Arena Football dated, detailed

Low-scoring games should be reserved for pitchers' duels, brick-wall hockey matches, and Detroit Pistons basketball. Sports gaming fans who think the best defense is a good offense will be able to put their touchdown celebrations to good use in early February, when the newest football franchise from Electronic Arts is released.

The publisher today revealed that Arena Football, announced by EA earlier this year, will take the field February 7. The Xbox and PlayStation 2 game is currently being developed by EA's Tiburon Studios, the football vet that pumps out NCAA Football and Madden NFL Football annually.

The game will play according to Arena Football League rules, with eight players on each side of the ball, shorter playing fields, and high-flying offense. A new telemetric info system eliminates the need for a buddy to stand nearby with a clipboard. The new system will relay real-time information about the opponent, including offensive tendencies and player conditions. The single-player portion will feature a season mode, and the game can be taken online for head-to-head play.

The debut of Arena Football makes the game the fourth exclusive football series from EA. The publisher has been aggressively expanding its roster of sports games, announcing MVP 06 NCAA Baseball earlier this month.