nintendo
8. Just Dance 2022 �Ubisoft
9. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond �Nintendo
10. Animal Crossing: New Horizons �Nintendo

U.K. Video Game Charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

The post UK Charts reveals FIFA 22 as this year’s Christmas No.1 appeared first on Destructoid.

The Beautiful Game

Electronic Arts are currently embroiled in a hugely expensive and far??-reaching conundrum with ?the Fédération Internationale de Football Association �more commonly known as "FIFA." The clash revolves, unsurprisingly, around EA's blockbuster football franchise, the license of which is up for renewal at what appears to be an almighty cost.

According to a report from The New York Times, FIFA, the largest governing body of international football, is asking for more than double its p??revious price for EA to renew the "FIFA" licen??se for its next wave of releases. NYT's sources suggest that FIFA is looking for around $1 billion USD for each World Cup life cycle (around four years), meaning another decade of usage would see EA open its wallets to the tune of $2.5 billion simply for using the FIFA license.

If that wasn't enough, talks have stalled over EA's use of the license itself. While the video game ?giant would like to be able to use the FIFA name at tournaments or?? to brand a range of merchandise and NFTs, FIFA itself would rather Electronic Arts stick to purely branding its video games, allowing FIFA itself to explore other marketing avenues. NYT posits that talks of the license's usage and its renewal have been going on for some two years, reaching something of a deadlock.

It's understandable why FIFA �never shy of making a dollar �has updated its price tag. EA's FIFA is synonymous with football video games, and every release in the series, dating back to 1993's FIFA International Soccer, is a guaranteed mega-seller. When you add to this the controversial but incredibly lucrative FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) mechanic �which itself raked in over a billion dollars in 2021 �it doesn't take a financial?? wiz to see why FIFA is attempting to cut itself a bigger slice?? of the pie.

Rumors persist that EA is considering stepping away from the deal and rebranding the legendary franchise without the "FIFA" title. Recent trademarks posted by the publisher make this apparent, though one could argue that the publisher could possibly be playing cat-and-mouse to poker face the FIFA body. While the "FIFA" name is synonymous with sports gaming �hell, when Googled the games come up before the actual organization �EA's long-running series has staked such?? a strong claim in the industry that it's difficult to see how ?a rebrand would harm future entries' inevitable sales.

What to do... W?on't somebody please think of the billionaires?

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But platform upgrade locked exclusively behind $99 edition

While English football fans pick themselves up from the misery of yesterday's razor-thin defeat, they can at least take heart in the news that Electronic Arts has dropped a trailer, details, and a release date for the next entry in its decades-long football franchise, FIFA 22. The mega-selling franchise returns to PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Stadia platforms on October 1, while FIFA 22 Legacy is also in development for Nintendo Switch.

Never a stranger to controversy, however, EA is already raising eyebrows with its decision to lock next-gen upgrades behind its $99 dollar Ultimate Edition, which will offer the purchaser "Dual Entitlement" i.e. a FIFA 22 upgrade on PS4/PS5 or Xbox One/Xbox Series X. The standard $60 edition of FIFA 22 will not include a respective platform upgrade. It should a??lso be noted that the PC edition will be based on the PS4/Xbox One build and not the PS5/Xbox Series X bui??ld.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1igaMv46SY

FIFA 22 �the 30th release in EA's long-long-long running franchise �promises to utilize powerful HyperMotion technology to deliver cutting-edge, state-of-the-art visuals and gameplay on next-gen platforms. EA is using learning algorithms to capture over 8.7 million frames of animation, replicating movement from live motion capture sessions and hours upon hours of match footage. It's the developer's hope that a combination of super-smooth animation, quality facial-scan technology, and the power of next-gen gaming will collude to create the definitive FIFA experience. Here's hoping the same effort will also be put into tackling racist content & online toxicity.

"FIFA 22 offers millions of fans around the world a chance to engage with the sport they love in an unprecedented way," said EA Sports' FIFA GM Nick Wlodyka. "Each player experiences FIFA in their own way but? on-pitch gameplay is the unifying constant, so we’re excite??d to offer deep innovation there. HyperMotion elevates that even further on next-gen consoles and Stadia and completely changes the feel of the game."

The next entry will include a brand new career mode, Pro Clubs, Volta Football, and various online multiplayer modes. Of course, the ludicrously money-raking FIFA Ultimate Team mechanic will return and will include all-new "FIFA Ultimate Team Heroes" items, representing cult legends of the past and present. For the second year running, FIFA 22's cover star is Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe, who becomes one of only an exclusive club of footballers to have bagged the coveted FIFA cover honor multiple years in a row.

FIFA 22 launches October 1 on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Stadia. FIFA 22 Legacy is expected to launch on Nintendo Switch on the same day. Players pre-ordering the FIFA 22 Ultimate Edition will receive four days ?Early Access ahead of the official release date, a??longside "Dual Entitlement", and a selection of bonus items.

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Best golf game debut since Lee Carvello's Putting Challenge

Nintendo is back at the top of the UK Charts this week, as brand new Switch release Mario Golf: Super Rush debuts straight in at number one, usurping Insomniac Games' excellent 'toon adventure Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, which slips t??o number three after spending two week??s in the top spot.

Also debuting in the Top Ten is Bandai Namco's alien-busting, brain-eating adventure Scarlet Nexus, which jumps in at number eight �an impressive physical debut for a relatively niche mainstream release. Sega also had a couple of new entries. Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 just missed out on the premier division, debuting at number 11, while even retro star Alex Kidd got a look-in, with remake Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX landing just inside the Top 20 at number 17.

Elsewhere in the charts, Nintendo still holds many of the Top Ten slots, with Ring Fit Adventure pushes its way back in at number. Capcom's Resident Evil Village left the Top Ten for the first time since launch, while CDPR's beleaguered RPG Cyberpunk 2077 returned at number 22 following a huge sales spike, facilitated by the game's recent patches and upda?tes. CDPR's beleaguered RPG also returned to PlayStation Store this week (though these sales will, of course, not count toward its UK Chart standing).

Outside of occa?sional "sales shocker" moments, the UK physical sales scene has become increasingly irrelevant in displaying an accurate portrait of general video game sales. It is also rarely reflective of both the best-selling and the straight "best" games on the market. As such, I will be winding down the weekly UK Charts report at some point in the coming weeks/ I sincerely a??ppreciate those of you who have always checked in.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: June 26, 2021
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Mario Golf: Super Rush - Nintendo
2. FIFA 21 - Electronic Arts
3. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart - Sony Interactive Entertainment
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe �Nintendo
5. Animal Crossing: New Horizons �Nintendo
6. Assassin's Creed Valhalla - Ubisoft
7. Minecraft - Nintendo
8. Scarlet Nexus - Bandai Namco
9. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo
10. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - Nintendo

U.K. Video Game Charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Scry-before-you-buy

FIFA Ultimate Team, or FUT, has been a staple of Electronic Arts' FIFA series for some time now, and a big part of that is its loot box-sty??le Packs of players. Today, the publisher announced it's trying a new format: seeing inside the Pack??s before you buy them.

Starting June 18 at 9 a.m. PT, and through the remainder of the Festival of FUTball event, EA will be hosting Preview Packs. These will let you see inside the packs, to know what's inside them before you spend any FUT Coins or FIFA Points. During this campaign, Preview Packs will be the only type of Pack available, though EA says other types will return afterwards.

If you decide not to buy the pack after peeking in it, the previewed option will stay in your store until a refresh timer expires, pulling in a new pack. It's a model other games like Fortnite have experimented with as well, and shop timers have become common in games like Valorant.

It's worth noting that EA's FIFA packs are among the loot boxes that have been under scrutiny for some time, even as the profits of loot box models have soared and are predicted to make more. Whether Preview Packs might mark a sea change for the model, or whether this is EA simply testing the waters?? with a new model, remains to be seen.

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EA says hack will not put player data at risk

Electronic Arts ha??s been left reeling in the aftermath of a serious data breach in which hackers made off with almost 800GB of confidential data, including the source code for several video games and developer DICE's Frostbite ??engine.

As reported by VICE Motherboard, person or persons gained access to EA's databases and made off with what's believed to be 780GB of data, with an intent to sell the stolen code. The data includes the source code for FIFA 21 and its respective matchmaking server, the code for DICE's Frostbite engine, (used for titles such as Battlefield and Mirror's Edge), and a variety of development streamlining tools and software development kits. EA confirmed the attack to VICE, but stated that player data is not at risk, nor does it believe the results of the attack w?ill hinder the publisher's productions.

"We are investigating a recent incident of intrusion into our n?etwork where a limited amount of game source code and related tools were stolen," said an EA spokesperson in a statement. "No player data was accessed, and we have no reason to believe there is any risk to player privacy. Following the incident, we’ve already made security impr?ovements and do not expect an impact on our games or our business. We are actively working with law enforcement officials and other experts as part of this ongoing criminal investigation."

EA has note??d that it is working with authorities to ascertain the details of the attac??k and has since increased the security on its internal servers.

This event is the latest in several serious data breaches that have occurred at major publishers. Back in February of this year, CD Projekt RED was ransacked in a "targeted cyber attack", where hackers made off with the source code for Cyberpunk 2077, an unreleased edition of The Witcher 3, and a wide variety of confidential documents and employee details. In November 2020, Resident Evil developer Capcom was also targeted by hackers, in an attack that saw much of the studi?o's upcoming plans leaked onto the internet, alongside the theft of thous?ands of company and employee records.

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FIFA 21 once again meanders back into the top spot

It's been a very quiet fortnight in the UK Charts scene. So much so that Electronic Arts' football simulator FIFA 21 has returned to the number one spot for seemingly the bazillionth time since its October 2020 release, while several older PS4 tit??les have also returned to the Top 20, thanks to various price discounts in recently re-opened UK high street stores.

When it comes to this week's Top Ten, it's mostly The Nintendo Show, with appearances from Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Miitopia, Minecraft, and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. Capcom's ace horror release Resident Evil Village is still shifting copies, sitting comfortably at number five, while THQ Nordic's Biomutant and EA's Mass Effect: Legendary Edition have both left the Top Ten entirely. Re-entries see SIE's The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima, as well as Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Valhalla, climb back up t??he charts for another turn in the premier league.

This week sees the launch of both Insomniac Games' Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, as well as Arc System Works' Guilty Gear Strive. The latter is unlikely to make much of an impact regarding the UK charts' high street sales, but t??he former could quite easily capture the number one spot, despite the territory's continued struggle to provide retailers with PS5 hardware.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: June 5, 2021
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. FIFA 21 - Electronic Arts
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons �Nintendo
3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe �Nintendo
4. Spider-Man: Miles Morales �Sony Interactive Entertainment
5. Resident Evil Village �Capcom
6. Assassin's Creed Valhalla - Ubisoft
7. Minecraft �Nintendo 
8. The Last of Us Part II - Sony Interactive Entertainment
9. Miitopia �Nintendo
10. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury �Nintendo

U.K. Video Game Charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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You can't keep a good lady down

Resident Evil Village is back in the number one spot of the UK Charts. Capcom's horror sequel clambered over Electronic Arts' Mass Effect Legendary Edition and also held off Nintendo's cartoony social title Miitopia in order to claim the premier position ??onc??e again.

Elsewhere in the Top Ten, the recent restock of physical PS5 products in the UK high street saw another round of sales for Insomniac Games' Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The web-slinger sits at number four ahead of Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury?, both of which have remained in the upper echelon since their respective releases.

This week sees the launch of THQ Nordic's Biomutant, Atlus' Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster, as well as Deep Silver's Maneater and NIS' World's End Club. It seems that, for the time be?ing at least, Lady Dimitrescu is set to retain her UK chart dominance. And who would deny her, frankly?

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: May 22, 2021
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Resident Evil Village - Capcom
2. Miitopia - Nintendo
3. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition - Electronic Arts
4. Spider-Man: Miles Morales - Sony Interactive Entertainment
5. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
6. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - Nintendo
7. Grand Theft Auto V - Take Two Interactive
8. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
9.  Minecraft - Nintendo
10. New Pokémon Snap - Nintendo

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

The post Resident Evil Village ??returns to the t??op of the UK Charts appeared first on Destructoid.

...Shepard

Electronic Arts' epic space opera, Mass Effect, is back on top of the UK Charts for the first time in many years. Remaster Mass Effect: Legendary Edition debuted at number one in the physical sales charts this week, dethroning Capcom's equally rad horror sequel Resident Evil Village after just one week.

It should be noted that Mass Effect's physical sales were not extraordinary, merely enough to usurp that of Resident Evil Village, which saw a sales drop of almost 60% on last week's numbers. Both Mass Effect: Legendary Edition and Resident Evil Village can be con?sidered successes, and digital sales figures for both titles wil??l far outweigh those represented in the UK Charts.

Elsewhere in the Top Ten, an influx of PS5 stock saw Spider-Man: Miles Morales rocket back up the charts, with the web-slinger nestling at number three. Additionally, underwater escapade Subnautica: Below Zero made a modest debut at number five, while a Nintendo Switch double-pack — featuring Below Zero and the 2014 original — sits at number 38.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: May 15, 2021
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition - Electronic Arts
2. Resident Evil Village - Capcom
3. Spider-Man: Miles Morales - Sony Interactive Entertainment
4. FIFA 21 - Electronic Arts
5. Subnautica: Below Zero - Unknown Worlds
6. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
7. Minecraft - Nintendo
8. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
9. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - Nintendo
10. New Pokémon Snap - Nintendo

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Creeps into the top of the UK Charts

Capcom's latest jaunt into the world of survival horror, Resident Evil Village, has had a successful start, debuting at number one in the UK Charts. The creepy sequel saw the second-biggest physical launch of 2021 so far, behind Nintendo's Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. In regards to UK physical sales, Village saw b??oth the third biggest launch on the PS5 platform, and the second-largest launch on Xbox Series X/S.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, Resident Evil Village did not hit the same UK launch numbers of Capcom's 2019 remake Resident Evil 2, nor did it hit the same launch numbers of 2017's Resident Evil VII. It should be noted that with each passing year, sales lean further toward digital sales, so Village's true impact is yet to be ascertained. Assure?dly, however, it has definitely been a hit.

Elsewhere in the charts Housemarque's PS5 release Returnal has already dropped out of the Top Ten, now sitting at number 15. Nintendo's snap-happy New Pokemon Snap shifts from number one to number two, while the remainder of the Top Ten is mostly rounded out with other Switch releases, including Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Ring Fit Adventure, and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: May 8, 2021
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Resident Evil Village - Capcom
2. New Pokémon Snap - Nintendo
3. FIFA 21 - Electronic Arts
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
5. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
6. Minecraft - Nintendo
7. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - Nintendo
8. Grand Theft Auto V - Take-Two Interactive
9. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo
10. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Activision

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Say Cheese

This week saw not one, but two major releases hit the market in the form of two shoot-'em-ups... kinda. Shutterbugs took shots in Nintendo's latest Switch release, New Pokémon Snap, while interstellar explorers focused on a whole different kind of shooting in Housemarque's fantastic Returnal, incidentally the ?PS5's first exclusive release in months.

In regards to the U.K.'s physical sales, it was New Pokémon Snap that debuted comfortably in the number one spot, edging out Selene's hardcore space-shooting action. This was somewhat inevitable given the popularity of the Pokémon brand, the family-friendly nature of the camera-snapping adventure, and the ongoing shortage of PS5 hardware in the UK scene. As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, this new entry in the photogenic series sold four times as many launch copies as 2000 Nintendo 64 release, Pokémon Snap.

New Pokémon Snap leads a seemingly indelible slew of Switch releases, which includes Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Ring Fit Adventure, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Minecraft. Last week's number one, Square Enix' NieR Replicant, has dropped out of the Top Ten entirely and now resides at number 22. This is business as usual for the JRPG market, at least in regards to physical sales. However, with the launch of Resident Evil Village on May 7, New Pokémon Snap's reign as monarch of the UK Charts looks set t??o be a short on??????????????????????????e.

Something Wicked This Way Comes.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: May 1, 2021
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. New Pokémon Snap - Nintendo
2. Returnal - Sony Interactive Entertainment
3. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - Nintendo
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
5. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
6. FIFA 21 - Electronic Arts
7. Minecraft - Nintendo
8. Grand Theft Auto V - Take-Two Interactive
9. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo
10. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Activision

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

The post New Pokemon Snap beats out Returnal in this week’s UK Charts appeared first on Destructoid.

Bleak Peak

It looks like Square Enix's wistful remaster NieR Replicant i??s getting set to break a helluva lot of new hearts, as the up?dated RPG was the best-selling physical release in Britain last week, debuting at number one in the UK Charts.

It should be noted that existing within any post-apocalyptic universe is a step-up from living in present-day England, which may or may not have contributed to the fantasy adventure's sales. Despite hitting the top spot, NieR Replicant's launch sales are only 50% of the sales enjoyed by NieR: Automata back in 2017. Still, nice t??o see something a little different in the spotlight.

Elsewhere in the charts, Capcom's Monster Hunter Rise slipped out of the Top Ten for the first time since launch, while fellow Switch releases Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Ring Fit Adventure continue to enjoy week-on-week sales. People are still buying the console edition of CDPR's Cyberpunk 2077, which enjoys a second week back in the Top Ten.

Sega's latest entry in the Football Manager series - always a popular release in Blighty - joined the Top Ten at number eight. As a niche PC release, this should go some way toward demonstrating how quiet the UK's physical sales scene is right now. Both Sony's Returnal and Nintendo's New Pokemon Snap are going to just sashay right in come launch.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: April 24, 2021
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. NieR Replicant - Square Enix
2. FIFA 21 - Electronic Arts
3. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - Nintendo
4. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
5. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
6. Minecraft - Nintendo
7. Grand Theft Auto V - Take-Two Interactive
8. Football Manager 2021 - Sega
9. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo
10. Cyberpunk 2077 - CD Projekt RED

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

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FIFA 21 returns once again to No.1 spot

The notoriously busted console edition of CD Projekt RED's Cyberpunk 2077 managed to shift enough physical copies last week to re-enter the UK Cha?rts' Top Ten, nestling in at number nine. This is likely due to in-store efforts to reduce stock surplus. Still, jus?t because something is cheap, doesn't mean it's worth buying, and while the PS4/Xbox One editions of the RPG have seen slight improvements since launch, they remain in a relatively poor state.

Aside from this charts oddity, it's mostly business as usual for the UK's physical sales. Electronic Arts' soccer sim FIFA 21 is once again back at the number-one spot, and is unlikely to be usurped by Dreamcast title Super League anytime soon. From there onward, it's mostly the Nintendo show, with Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, and Minecraft all enjoying steady sales. Capcom's Monster Hunter Rise sits at number seven, a ??healthy position for a non first-party release.

It's easy to forget that we're in a brand new gaming generation at all. Around five months on from the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, and not a single title from either ?platform resides in the current Top Ten. Most generations begin with a whimper, it has been that way for literal decades, but with a shortage of hardware and multiple development delays, the ninth generation of gaming is sure taking its time getting out? of the starting blocks.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: April 17, 2021
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1.FIFA 21 - Electronic Arts
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
3. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - Nintendo
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
5. Minecraft - Nintendo
6. Grand Theft Auto V - Take-Two Interactive
7. Monster Hunter Rise - Capcom
8. Assassin's Creed Valhalla - Ubisoft
9. Cyberpunk 2077 - CD Projekt RED
10. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Activision

The post Cyberpunk 2077’s clunky console port is back in the Top Ten appeared first on Destructoid.

All Switch, All Day

It's been on the shelves for over a year, but Animal Crossing: New Horizons continues to invite new residents onto its islands. This week, the Switch social sim found its way back to the top spot of the UK Charts, usurping Electronic Arts' soccer sim FIFA 21, which now sits at number two.

In terms of the UK's physical sales, it remains The Nintendo Show. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe pulls in at number three, while the remastered Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury sits just behind at number four. The Switch edition of Minecraft and newly released adventure Monster Hunter Rise are at five and six respectively, while Ring Fit Adventure is still toning tummies at number nine. The remaining three spots are taken up by AAA mainstays Grand Theft Auto V, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

As we push into mid-April, the shelves remain relatively bare, with only Housemarque's Returnal, Nintendo's New Pokemon Snap, and Square Enix's NieR Replicant likely to shake up t??he physical sales sce??ne, if only temporarily. For the near future, it appears the UK Charts will remain a testament to the mainstream appeal of the Switch platform.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: April 10, 2021
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo
2. FIFA 21 - Electronic Arts
3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
4. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - Nintendo
5. Minecraft - Nintendo
6. Monster Hunter Rise - Capcom
7. Grand Theft Auto V - Take-Two Interactive
8. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Activision
9. Ring Fit Adventure - Nintendo
10. Assassin's Creed Valhalla - Ubisoft

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

The post A year later, you still can’t keep Animal Crossing: New Horizons away from the top of the UK Charts appeared first on Destructoid.