Today’s Poll: Will You Buy an EA Sports Season Ticket?

EA Sports has launched a new “Season Ticket” program for PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. This $25 annual subscription program gives sports fans early access to some goodies and exclusive access to others. Franchises covered in the program include Madden NFL Football, NHL Hockey, FIFA Soccer, Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf, and NCAA Football. Here’s what you’ll get with EA Sports Season Ticket.

  • Early Full-Game Digital Access: Three days before a game’s scheduled release, fans will be able to download and play the full version of all five participating titles on Xbox 360 and PS3. The digitally downloaded game will time out when the game is available at retail and consumers have the option to purchase the same full game on disc at retail. EA Sports Season Ticket subscribers can transfer all achievements earned during the three-day download period to the purchased disc, resulting in an early edge over the competition.
  • Discounted Downloadable Content: Subscribers will get a 20-percent discount on all available downloadable content for participating EA Sports titles. Downloadable content, which enhances and refreshes the core game experience, includes such items as Ultimate Team packs, accelerator packs and gear upgrades.
  • Free Premium Web Content: Premium web content extends the game experience beyond the console to a web browser. All participating titles will feature premium web content that will be free to EA Sports Season Ticket members beginning with the premium Creation Center packs for FIFA Soccer 12. These packs provide a deeper set of customization tools and abilities within Creation Center to build your own teams and tournaments, and will be available to the consumer until the membership to the program has expired.
  • Membership Recognition: Subscribers are easily identifiable with an exclusive membership recognition badge displayed both in-game and on their EASPORTS.com profile.

If you’re into most of the games covered by Season Ticket then this sounds like a great deal. If you’re only into one or two of the games listed then not so much. If you’re not into sports games then why are you even reading this article?!?

Are any of you down to buy an EA Sports Season Ticket? Please vote in today’s poll and let me know what you think of the program in the comments section!

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Sony Acquires Sucker Punch (inFamous, Sly Cooper)

Sony Computer Entertainment has announced that it has acquired Sucker Punch Productions, developer of the inFamous and Sly Cooper games. Sucker Punch will now be part of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCE WWS). In today’s press release, SCE WWS president Shuhei Yoshida said:

The addition of Sucker Punch to SCE WWS reiterates our dedication to developing world class gaming experiences that can only be found on the PlayStation platform. With one of the strongest exclusive software lineups in the PS3’s history, combined with the diverse, innovate content in the works for PlayStation Vita, consumers have a lot to be excited about this year.

This is a prudent move for Sony in light of one its other longtime exclusive development partners, Insomniac Games, developing for Xbox 360. Sucker Punch has a strong track record, but probably cost less to acquire than Insomniac or Naughty Dog would have. The acquisition locks in one of Sony’s top developers and, more importantly, keeps it away from the competition.

I’m thrilled for Sucker Punch and I hope a lot of the people in the company will be a bit richer when the acquisition is finalized. I’ve been playing the company’s games since 1999’s Rocket: Robot on Wheels and I’m a huge fan of the Sly Cooper games. The guys and gals at Sucker Punch deserve this reward.

How do you feel about Sony’s acquisition of Sucker Punch? Do you think that it’s money well spent? Are you afraid of the studio changing now that it has new people to answer to?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

Looking for a funky puzzle-platformer with lots of half-naked men and women? Of course you are! That’s why you’re excited for the release of Catherine. If you’re longing for classic gaming on your Nintendo 3DS then Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions will do you right. Normally I don’t include DLC in this weekly, but Dragon Age II Legacy is too awesome not to mention. I’m going to play the hell out of it this week. BioWare rules!

Any of you picking up new games this week?

Katee Sackhoff Voicing Black Cat in Spider-Man: Edge of Time

Marvel.com editorial director Ryan Penagos has revealed that Katee Sackhoff will be voicing Black Cat in the upcoming Spider-Man: Edge of Time. Battlestar Galactica fans will remember Sackhoff as Kara ‘Starbuck’ Thrace. Males will notice that she’s a hottie.

Penagos also posted the first screen of Black Cat. The buxom cat burglar is Spider-Man’s sometimes nemesis and sometimes love interest.

While this post is partially an excuse to research photos of Katee Sackhoff, I’d love to hear what you think about her playing Black Cat in the next Spider-Man game.

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This Week’s Videogame Releases

I usually don’t include downloadable games in this spot, but I’m so psyched for Bastion that I can’t help myself. I’m definitely picking it up this week and hope a bunch of you do too. Other notable released include Call of Juarez: The Cartel, Captain America: Super Soldier, Just Dance Summer Party, and The Smurfs Dance Party (just imagine the graphics!).

Any of you guys and gals picking up new games this week?

Ubisoft’s Uplay Passport = Another $10 “Solution”

Continuing the fight against used-game sales, Ubisoft has added its $9.99 Uplay Passport to the assortment of deterrents on the market. While the publisher has described Uplay Passport in saccharine terms, it’s simply charging gamers additional money for daring to buy used. Here’s more from Gamasutra:

Ubisoft has confirmed the Passport’s existence today, saying the feature will “provide players with access to bonus content, exclusive offers, and online multiplayer play” for “many of Ubisoft’s popular core games,” including Driver: San Francisco.

You can pretty much ignore the “bonus content” and “exclusive offers” drivel. This is just another publisher charging another fee that discourages buying used games.

I know that several of you have railed on EA and THQ for offering “$10 solutions”. How do you feel about Ubisoft’s Uplay Passport? Are you going to shy away from the company’s games? Does it impact your purchasing decision at all? Or are you starting to get numb to the practice and have accepted that this is just the way of the used-game world now?

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PSA: Don’t Forget to Claim Your Free PSN Games

Here’s a friendly reminder that you have until midnight July 3, 2011 to claim your free PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable games as part of Sony’s “Welcome Back” program. Don’t let these freebies slip through your fingers! Out of curiosity, what games did you pick? I went with inFamous and Super Stardust HD for PS3. For PSP I went with LittleBigPlanet and ModNation Racers.

Watch My Dungeon Siege III Review (Please)!!!

While I’m continuing to battle the upgrades to the RPad.tv comment system, I’d super appreciate it if you watched my video review for Dungeon Siege III. If you have extra moments, please give the review a thumbs and leave a comment. I’m sifting through the comments now and replying to as many people as I can (mostly because I miss having a comment system that works perfectly). Thanks in advance!

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Fresh Batch of Final Fantasy XIII-2 Screenshots

Square Enix has sent over some new Final Fantasy XIII-2 screens. Most of them are shots of battle sequences, but there are a few images of event scenes too. Some of you will recall that FFXIII-2 was one of my top five games of E3 2011. If you need more background info on the game then check out this preview. So far, my only major issue with the game is that it doesn’t have a Reona Rewis song.

Enjoy the screens and let me know what you think (please)!

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This Week’s Videogame Releases

There’s a trio of interesting games out this week. Fighting-game fans will want to pick up Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition to take their Capcom fighter skills to new heights. If fighting giant robots are more to your liking then Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 will do you good. Looking for a fitness game that’s more macho? Perhaps UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System is just what the doctor ordered. Just don’t go all Cheick Kongo on your TV.

Any of you picking up new games this week?