EA shipped 94 different versions of FIFA 08...

[Rob Williams]

I knew that EA sold multiple versions of the same game on various consoles, but I never knew it was that many, but indeed it is. 94 different versions of the FIFA 08 were sent out around the world, in 20 different languages and on seven different platforms.

Damn, is all I can say. It's just too bad FIFA 08 is not even that great of a football game, regardless of it being so popular. It's also too bad that it's EA's fault that the alternatives are severely gimped.

</rant>

http://kotaku.com/354802/fifa-08-now-shipping-across-94-versions

 

[BlackAndy]

I guess they had a lot of extra time on their hands... although I guess football(soccer) is a pretty popular sport worldwide... Most of us here in The States haven't caught the fever yet.
Rob, what do you think of the Premier League's proposal to have an international round hosted in the U.S.?

 

[Rob Williams]

To be honest, I think it would work out well, as long as it's done right and well-thought-out prior to making the final decision. As mentioned by the Arsenal manager, it would have to be done for benefits to the game, not for financial gain. In truth, EPL has fans all over the world, with about 10% of fans having access to the games. If a few games were played in the US, it would easily be great for publicity. If people were enthused in the US due to these potential games, it will help make the EPL all the more popular.

I think it goes without saying that MLS isn't exactly attracting great crowds like was hoped last year when Beckham came to the US, but the fact of the matter is... there are a LOT of EPL fans over here, so if games were actually to be played here occasionally, it would give fans a far better chance to see their favorite players play. I doubt it has to be said that planning a trip to Europe to see a game of soccer would result in a depleted wallet ;-)

Whereas if it were over here somewhere, it would be far more manageable for most people to see it. Of course, I'm still not sure something like this will happen soon, but it's a cool idea nonetheless. America isn't exactly known for their infatuation with the game, so I'd be very interested to see how well the few games played over here would do. I would easily plan a trip to see a game in the US if a few of my favorite players were going to be there.