Publisher Electronic Arts is looking into the development of a Wii fitness game, Eurogamer reports.

Speaking at an event, EA Sports president Peter Moore remarked on the opportunities created by Nintendo's Wii Fit, already launched overseas and aimed for release in North America on May 19.

"We're watching very closely what the Wii Fit board does," Moore said. "We think we have to have a role to play with that mum—the kids have gone to school, she's got 45 minutes on her own, the Wii is there, it's the first console she's ever liked because she can do things herself. And we're working on stuff, trying to work out how we can use EA Sports applications there."

But Moore noted that if EA were to create a Wii fitness title, the exercise activities offered therein would be tailored for Western audiences and geared towards more active workouts than Nintendo's Wii Fit.

"I don't think the [Wii Balance Board] is going to take a pounding," he added. "We need to look more at western fitness in which I can actually be moving and start to sweat a little bit, and that's what we're working on right now."

Update: Developer Pandemic sent over a few screenshots of the game, and revealed that, in addition to PC, PS3, and X360, LOTR: Conquest will be hitting Nintendo DS this fall.

Original Story: IGN has first details on The Lord of the Rings: Conquest, a new action game in development at Mercenaries developer Pandemic Studios.

The game, in development for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 is likened to the Pandemic developed Star Wars: Battlefront, where players can jump into any battle they saw in the movies and help either side win. The game will include two campaigns -- one of them featuring a storyline where Sauron regains control of the One Ring -- and comes with co-op support; online as well as through split-screen. Electronic Arts previously noted the existence of the project during a meeting with analysts.

"Our Pandemic Studios creative teams have years of expertise... Read more

Electronic Arts today announced that Fight Night Round 4 is now in development by EA Canada.

The boxing sequel will feature a re-written gameplay engine, allowing for inside fighting and new boxing styles. A new physics engine will allow for missed punches, glancing blows, and other unexpected animations.

Playable versions of famous heavyweights Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali are also slated to make the cut.

Expect Fight Night Round 4 to hit Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 sometime in 2009.

Monolithic publisher Electronic Arts today launched the EA Sports Freestyle sub-brand, a new label aimed at what the company describes as "a growing, more casual sports gaming audience."

The company says that games released under the EA Sports Freestyle brand will be inclusive, casual, pick-up-and-play titles. The first title to debut under the label will be EA Canada's toonish boxer FaceBreaker (PS3, X360, Wii), which the company revealed will be released in September of this year.

In addition to the EA Sports and EA Sports Freestyle labels, the company also publishes its unrealistic, over-the-top sports titles such as the SSX and NBA... Read more

Publisher Electronic Arts has announced that it will be shutting down its non-linear online playplace EA-Land (PC) of August 1.

Initially known as The Sims Online and launched in late 2002, the Maxis-developed title was rebranded with a new name, new servers, and new features earlier this year.

"The lifetime of the game has drawn to an end, and now we will be focusing on new ideas and other innovative concepts in the games arena," reads a post on the company's blog.

"We'd like to thank everyone who has taken part in this online community as a unique experience in the virtual world."

Though the game became free-to-play when it was relaunched as EA-Land, optional subscriptions were available. Subscription billing is set to end soon, and any current subscribers will receive either $15 off at the online EA Store or a three month subscription to the POGO casual games portal.

Publisher Electronic Arts today announced BattleForge, an online PC real-time strategy game that has players assembling their forces through virtual trading cards.

Developed by SpellForce and Siedler creator EA Phemonic, the fantasy-based game is slated to arrive this fall. As with other online trading card titles, players will be able to win and trade cards, as well as buy new cards through micro-transactions.

The company was quick to point out that the retail release of BattleForge will include the "complete game," and that microtransactions will not be required to play the game.

"BattleForge is the next step in compelling RTS gameplay by taking the battles completely online," boasted executive producer Richard Leinfellner.

"With co-op play, challenging tournaments, Guilds, chat rooms and a robust marketplace for trading and buying your cards," he continued, "BattleForge is the first RTS to add integral social and community components to an exciting fantasy RTS."

Electronic Arts chief creative officer William "Bing" Gordon (pictured left) will leave the company to work at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers this coming June.

Gordon's departure ends a 25-year run at the company, which he co-founded in 1982. He will join the Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers firm as a partner, lending his expertise to entrepreneurs in consumer technologies.

"I've known the leading partners at Kleiner since John Doerr and Brook Byers made a founding investment in Electronic Arts in '82," Gordon told Newsweek. "Then Brook went on the board...[he] deeply believes in entertainment and entrepreneurial possibilities. So he shaped my thinking about what a board member can be."

Gordon added the firm's commitment to fresh ideas in the digital realm as impetus for signing on with Kleiner. "[They] find entrepreneurs and ideas in all things digital. There's three companies they've invested in with people I used to work with, none of whom are doing games. They're all doing other things in digital media that are wildly cool."

"My personal tastes have changed," Gordon added. "So if I can have dinner with John Doerr and Al Gore versus some people trying to make the next console game, I'm finding their grown-up, global thinking just more fun. As much as anything else, after 25 years at EA, I'm ready to be a forty-year old."

Electronic Arts Casual Enetrainment has unveiled more details on the upcoming Monopoly game, which it first mentioned back in February.

Based on the well-known Hasbro board game of the same name and supporting up to four players, Monopoly is slated to hit PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 and Wii this fall alongside the debut of Hasbro's Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition board game.

According to EA, the electric version of the game that seems to never end will pack faster gameplay that "eliminates downtime" and multiple game boards. The company also teased that the title will feature a "party twist," likely referring to the inclusion of mini-games such as escaping jail.

The odd phrasing of the announcement, which specified that the title will arrive "on next-generation consoles including," suggests that a PlayStation 3 version may eventually arrive as well.

"EA has done a tremendous job of re-imagining the world's most popular board game while also creating new digital twists that can only be achieved in an interactive world," said Hasbro digital media manager Mark Blecher. "Rolling the dice and passing Go will never be the same."

The latest game inspired by the films that are based on J.K. Rowling's acclaimed fantasy series Harry Potter will arrive on just about every platform imaginable this fall, publisher Electronic Arts has revealed.

Taking its cues from the film of the same name, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has Harry and his wand-waggling friends exploring the open world of Hogwarts as they dabble in day-to-day scholarly affairs, play Quidditch, and attempt to learn more of the fabled Half-Blood Prince. A sole screenshot accompanied today's announcement.

Due out on PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP, and Mac alongside the theatrical release this fall, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is being developed by EA Bright Light, which has handled past Harry Potter games.

Take-Two's SEC filings revealed that a shareholder filed a class action complaint against the company for its response to a takeover bid by publisher Electronic Arts, Kotaku reports.

The suit, filed by Micheal Maulano on April 11, alleges that Take Two's responses to EA's buyout bid contained "misleading and incomplete" information, and that Take-Two's tactics constitute a breach of fiduciary duty.

In the suit, Maulano demands "declaratory relief, preliminary and permanent injunctive relief, damages, and reasonable attorneys' fees and litigation expenses." The report notes that it is unclear how many other shareholders are part... Read more

Electronic Arts today announced that the SimCity Box, a bundle pack of five games from Maxis' popular urban planning franchise, will hit retail shelves this June.

The SimCity Box will contain SimCity Societies and its expansion SimCity Societies Destinations, SimCity 4, SimCity 4 Rush Hour, and The Sims Carnival SnapCity. The software bundle, which EA suggests is a $100 value, will retail for $39.99.

Electronic Arts will incorporate Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 middleware in more than five titles currently in development, the company announced today.

The UE3 engine is currently at use in several recently released multiplatform titles from EA such as EALA's Medal of Honor Airborne (PC, PS3, X360) and EA Montreal's Army of Two (PS3, X360). Neither company disclosed which upcoming titles would make use of the middleware.

"With the largest and most talented studio operation in the world, it's critical for us to give our studio teams the best tools they need to make great games," said EA president Frank Gibeau. "This agreement reflects our commitment to Epic's technology which, in combination with our own cutting-edge systems, allows us to create ground breaking hits."

Epic's UE3 engine has been licensed by several big studios including Square Enix, 2K Games, Konami, Capcom, Activision, and NCsoft.

Following publisher Take-Two Interactive Software's recommendation that its stockholders deny a hostile takeover attempt by rival publisher Electronic Arts, EA has submitted a slightly amended offer to the company's shareholders.

Take-Two Interactive is the owner of numerous popular properties, such as Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, and BioShock, and development studios, including the various branches of Rockstar, 2K Boston, 2K Marin, 2K Czech, and 2K Australia.

While the basic premise remains the same--a payout of $26.00 per share--Electronic Arts extended the deadline by a week to reflect Take-Two's week-long delay of its annual stockholder meeting, which is now scheduled for April 17. The offer now expires on April 18, 2008.

According to EA, the offer of $26.00 per share represents a 64% premium over Take-Two's closing stock price on February 15, which was the last trading day before EA sent its revised proposal to Take-Two. As of this writing, Take-Two's stock is valued at $25.55 per share.

The other major shift in EA's offer concerns Take-Two's so-called "poison pill" plan, which adopted on March 24 to prevent a hostile takeover at what... Read more

Electronic Arts today announced that Eric Brown will fill EA's recently vacated CFO office on April 14.

Brown, who served at software company McAfee as CFO and COO, replaces former CFO Warren Jenson, who announced his departure from Electronic Arts earlier this week. Jenson will stay on in an advisory capacity to help Brown transition into the role.

"Eric's strong financial background, broad international experience and industry knowledge makes him a perfect fit for EA," said EA CEO John Riccitiello. "Eric is a highly-regarded CFO, and we are looking forward to having him join our team."

Responding to Electronic Arts' attempt at a hostile takeover, Take-Two Interactive's board of directors has advised its stockholders to reject EA's buyout offer of $26 per share.

In a statement released today, Take-Two--which owns such beloved properties as Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, and BioShock--labeled the offer as "inadequate in multiple respects and contrary to the best interests of Take-Two’s stockholders."

Though this marks the second time that Take-Two has officially spurned EA's unsolicited attempts to acquire the publisher, the company revealed that it is interested in business agreements with EA and other parties.

While now open to discussing possible business combinations, Take-Two affirmed its intent to remain independent and stated that it will not enter into negotiations until after the release of Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3, X360) on April 29.

Labeling Grand Theft Auto as "one of the most valuable and durable franchises in the interactive entertainment software industry," Take Two noted its belief that "the full commercial potential of [Grand Theft Auto IV] will not be evident until after its release."

Mega-publisher Electronic Arts announced today that CFO Warren Jenson will step down from his position, ending a six year stretch with the company which began in 2002.

Jenson will remain with the company to pitch in with EA's fiscal year-end close and financial reporting process.

"My tenure at EA has provided me with many good friends and memories," said Warren Jenson. "It's time for me to write the next chapter in my career—and I wish EA the best in the dynamic period ahead."

EA also noted that Jenson will remain with the company long enough to assist in his successor's transition into his old position. The company has not yet ... Read more

Despite pending litigation, MTV-owned developer Harmonix has announced that its music-based multi-instrument title Rock Band will hit the Wii on June 22 in North America.

The Wii version will come with a total of 63 songs, five of which are bonus songs. A full list of the 63 tracks was not provided, though the initial 58 are expected to mirror the 45 main songs and 13 bonus tracks of the previously-released PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 editions.

A Special Edition bundle--containing a wireless guitar, drum kit, and microphone--will sell for $169.99. Stand alone instruments and software will also be available at release, allowing Special Edition buyers to pick up the extra guitar needed for a four-person band.

The Wii edition of Rock Band will not include online multiplayer or support for downloadable content, a Harmonix representative confirmed to Shacknews.

Such online functionality was a highly-touted feature of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 releases, having sold over six million song downloads since the two... Read more

Update: Rock Band developer Harmonix has issued a response to the lawsuit, labeling guitar maker Gibson's claims of patent infringement "completely without merit."

"It is unfortunate that Gibson unfairly desires to share in the tremendous success enjoyed by the developers of Rock Band and Guitar Hero," a Harmonix spokesperson told Shacknews. "This lawsuit is completely without merit and we intend to defend it vigorously.

"Gibson's patent, filed nearly 10 years ago, required a 3D display, a real musical instrument and a recording of a concert," Harmonix's statement continued. "Rock Band and Guitar Hero are completely different: among other things they are games, require no headset and use a controller only shaped like a real instrument."

Original Story: Continuing its recent legal activity, guitar manufacturer Gibson has sued Rock Band developer Harmonix, along with owner MTV Networks and publisher Electronic Arts, for infringing on one of its patents.

According to Gibson, Harmonix--which developed the multi-instrument music title Rock Band (PS2, PS3, X360) and created the Guitar Hero series--violated a 1999 patent for technology that simulates a concert performance via pre-recorded audio and a musical instrument.

The guitar maker sued six retailers--GameStop, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart... Read more

Publisher Electronic Arts and multimedia firm Starz today announced that they are working to transform three EA franchises into animated releases, with the first being a movie based on EA Redwood Shores' upcoming survival horror title Dead Space.

A prequel to the game itself, the Dead Space feature will take place after the comic book, explaining the circumstances that lead to the events of the title's creepy alien invasion. It is slated to debut alongside the game, which hits PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on October 31.

At present, Starz plans to air the movie via broadcast first, with a DVD release following. The animation will be handled by the company's Film Roman unit.

"With the video game, comic book and now animated movie, Dead Space has become a true multimedia brand," said game executive producer Glen Schofield. "Each of these elements delivers the story to new audiences and tells it from different aspects and perspectives."

The third entry in Electronic Arts' lifestyle simulation series The Sims will be released on PC worldwide in 2009, the company, as promised, revealed today.

Running on a new engine that is said to have been in development for almost three years, the sequel is being developed at EA Redwood Shores. A set of nine screenshots accompanied the announcement.

Described as a "next-generation flagship PC game," The Sims 3 features a new seamless open neighborhood along with expanded options and a more realistic aesthetic for both character and home customization. Characters can now be assigned up to five personality traits, which EA claims allows allows over 700 million possible personality combinations.

"The new engine and technologies in The Sims 3 are designed to unleash the player's imagination with realistic looking Sims who have distinct personalities... Read more