Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup announced

Electronic Arts has today announced that its UK studio is working on a game inspired by the sport of quidditch, as enjoyed by Harry Potter. The magical sport of Quidditch involves two teams of seven players flying on broomsticks and no less than four balls in simultaneous play, including a quaffle, two bludgers, and the elusive golden snitch. In Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup, gamers will get to control all the players on their chosen team, including the chasers, the beaters, the keeper, and the seeker.

Players will have to triumph in the Hogwarts Cup using one of the four house teams before being allowed to compete in the international World Cup tournament, at which point they'll be able to play for the USA, Bulgaria, England, Japan, France, Germany, Australia, or the Nordics. Each international team in the game will sport its own uniforms and will play in its own unique stadium environment. In addition to the single-player mode, Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup will be the first Harry Potter game to allow players to compete head-to-head.

Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup is currently scheduled for release toward the end of this year. We'll bring you more information on the game when we report live from E3 on May 14-16.