Electronic Arts (EA) has given fans a look at some of their upcoming releases at EA Play Live. During the show, hosted by WWE Superstar Xavier Woods (aka Austin Creed), players got more in-depth looks at what they can expect from franchises including Battlefield and Apex Legends.
First up though was a short pre-show hosted by Alex Ackerman and Andy McNamara. During this 15-minute show, there was a host of announcements from across EA’s catalogue of games:
- The latest expansion to The Sims 4, entitled Cottage Living will include music from Japanese Breakfast,
- A new trailer for Lost In Random set out the story for this new adventure about family and fate,
- FIFA 22 showcased their new Hypermotion technology, which fuses motion capture and machine learning,
- Ole Gunner Solskjaer and Lars Ricken were announced as the two latest additions to the upcoming FIFA Ultimate Team Heroes roster,
- Fans got another look at the lore trailer for the newest Legend coming to the Apex Legends roster, Seer.
GRID Legends
Kicking off the main show was the reveal of the next title in the GRID franchise. Coming in 2022, GRID Legends is a whole new and immersive story that will put players right in the middle of the action.
In the game’s story mode, players are an underdog racer in the GRID World Series. This global contest, featuring a host of locations and car classes, is the pinnacle event. Facing competition from the domineering Ravenwest team, players will put their skills to the test on the track to try and take the title and become the best driver in the world.
In a first for GRID, the story will feature a blend of gameplay and live-action cutscenes, with the cast being led by Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa. The scenes will blend seamlessly with gameplay thanks to the XR technology used to film them, the same tech used in The Mandalorian series.
GRID Legends is currently in development for a 2022 release on Xbox, PlayStation and PC.
Apex Legends
Up next was the team from Respawn with the latest on Apex Legends.
Along with the new Legend Seer – a mysterious tracker with heightened abilities and a host of mini-drones to track and tag opponents – will be the new season: Emergence. Launching on August 3, this new season will bring new challenges and rewards to players.
Emergence will also bring a long-awaited feature to the game in Ranked Arenas. This new competitive mode will enhance the 3v3 mode introduced as part of Apex Legends: Legacy and allow players to test their skills in close quarters combat away from the Battle Royale maps.
For those wanting more lore and insight on Seer, their gameplay trailer will be released on July 26 so players can see exactly what awaits them in this new chapter of the battle royale title.
Apex Legends: Emergence will launch on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on August 3, 2021.
Lost In Random
After a sneak peek in the pre-show, there was more to come from the team at Zoink and Lost In Random.
This upcoming action-adventure title – which was an official selection at the Tribeca Film Festival – follows the story of a young girl named Even. After her sister, Odd, is abducted by the Queen of Random Even sets out to travel through the six realms of Random to free her sister.
Along the way, she encounters a host of colourful characters. Some will hinder Even’s quest while some will help. Her key ally is a sentient dice named Dicey, who is able to assist Even in her battle against the Queen’s forces with a host of chargeable powers and buffs.
Lost in Random will be available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC from September 10.
Knockout City
The show then moved onto what’s coming next in Knockout City. The dodgeball PvP game, which launched in May will begin its second season on July 27.
Named Fight at The Movies, this new season features a new map with ever-changing arenas, a new Soda Ball weapon and a host of new cosmetics, all of which take inspiration from the world of cinema.
Those looking to try out the game for the first time will be able to do so, as the game is free to play on all platforms until Street Rank 25. Knockout City also features full crossplay on all platforms so there are no limits to who you can play with (or against) in this sleeper hit.
Knockout City is available now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Battlefield 2042
Closing out the show was the first look at one of the game modes coming to Battlefield 2042.
Available at launch alongside the previously announced All Out War and Hazard Zone (which will be showcased later this year), Battlefield: Portal is an epic sandbox mode driven by community creations.
Combining assets from Battlefield 3, Battlefield 1942, Battlefield Bad Company 2 and Battlefield 2042 at launch, this mode will allow players to create their own games, challenges and battles. The reveal trailer for the mode showed some of the possible combinations – including knives vs defibrillators, multi-era battles and even one player in a tank against an army of bots.
Discussing the new mode, Ripple Effect GM Christian Grass explained that the mode is a fully collaborative project for and with Battlefield players, with the logic tools previously only available to developers being unlocked for players to use to create their own modes like never before.
Battlefield 2042 is scheduled to be released on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC on October 22.
Dead Space
As one final surprise, EA confirmed that a Dead Space remake is in development.
Originally released in 2008, Dead Space is a first-person survival horror set in the year 2508 and follows a mechanic sent to repair a starship – the Ishimura – but soon finds there is more than meets the eye on board this stranded vessel.
With an atmospheric teaser trailer set in the hallways of the Ishimura, ominous growling and screeching surround the viewer before offering a brief glimpse at series protagonist Isaac Clarke.
Currently in development at Motive Studios, no information on a release window was announced but it was confirmed that the remake will be built from the ground up on the Frostbite engine for release on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC.
Watch the show in full below
Words by Megan Roxburgh
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