XSN Sports: A New Era in Online Sports

[Bond]

XSN Sports
Microsoft's lineup of sports games on Xbox.

What if we could combine your passion for sports with your passion for sports games? What if you and your friends played in a virtual sports league as intense as the NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball, and NBA?

What if you could check your standings, your rankings, and your statistics on a virtual sports page each morning? What if we could create human competition so real online that great rivalries develop in the tradition of the Avs and Wings? Raiders and Broncos. Lakers and Kings.

Well, you got it.

Introducing XSN Sports. The new lineup of sports games, where winning finally matters.

We're tearing apart yesterday's idea of sports games. XSN Sports is the breakthrough sports fans have been waiting for. It's not about making sports video games a little better; it's about creating the next dimension of sports gaming: Competition beyond the game. For the first time ever, challenge real people, create your own leagues, and build your own rivalries.

And here are the games that will be featured in XSN Sports:


The “Big Aristotle” is lending his name and likeness to “NBA Inside Drive 2004,” and it will be “Shaq-tacular.” NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal will grace the cover of “NBA Inside Drive 2004,” Microsoft Game Studios’ exclusive Xbox basketball title and a featured game in the XSN Sports brand. “NBA Inside Drive,” with its fluid gameplay and lifelike player models decked out in tattoos and cornrows, is taking its game online with the help of Xbox Live. Utilizing revolutionary new Web-based technology exclusive to XSN Sports titles, basketball gamers and sports fans can easily organize teams, leagues and schedules from a centralized Web site, XSNsports.com, that pulls the information from Xbox Live. New “jukes” and post moves will be “breaking ankles” all over the court, and a revamped defensive game will be shutting down high-scoring teams and making them run home to their mamas. With thumpin’ hip-hop beats, online play and innovative commentary, “NBA Inside Drive 2004” puts the “rock” into the hands of the gamer for the best on-court and online competition.


“Links,” the best-selling* golf franchise for the personal computer, has been rebuilt from the ground up exclusively for the Xbox video game system. “Links 2004” delivers one of the most realistic and competitive golf experiences for Xbox. Golf fans worldwide will have the ability to compete online in friendly matches with old golfing buddies or compete in tournaments against the best golfers in the world by utilizing Xbox Live. “Links 2004” also features top championship courses and top professionals, including cover athlete Sergio Garcia.


“NFL Fever” is back and better than ever. The third installment of Microsoft Game Studios’ exclusive football title for Xbox, “NFL Fever 2004,” redefines the console football gaming experience. Gamers will be impressed with the features of this latest version of “NFL Fever,” with revamped artificial intelligence (AI) including significant offensive and defensive adjustments, animated NFL coaches roaming the sidelines offering situational analysis, a brand-new offensive playbook, totally reworked stadium models and “Read and Lead” advanced passing. From traditional, single and multiplayer gaming to league and tournament play on Xbox Live, “NFL Fever 2004” is taking football gaming to the next level.


“Amped 2” is the ultimate freestyle snowboarding experience offering gamers an expanded library of tricks and a smooth new “tricking” style. Gamers can explore vast areas of wide-open, spectacularly rendered mountains packed with terrain parks designed by world-famous snow park architect Chris Gunnarson. They can play head to head with friends to compare skills or challenge up to seven others in various multiplayer modes. When ready to take it to the next level, they can connect to Xbox Live to check rankings and challenge the world’s best virtual riders. Gamers can feel what it’s like to live the life of a real pro snowboarder. They can travel the globe and pull sick tricks in front of sponsors, photographers and fans. They can build their fame and get photos and demo reels placed in the latest virtual snowboard magazine or video. They can climb to the top ranks of the sport and become a media superstar. And they can do all of this to the sounds of more than 300 killer alt-indie tracks.


“Top Spin” is the complete tennis experience that allows gamers to define their playing style, take risks, pull off world-class tennis shots, argue calls and work the crowd to develop a unique image on the court. In addition, gamers can train with a coach to master shots and playing surfaces, and work their way up the online rankings to become the best in the world. “Top Spin” offers gamers singles or doubles matches with 16 of the world’s top professionals, including cover athletes Anna Kournikova and the world’s No. 1 player, Lleyton Hewitt.


“NHL Rivals 2004” is Microsoft Game Studios’ inaugural National Hockey League (NHL) title for Xbox. This dramatic hockey simulation in the new XSN Sports brand immerses gamers into one of the most realistic and exciting hockey settings ever created. Utilizing revolutionary new Web-based technology, hockey gamers and sports fans can easily organize teams, leagues and schedules from a centralized Web site, XSNsports.com, that pulls the information from Xbox Live. With more than 700 in-game motion-captured animations, hockey fans will be able to take wrist shots, one-timers and slap shots just like real NHL superstars. Gamers also will be able to settle their hockey grudge matches and create their own rivalries online using Xbox Live. “NHL Rivals 2004” allows hockey fans to control a NHL team on a quest to win the Stanley Cup.

XSN SPORTS WILL OWN EA!

(maybe)

[Crono]

Sounds interesting. I'd like to see how NHL Rivals turns out.

[Perfect Stu]

Peyton Manning > All that is good in this world

Too bad I haven't really enjoyed the gameplay of Microsoft Studios' sports titles, though...the features sound amazing

[Null]

what do they mean if you could do that?? all thats already been done. EA been doing the online leagues for a while now on PC.

this is something Sega should get into tho. cuz i have my doubts about the above listed titles. but will have to see what they can do with em.

[gekko]

w00t! Fever 2004! Oh wait, no

Hope Top Spin and Links turn out well.

[Stonecutter]

"OWNING" ea isn't hard, but lets see them beat sega sports (not gonna happen.)

I will check out links though.

[TheGame]

Originally posted by Stonecutter
"OWNING" ea isn't hard, but lets see them beat sega sports (not gonna happen.)

wait, you are serious too???

EA always have, and always will own Sega... especially in sports. Sega sucks at making a good presentation, and thier improvements year to year pail in comparision to EA.

[nWoCHRISnWo]

Originally posted by TheGame
EA always have, and always will own Sega... especially in sports. Sega sucks at making a good presentation, and thier improvements year to year pail in comparision to EA.

Well, I only play the hockey games enough to know, but NHL 2K3 is miles ahead of NHL 2003.

[Null]

Originally posted by nWoCHRISnWo
Well, I only play the hockey games enough to know, but NHL 2K3 is miles ahead of NHL 2003.

game phisics and AI are better in 2k3, IMO gfx, presentation, sound, announcers, and Online play are better in 2003.

as far as going against the computer or single player what you call it. 2k3 better, i like playin online and 2003 just more fun.

high hopes for nhl2004 tho. supposed to be totally redoing it to make it more a sim. hopfully they can really get it going. i hear thier going to put back serious announcers instead of the crappy jokes guy.

[TheGame]

I think the in game raw gameplay is even from most of the sports games (sega with a small edge), but EA's presentation makes up for the gameplay differences.

Sega's games are bland, they have terrible announcers, and the atmosphere just isn't as great as EA's games. Plus there is no competition in the music department...

Also, in NBA at least, Sega's game is extremely buggy... I don't even see how they could release a product with that many bugs.

[Perfect Stu]

It is of my opinion that EA Sports >>>> Sega Sports. The large majority of sports gamers agree with me.

Madden > NFL2K*
NBA Street > NBA2K*
NCAA Football > NCAA Football 2K*
Tiger Woods PGA Tour > Virtua Tennis
NHL2K3 > NHL 2003

There is that exception...but

NHL '94 > all hockey games

Plus EA Sports has SSX.

/my opinion

I am the man.
I am the man.
I am the man.

[Joeiss]

Originally posted by Null

high hopes for nhl2004 tho. supposed to be totally redoing it to make it more a sim. hopfully they can really get it going. i hear thier going to put back serious announcers instead of the crappy jokes guy.

I hope EA makes NHL2004 more of a sim! NHL2K3 walked all over NHL2004... 2004 was a joke, IMO.

[Null]

you mean 2003.


as far as the game went on its own, it was same as 2002, but online it was actually quite fun. and with correct settings it could be quite challenging. but then again you hit some people online who set the speed as high as it can go causing goals every second.

2k3 had its area's it was better, but it was just so utterly boring with the presentation and announcing and stuff. i couldnt keep playin it. I want a real sim with the presentation of EA.