FIFA 12 signs ex-England striker Alan Smith as new commentator

EA Sports has sent word that Alan Smith--a former Leicester, Arsenal, and England striker--will join longstanding commentator Martin Tyler as one of FIFA 12's in-game broadcasters. Smith takes over for Andy Gray, the longstanding FIFA commentator who was fired from his post at Sky Sports for sexist remarks he made earlier this year.

The changes to FIFA 12's broadcast component don't stop with the addition of Smith alone. Ten thousand lines of new dialogue are promised for the game, and there will be two distinct English broadcast teams.

Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend will operate apart from Tyler and Smith, and they will call tournament matches. Additionally, gamers will be able to customize the game audio as they see fit, with the ability to choose between either Smith and Tyler or Tyldesley and Townsend.

For FIFA 12--due out September 27--EA Sports emphasized that it will be delivering an identical gaming experience on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. This promise is particularly meaningful for PC gamers, with EA Sports noting that FIFA 12 on desktop platforms will include the Player Impact Engine. This inclusion will offer PC gamers improved player physics and other technical features found in the console versions.

As for new features impacting all three versions, EA Sports has revisited dribbling mechanics in an effort to deliver a more realistic touch on the ball. Defense has likewise been tweaked, with a greater emphasis being placed on position play and ball interception. The publisher is also introducing the EA Sports Football Club feature, a free service that offers news and updates on the real-world sport.

EA Sports also said that it has updated the game's Career mode. With FIFA 12, players will be able to live out storylines taken from real-world events. Career mode also boasts more than 500 officially licensed clubs.

Fore more on EA Sports' newest soccer sim, check out GameSpot's preview of FIFA 12.