To kick-off the summer we are launching new content on Home for the PlayStation 3. The first big change was the addition of a 2nd race track in the EA SPORTS Complex, which is now referred to as the EA SPORTS Racing Complex. This launch coincided with the addition of score posting and the boost shop. This big change allowed us to double the number of racing seats, so hopefully no more long waits to get on a track and post your times. In Europe we are also hosting an event during July featuring Vodafone taxi cabs as race cars. Everybody in Europe who tries out the racing game will get shirts, and a stand-up featuring racing champion Lewis Hamilton.
Next up will be the addition of the EA SPORTS Golf Complex. The downstairs area will feature 2 golf courses with a preview of the golf game. This mini-game will feature a driving range practice area ... so sharpen your skills, hit a few balls, and try to avoid the pond (and the 'sail boat.') We will launch the full Golf experience later in the summer. For taking the time to try out the driving range there is a reward; hit 50 balls and you'll earn 1 of 2 shirts (1 male, 1 female). When the full game is launched it will feature a 3-hole, closet to the pin competition. Also, upstairs in the Golf Complex you will find 4 shiny new Red Tournament poker tables. These tables are identical to the single red table found in the Racing Complex, which will now be converted to green. With over 1.5 million poker players served so far, we are eager to give players an easier way to find a seat. The elusive Ladies Poker Bracelets are being awarded for 8 player wins on both Green and Red tables, and for those who were previously awarded male bracelets simply visiting the poker floors should earn you the lady's versions as well.
Club FIGHT NIGHT, our next big space targeted for a mid July launch, is nearly complete. The club features content pulled directly from the FIGHT NIGHT Round 4 game like the main room, stage and a full sized boxing ring. The seats and chairs have been replaced with plenty of club type seating, including a VIP booth with a DJ table. The DJ table also serves as the center point for the new Club DJ game. The high-score leader boards will be available at launch so you can brag to your friends about your skills on the mixing board.
Also featured in the Club FIGHT NIGHT space will be a new robot boxing game, where for the first time you will be able to go toe-to-toe with somebody in Home. Now you can take your disagreements from the poker game straight to the ring! The robot boxing game will launch a few weeks after the release of the space, but you will be able to go to the game area and see a couple robots running drills for the upcoming game.
The EA SPORTS Pro Shop will also be launching later in July, and will feature boxing apparel from the PS3 game. Gloves, boots, headgear, and trunks will now be available for your avatar. Furniture from Club FIGHT NIGHT will be available to decorate your personal space with. Keep your eyes open for announcements regarding new content for the EA SPORTS Pro Shop.
The poker game will also be receiving some updates to improve stability. We really want to extend our thanks to the Home community for helping us track down some of the issues in the popular game. Community members like SgtDewy have been extremely helpful in sending in details surrounding issues. The comments we receive also help the team prioritize new features so please keep them coming.
EA SPORTS Texas Hold'em Top 10
These players have all shown exceptional skill, commitment, and patience as they play on the tables. I have received a number of messages from Professional Pokers players that participate in our community and can attest to the quality level of play. As of July 2nd, here is the list of top 10 players:
1. Texansgirl 2,232,000
2. Sakerio 1,887,350
3. DCSniper8 1,841,850
4. Bigman1963 1,755,250
5. Xblackkatx 1,700,000
6. GavinSmoothPants 1,339,700
7. GAMEMC 1,318,400
8. FelineFeline 1,113,950
9. BLUFF_GUY 1,073,100
10. Nikitavelour 980,900
Our leader boards also showcase the top Daily Scores and I would like to congratulate PHD1 for his competitive play which landed him the number one spot on many occasions.
As always please find me in the EA SPORTS Complex and say hello. I regularly wander the area to get feedback from people and make sure everything is working properly. Occasionally you can even find me jumping into a game of poker, I will be the guy going all-in with 7 2 (Go Cowboys!)
Robert Burnett
"easdRob"