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For EA, Nintendo's Wii U just isn't a priority

LOS ANGELES -- To Electronic Arts, Nintendo's Wii U console plays second fiddle to some of the faster-growing areas in the video game business.

That includes the other next-generation consoles, Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4, as well as the current-generation systems and mobile devices, according to Frank Gibeau, head of labels at EA.

"I think it's fair to characterize that Xbox One, PS4, and mobile are the highest growth platforms that we're looking at right now," Gibeau said in an interview with CNET on Monday.

EA would rather invest in those … Read more

The 404 1,273: Where overall we think it's necessary (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- All of CNET's coverage of yesterday's Xbox One event.

- Here's what we know about Xbox One games.

- Microsoft talks Xbox One naming, privacy and more (Q&A).

- Sharon Vaknin and CNET Reviews' John Falcone at last night's Webby Awards.

- Courts turning to UrbanDictionary as an authoritative source on slang. And here's The 404's contribution to UrbanDictionary.… Read more

Here's what we know about Xbox One games

The wait is over. Microsoft's new console is called the Xbox One, and it will be a machine that will wear many hats. But what did we learn about the games?

First off, Microsoft tells CNET that the Xbox One will not be backward compatible with any previous Xbox game. Xbox One games will also need to be fully installed, and if the install disc is used on another console, there will be a small fee for doing so. We don't have a lot of the details beyond that, but fears of anti-used-game tactics have officially been realized. … Read more

EA announces Ignite engine for next-gen sports games

Over the years, sports games have become more and more realistic, and EA is promising to take that realism to a whole new level in next-generation versions of many of its popular sports franchises. At Microsoft's unveiling of the Xbox One, Andrew Wilson, the head of EA Sports, announced the company's new Ignite Engine and said that FIFA 14, NBA Live, Madden 25, and UFC would be available for the Xbox One within the next 12 months.

Follow the latest news on the EA Ignite engine for Xbox One at our sister site, GameSpot.

Wilson said that with … Read more

Report: EA to scrap Online Passes for games

Electronic Arts will be dropping Online Passes from all of its future games, citing lackluster player support, according to a report by Venture Beat.

EA Senior Director of Corporate Communications John Reseburg revealed the news. "Yes, we're discontinuing Online Pass," he said. "None of our new EA titles will include that feature."

EA is not the only game publisher that elects to bundle an Online Pass with new copies of its games. The one-time codes are designed to restrict access to key features, such as online multiplayer. Players who buy a second-hand version of the game are given the option to purchase an Online Pass for a fee, prior to being able to play with others. … Read more

Sims 4, due in 2014, to ditch need for Net connection

A newly unveiled Sims sequel will arriving in 2014, giving gamers yet another chance to take control of tiny virtual humans for some ruthless life management.

The Sims 4 will be published by Electronic Arts, with EA subsidiary Maxis once again taking the reins when it comes to bolting the new title together, EA said Monday in a blog post. In a case of a corporation learning from its mistakes, EA has confirmed that the next Sims installment won't require an Internet connection for gameplay.

The publisher said the game will be a "single-player offline experience." Taking … Read more

EA is the 'Star Wars' games company Disney is looking for

Disney and Electronic Arts said today that the two entertainment giants have signed an exclusive deal under which EA will begin developing and publishing a series of new "Star Wars" video games.

In a release, Disney and EA said that the new "Star Wars" games will be created for "a core gaming audience," and that they will be developed for "all interactive platforms and the most popular game genres."

However, while the deal was termed "exclusive," the announcement noted that Disney will still maintain the right to develop other new … Read more

Linksys adds two more Smart Wi-Fi routers to EA series

Linksys announced today that two more Smart Wi-Fi routers have been added to its EA series. This is the company's first product announcement since it was sold to Belkin by Cisco last month.

The two new routers are the Smart Wi-Fi Router AC 1200 Advanced Multimedia (model EA6300) and the Smart Wi-Fi Router AC 1600 Video Enthusiast (model EA6400).

Both of these routers are true dual-band and support the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard on the 5GHz band. Late last year, Linksys began shipping the Smart Wi-Fi Router AC 1750 HD Video Pro (model EA6500), and it's still the … Read more

EA announces more layoffs, said to be hundreds of workers

As if a leadership shakeup, canceling of games, and one round of layoffs weren't enough, it appears that things are going from bad to worse for Electronic Arts. The gaming company announced Thursday that it's going through another round of layoffs.

"In recent weeks, EA has aligned all elements of its organizational structure behind priorities in new technologies and mobile," EA wrote in a blog post Thursday. "This has led to some difficult decisions to reduce the workforce in some locations. We are extremely grateful for the contributions made by each of our employees -- … Read more