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[DMczaf]

http://sports.ign.com/articles/600/600136p1.html

IGN Sports: What are some examples of things you'll see in Blitz that you would never be able to put in an NFL game?

Mike Bilder: Simply stated: Mature content. It's amazing how much more impact a taunt can deliver when you can use the real language that football players use on-field instead of cleaning it up for an E rating. It makes the taunt believable instead of cheesy. In the past we've always had a ton of animations censored or yanked because they were too aggressive or considered to be cheap-shots, but the irony was that a lot of it was the stuff that you always see on SportsCenter. Now we can show the game as it really happens, on and off the field without an NFL rep standing over our shoulder with a notepad. This time we've had the freedom to add a volume of new content and variety: cheap-shots, vicious hits, brutal tackles, dirty hits, injury causing hits, and the list goes on. We've also added an in-depth story mode to Blitz. Without the NFL restrictions that our competitors live with, we've had the liberty to incorporate some of the taboo football stories you read about every day. The result is both on field and off field content you've never seen in any football game, or any sports game for that matter.

IGN Sports: What off the field activities will the players be in: Drug use? Steroids? Prostitutes? Shootings?

Mike Bilder: I don't want to give away any spoilers…..let's just say that common themes you might find in football movies, TV shows, or the headlines of the sports section have all been fair game, and many of those themes will show up in Blitz: The League.

IGN Sports: What modes will be online?

Mike Bilder: Both the PS2 and Xbox version will support online gameplay with a variety of customized game modes. One thing we're particularly excited about is our Las Vegas-style betting on games that you'll never see in a licensed sports game. Basically, any time you match up with an opponent, our online sports book will create a gambling line that the user can bet on. All of the teams will be available for play online, of course, and after you beat the Campaign Mode you'll also be able to bring your customized team online to battle against everyone.

IGN Sports: Is the game going to be a realistic football game with fake players, or an over-the-top, players with broken limbs game with no hint of realism?

Mike Bilder: Our drive for this product has always been to deliver a brutal, realistic, and fun football experience. We've avoided being immature and wacky. It's a mature game for a mature audience. For example: Will you see a Joe Theisman like leg-break on a player in the game? Yes (and you'll cringe at it). Will that player be able to stay in the game and continue to play? Not a chance. But there will be some injuries that, if "treated" the right way, can get a player right back into the action, though it might not be the best choice for his career. This realistic approach has led us to remove some of the more wacky elements found in past Blitz games, but we've replaced them with even more compelling, shocking, and entertaining content. Realism doesn't have to mean, slow paced, simulation style gaming like you will get in other football titles. Blitz will stay true to the fast paced, highlight-reel gameplay it's known for.

 

[Speevy]

Awesome. I want to be the Wisconsin Weredragons.

 

[SonnyBoy]

I wonder if we'll be able to fight in this game. :lol

Everyone seems to be taking their shots at EA and the NFL for this stupid agreement they've made. I love football like no other sport in the world but I truely hope this comes back to bite them in the ***. I hope that they break this agreement and give us our power of choice.

 

[Ristamar]

Color me intruiged. I've been waiting quite a few years for a sports game of this nature. I hope they get it right. I want this game to be good.

 

[DMczaf]

I hope that they break this agreement and give us our power of choice.

"SO DO WE!"

 

[Amused_To_Death]

Looks interesting, but I won't pay more than $20 for it. It will have no replay value. Hopefully, someone will make a generic football sim. It will be a nice alternative to the $60-$70 we have to pay for Madden next year.

 

[SonnyBoy]

Looks interesting, but I won't pay more than $20 for it. It will have no replay value. Hopefully, someone will make a generic football sim. It will be a nice alternative to the $60-$70 we have to pay for Madden next year.

I hope that the 2k series continues on. I wouldn't mind buying that again for $45. I enjoyed that series very much. Madden is a good game but 2005 felt very stale to me, 2K5 was a breath of fresh air that I needed for my football hunger. I felt that Madden was overall a better game, but 2K5 was definately creeping up on its heels and surpassed it in some categories.

 

[dskillzhtown]

I guess ESPN killed the Playmakers title for the game.

 

[Meier]

No Playmakers license = no sale. Color me hugely disappointed.

 

[Ristamar]

ESPN already had its balls chopped off by the NFL over that show. You're crazy if you expect official "Playmakers" licensing to show up in any manner in regard to any product, save the series' one and only DVD release.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

what would be the big deal with the Playmakers license? Just to have the 1 team and 3 players that are recognizable from the show?

 

[border]

Did the game really have the Playmakers license originally? I know it was subtitled "Playmakers", but I thought that they just called it that.....and it wasn't actually going to have teams/characters from the show.

 

[Meier]

It was called "Blitz: Playmakers" and a bunch of noise was made about how the scenario was being done by the writers of the show. I guess it just seemed the logical choice that it would somehow be related. I didnt have much interest in the game itself, but I was excited about the prospect of learning more about what the writers had in mind for the rest of the series but that obviously isnt the case so I'm no longer interested.