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EA preps Korea-exclusive FIFA

By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpotPosted Feb 1, 2006 1:42 pm PT

Online-only PC version of soccer simulation being developed specifically for the Korean game room market.

Considering that soccer is the world's sport, it's only fitting that Electronic Arts' latest game of footie is an international effort. Redwood City, California-based EA today announced that its EA Canada development studio is hard at work with Korean publisher Neowiz on an online-only PC version of its FIFA Soccer series.

Neowiz, whose past titles include Special Force and Yogurting, will lend its knowledge of the Korean market to the project. That insight will be especially crucial as EA is developing the game specifically for the Korean game-room market.

The partnership on this project looks to capitalize on the popularity of soccer in the country (Korea co-hosted the 2002 World Cup with Japan), the recent game room phenomenon, and the strength of the FIFA Soccer brand of games, which EA touts as the best-selling sports franchise of all time in Korea.

"Developing an online game that is designed to appeal to Korean gamers' tastes and culture will play an important role as we extend our online business further into Asia," said Jon Niermann, president of EA Asia Publishing in a statement.

But while EA seems to approach the agreement as an opportunity to further boost its Korean operations, Neowiz is looking at it as a way to make its name beyond the country's borders. Neowiz president Sung Kyun Na stated that this FIFA game (currently intended to be exclusive to the Korean market) "will define a new dimension of online games for worldwide audiences in the near future."

While no firm release date has been set, EA expects to have the game up and running in time for the June 9 start of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

10 Comments

  • bucanero05

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 3:05 pm PT

    i canīt understand why do koreans like fifa having winning eleven japanese version so close, winnig eleven is the soccer best seller franchise around the world and has a pc version.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 5:24 am PT

    that's interesting. soccer is much bigger over there.

  • acu02151

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 2:37 am PT

    I'm sure it will sell well no matter how ridiculous the idea seems to us.

  • cqdemal

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 4:41 pm PT

    Another EA Sports gimmick, obviously.

    How does an online-only FIFA differ from every other FIFA, except it has no single-player? This sounds pretty stupid.

    Or is it a .... football RPG?

  • Orasion_Seiz

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 3:37 pm PT

    i love FIFA soccer games!

  • automaticsnake

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 2:36 pm PT

    Who realy cares about FIFA when Winning Eleven is much superior?

  • KingKobra2K2

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 2:09 pm PT

    I'm not sure I understood, how is this game going to be different than the North American PC version?

  • Donkeljohn

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 1:57 pm PT

    That is a niche market, any way you slice it.

  • gillri

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 1:49 pm PT

    What you mean this is a niche market?

  • mikey050591

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 1:47 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

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