Back and forth The content also is flowing from EA Sports to ESPN.Electronic Arts provides graphics and simulations to ESPN, which thenetwork uses to help explain game situations to fans. EA also runssimulations to help predict the outcome of some sporting events, thecompanies said. ESPN.com has a video game link on its Web site, inwhich users can see what the latest NFL draft picks will look like intheir new uniforms, thanks to screen grabs from 'Madden' provided byEA.
BRISTOL, Conn. - The line between real and fantasy sports is aboutto become a little more blurred.
A partnership with ESPN is allowing video game maker ElectronicArts Inc. to dramatically increase real-time content in sports-themed video games.
Starting with this summer's release of the Madden NFL game,players with a modem high-speed Internet connection can have real-life action directly affect what happens in their video games.
Some hard-core gamers are cheering the innovations, which they saybring video games and real-life sports closer than ever. But criticscaution about the idea of merging real life with the fantasy world ofvideo games.
'For many people, that's going to be very exciting,' said DavidWalsh, a psychologist and president of the National Institute onMedia and the Family. 'For some other people it could becomeaddictive and can have the same harmful effects that other addictionshave.'
EA Sports said it doesn't know if the changes will mean priceincreases for games now costing about $60 for Sony PlayStation 3 orMicrosoft Xbox 360 owners.
ESPN signed a 15-year marketing agreement last year with RedwoodCity, Calif.-based Electronic Arts, which reported 2006 revenues of$2.95 billion. Its most popular sports titles include NBA Live, NCAABaseball and its Madden game, which features broadcaster and formercoach John Madden.
Some PS3 and Xbox gamers already receive some ESPN content intheir EA games, including podcasts of ESPN radio shows, videohighlights and a real-time sports ticker.
'The idea is that someone playing the game won't have to turn itoff or switch to the television to get sports news,' said RaphaelPoplock, ESPN's interactive gaming manager.
Beginning in August, thanks to a deal with The Weather Channel, aMadden'08 NFL game at the Baltimore Ravens'stadium automatically willbe set in the snow if it happens to be snowing that day on Maryland'sAtlantic coast.
Similar innovations soon will allow an option to incorporatecurrent sports news and statistics from ESPN into the game.
'So if a guy in the real world twists his ankle, you can't use himin the game until he gets back,' said Aaron LaBerge, senior vicepresident of technology and product development for ESPN.
A baseball star on a hot streak temporarily could become a betterhitter in EA Sports'MLB title, and a Cinderella upset in the NCAAbasketball tournament immediately could be reflected in the MarchMadness video game, he said.
Todd Sitrin, marketing director for Electronic Arts, said thecompanies hope to turn watching sports into an active, instead of apassive, experience.
'What we're trying to do is grow that and show to sports fans thatthere is a way to make this a personal relationship with your sportsfandom,' Sitrin said.
Innovations are expected to be phased into games over the next fewyears, the companies said.
'It's kind of a moving target,' said EA Sports spokesman DavidTinson. 'The beauty of this business is that there is a big whiteboard with like a thousand ideas, and every year they try to get inas much as they possibly can.'
