EA Play 2019

            While E3 doesn’t officially start until tomorrow, Electronic Arts kicked off the week of video game news today with their EA Play event. Here are the highlights from today’s event.

• Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

EA started the event by showing off the highly anticipated Star Wars title. Fallen Order will follow Cal Kestis, a Jedi in training, shortly after the Empire takes control of the galaxy. You can watch the gameplay trailer here.

• Apex Legends

A few new items were announced for Apex Legends’ Season 2 including a ranked mode, a new incredibly powerful weapon, and most excitingly, a new character named Wattson. Check out the Wattson intro trailer here.

• Battlefield V

A few new maps were announced for Battlefield V, as well as Chapter V, which will include a recreation of the conflict at Iwo Jima, including the vehicles and weapons used there.

• FIFA 20

            Along with the standard control, visual, and AI updates that usually come with a new installment of FIFA, the 2020 version of the game will revamp the free and penalty kick system, allowing players more control of the curvature of their kick. FIFA 20 will also introduce a whole new mode called Volta, which is basically FIFA Street and includes female characters, and some customization options.

• Madden 20

            The 2020 installment of Madden will see the return of the Pro-Bowl, as well as a few new features. One cool feature will be live updates to teams’ playbooks. If your favorite team runs a new play during a game one Sunday, EA will add that play to the team’s playbook via update. Madden 20 will also feature a new career mode called “Face of the Franchise”. The new career mode will start off with your custom-made second-string Quarterback taking the field in the College Football Playoffs. Your player will then head to the NFL combine, and then off to draft day. The story will progress as you join an NFL and work your way towards becoming your team’s starter and through a 15-year career. Throughout your career, you will be faced with interviewers’ questions to answer and decisions to make which could have implications on your career, or even the next game.

• Sims 4

EA’s event concluded with some expansion news for the Sims 4. Island Living will introduce a lot of new clothing options, the ability for your Sims to SCUBA dive, make friends with dolphins, and create Mermaid characters. They also announced a partnership with the It Gets Better project and will introduce Pride items in-game.

That’s It! No surprises from EA this year, but some exciting reveals from the studio. It was a fun way to kick off the year’s biggest week for video games. Be sure to stay tuned as Tim will be covering each day of the show, and we'll be recapping the events of E3 on an upcoming podcast episode.

Story by Tim Howell