EA drops Tiger Woods, confirms next-gen PGA Tour game

EA Sports today confirmed a new PGA Tour game is in development and revealed it will not feature iconic golfer Tiger Woods for the first time since the franchise debuted in 1999. The developer and Tiger Woods have made a mutual decision to end their relationship, EA Sports said in a statement.

"We've always been big fans of Tiger and we wish him continued success in all his future endeavors," EA Sports VP of Golf Daryl Holt said.

Woods was the most dominant player in professional golf during the 2013 season. He won five times on tour--including at The Players--was named Player of the Year, and topped the money list, taking home more than $8.5 million in winnings during the season.

EA Sports said its partnership with the PGA Tour "remains strong" and EA will remain the exclusive developer of professional golf games.

The developer also shared the first screenshot of the new PGA Tour game--in development for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and mobiles--and teased that the title will allow for greater customization.

"EA Sports golf fans have always loved authentic courses and players, but they've also asked for more choice and customization in how and where they play," Holt said. "We're working on a new approach to deliver the best golf experience to our fans--we think you'll love it, and so we’re excited to share the first screenshot of our next generation golf game currently in development."

No release window was provided for the new PGA Tour game. EA will report earnings for its latest financial period tomorrow, October 29, where more information may be shared.

A report from Kotaku in April suggested EA had planned to outsource Tiger Woods PGA Tour 15, but later decided to scrap the game altogether, making 2014 the first year since 1999 EA will not ship a game in the series.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 shipped in March for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It includes a number of franchise-firsts, including night golf, LPGA support, and a Legends of the Majors mode that allows players to travel back in virtual time to compete against icons like Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus.

For more, check out GameSpot's review.