It's no secret that FIFA '08 (PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, DS, PSP, Wii) is one of the more popular games around. This game hit the one million sales mark in the UK in just nine weeks after its release. Obviously, Electronic Arts is very happy with the sales of their soccer game, none more so than the company's UK marketing manager Dan Holman.

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Chart Track UK has published the results of the Top 40 games in their region for the week ending October 6. Although it's not surprising that Halo 3 debuted right at the top of last week's chart (week ending September 29), what you might find a bit of a bother now is that it no longer reigns supreme.

From second place last week, Electronic Arts' FIFA 08 (PS3, PS2, PSP, Xbox 360, PC, Wii, and DS) has bumped Halo 3 from the number one spot and claimed it for itself. Meanwhile, MySims got demoted one level down from the third spot, which is now occupied by Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights.

1. FIFA 08
2. Halo 3
3. Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights
4. MySims
5. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08
6. More Brain Training From Dr. Kawashima
7. Sega Rally
8. Ratatouille
9. Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training
10. Forza Motorsport 2

One probable reason (we're sure there are a lot others) why Halo 3 is now in second place is because of its stellar success during the first week - probably anyone and everyone who would have or could have gotten a copy of the game during the first week of its release already did so, therefore not getting much contribution in sales for this week. Besides. Who ever said getting the second spot was bad?

The nationalistic fervor burns even hotter in EA Sports' FIFA 08 as the developers of one of the world's best-selling sports game franchises announce a collection of 50 songs from artists around the world.

Every national team represented in FIFA 08 has a corresponding song and band from their own country that ups the passion as you take on the world's elite teams in the planet's most popular ballgame.

Included in the mix are artists such as The Hoosiers (UK), Babamars (France), Bodyrox (UK), Junkie XL (Holland), and Santogold (USA), Simian Mobile Disco (UK), CSS (Brazil), Datarock (Norway), Dover (Spain), Ivy Queen (Puerto Rico), Junkie XL (Holland), Maximo Park (UK), Mexican Institute of Sound (Mexico), Peter Bjorn And John (Sweden), Planet Funk (Italy), Superbus (France), The Cat Empire (Australia), and Wir Sind Helden (Germany). Many more are in store to be discovered when the game hits.

"We’ve been working for nearly a year to deliver what we believe is the ultimate FIFA 08 soundtrack," comments Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music at EA. "These are the most songs ever in a FIFA edition representing the most countries in the history of the videogame."

EA Sports' FIFA football franchise is the longest-running football simulation to date and has sold millions of copies around the world with iterations dating back to almost two decades. FIFA 08 will be released on the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PC, Nintendo DS and Sony PlayStation Portable.

Buy: [FIFA 08 (Wii)]

Buy: [FIFA 08 (PS3)]

Buy: [FIFA 08 (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [FIFA 08 (PC)]
Buy: [FIFA 08 (PSP)]
Buy: [FIFA 08 (DS)]

 

With so many breaks headed towards so many Australian soccer fans' way, a minor stumbling block seems to have appeared for them in EA Sports upcoming premiere football sim, FIFA 08. It was announced that the five-on-five online play feature in FIFA 08 for the PS3 and Xbox 360 will not be made available for Australian gamers.

The EA Australia representative had this to say regarding the matter:

In regard to playing 5 on 5 in FIFA 08, without a good connection to the server, the result would have been constant drop-offs during Online play that would have booted everyone in the Online Area off at the same time.

As of now, the feature will only be implemented in Europe and the U.S. As a part of Electronic Arts' "Be A Pro: Online Team Play" promotion, this will be available for six to eight weeks upon the game's release. However, the one on one online gameplay will still be available for people in Australia.

Definitely depressing news for those who live in the land down under, but at the very least they get the option to play their very own A-League in the game. FIFA 08 will be released this October for the PC, Xbox 360, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, and DS.

 He's not David Beckham, but in EA Sports' upcoming premiere soccer sim, FIFA 08, Melbourne Victory striker Archie Thompson will be the flag bearer for the A-League as it joins the FIFA series as one of the official playable competitions in the game.

Small compared to its other European counterparts, the A-League will finally get a chance at the limelight as it joins 29 other international leagues in this long-standing football sports franchise.

Also joining the roster of new leagues are Gambrinus liga of Czech Republic and FAI Premiere Division of Ireland. Archie Thompson will be carrying the name of Australia and New Zealand as their official ambassador for the game.

Thompson, perhaps most known for breaking the world record of most number of goals scored in a soccer game, was excited with the A-League's inclusion in FIFA 08. He had this to say:

I know that plenty of the boys at Melbourne Victory enjoy playing video games so it’s fantastic that we can now play as our favourite Hyundai A-League club either in a league or against other international Clubs.

Expect the release of EA Sports' FIFA 08 by September. It will be released on multiple platforms, namely the PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, DS, PSP, and Wii.

Electronic Arts has hailed two-time FIFA World Player of the Year, Ronaldinho, as the frontliner for their global lineup of of superstar athletes to be feature on the front packs of FIFA 08.

Apart from Ronaldinho, the FIFA 08 boxarts will be graced by Werder Bremen's Miroslav Klose for the packaging in Germany, Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos for Spain, Andreas Ivanschitz for Austria, and Tranquillo Barnetta for Switzerland. As for the France covers, Ronaldinho will be joined in by Florent Malouda and Frank Ribery. There is still no word as to who will be the players tapped to join Ronaldinho for the U.K. covers, but EA reassures that they will be releasing the list next month.

But that's not all the announcement EA had to make. They also revealed that the aforementioned players are also taking part in a state-of-the-art body motion capture in Barcelona, Spain today in order for their game versions to be a little bit more life-like.

Says Matt Bilbey, EA Sports' International Director,

Ronaldinho and all the FIFA 08 cover stars bring a passion for the sport that is raw and true. Their expert skills, commitment to success and passion for football inspire our development team and help us make FIFA 08 the most natural-feeling football videogame in the world.

FIFA 08 is scheduled to kick off to multiple platforms (Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP, PC and mobile) this coming Autumn.