GC08: Live blogging the EA press conference

And we're off! We're coming to you LIVE from the EA press conference at Games Convention 2008, and we're so f**king pumped no one else can see the stage because our heads are Zeppelin-sized. After the break. Most recent updates at the top.

We'll be bringing you news and live coverage all through today. Check this for more details.

• And that's that. We're just going to do 20 press-ups, then it's Konami's turn. Don't go anywhere.
• They're showing a new gameplay trailer. Hollenshead just said it's going to be available for download in HD straight after the conference. It's all in-game. Some old stuff in there, but lots of new. Staggering. Mutants, in-game driving looks awesome, giant environments, car shooting, explosions YEAHYEAHYEAH.
  
• Rage is "new take on the first person experience... Believable characters, a compelling storyline... Unique graphical details, unprecedented visuals.
• Rage now. Hollenshead on stage.
  
• Really very cool. Best dragon ever.
  
• WAR trailer. Epic s**t. CGI, but still awesome. The trailer's a GC reveal.
  
• Although he did just say Warhammer was created by "English nutters."
• WAR now. We'll be careful to not put anything Paul Barnett says on here. He's on stage.
• Massive video now. Jenny looks hot. Tim Curry less so.
  
• Ex-Playboy model Jenny McCarthy to play Tanya. Kelly Hu's in it as well.
  
• They're talking about the live actors from the Allies, the Soviets and the Empire of the Rising Sun. JK Simmons will play the US president. Soviet boss is Tim Curry. Sulu from Star Trek is Empire boss.
• Chris Corry from Red Alert 3, exec producer, on stage.
• Movie. Bad Company, Dead Space, Burnout, Dragon Age, Mirror's Edge, WAR, Warhead, Mercs 2, Red Alert 3, SKATE 2, Spore, Rock Band 2.
  
• EA Games label stuff now.
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• The actors that play the Weasley twins in the movie are on stage playing the game. They're duelling with wands, as it were.
  
• Harry Potter now. They're showing an in-game trailer of The Half-Blood Prince. Looks amazing, frankly. Huge environments, magic combat with wands, potion mixing, proper giant Quidditch match, broomstick racing. Very cool.
  
• Casual stuff. Some Hasbro pet thing.
• PS2, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii.
• Harvey Elliot from Brightlight's on. He's talking about Monopoly.
• Actually funny. We liked that.
• Everyone's laughing, smiling, etc. Not big or clever.
• This is hilarious. He's singing to a Rhianna song. Really, really badly. Like he's dying, or something.
• The game's got singing in it as well. He's going to demo it.
• People cheering. They have no shame either.
• This is a sight to behold, frankly. Shameless.
• The guy on stage is dancing. The game's matching his moves in real-time. It's banging, man.
• They're showing a trailer. Daft Euro pop. Some idiot's dancing in front of us.
• Boogie Superstar now.
• They're showing a DS version. It's got wolves in it. You create the world, apparently. The Wii version will be online co-op for four players.
• They're showing a video of Sims Animals. It's got bears and raccoons.
• There's a Sims 3 CE out on February 20 as well, with exclusive content. It's also going to be available digitally on the same day.
• Sim Animals. Sam Player, exec producer on stage.
• "It's kind of like real life." It's out on February 20, 2009, worldwide.
  
• Personality Simulator. Lots of video of developers striking funny poses.
• Stories, a lot of new opportunities, blah.
• They're showing a "rare" behind the scenes looks at the dev team.
• They're talking about attributes, like charisma, being evil, create-a-Sim.
• Sims 3 demo now. They're going to announce the Sims 3 release date after this section.
• Olaf's back on. Boris Becker's in Tennis, he says.
  
• Demo - PS3 and 360 on September 11. PC demo the next day. PS3 will have video uploads at the show.
  
• Ten-vs-ten play is "absolutely fantastic.
  
• Be a Pro Seasons. Create a player, grow their skills over season, etc.
• Defensive pressure demo.
• Still going. He's talking about improved tackling, new goalkeeper stuff like being able to dive at feet. You can lay the ball off in free kicks and there's new ball physics, apparently.
• He's playing a video to demo new features. Improved dribbling, running into space, ball-trapping, "authentic first-touch pass," "effort animations."
• David Rutter, line producer of FIFA team, on stage now.
• Six leagues are involved. They reckon it's going to redefine the football game experience.
  
• PS3, 360 and PC. It takes real life stats and brings player to the game. It's going to be free in the 08/09 season.
  
• Announce: Live Season. A premium service for FIFA 09 in partnership with Adidas.
  
• FIFA now. Andy Wilson, exec producer, on stage. They listen to what gamers tell them, he says.
• Wimbledon included exclusively.
  
• Wii is the lead format, Wii MotionPlus supported.
  
• Tennis from EA Canada announced, will launch in 2009.
  
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• He's talking about captivating the core and globalising the sports brand. Launch of Freestylers was big part of it, he says.
• Peter Moore's on stage.
• We're jumping right into the EA universe, apparently.
• German guy on stage. Olaf Coenen from EA Germany's on the stage, talking in German. The rest of it's going to be in English, apparently.
• We're off.
• Still waiting for it to start. It's f**king rammed. Just bumped into the EG.fr lot. It's all happening.
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• We're in and waiting for the start. Just took Todd Hollenshead's picture, which he seemed very pleased about.