14 DAY TRIAL // What we know: Electronic Arts is the biggest company in the world when it comes to sports simulations and one of the most expected titles to launch this year is the new PGA Tour title, which aims to take the experience of golf and move it to the virtual space.
The game is interesting because for the first time in years it is no longer associated with the image of Tiger Woods, who’s off the green antics have made him unattractive when it comes to promoting the new title.
The team at EA Sports says that the coming game is designed to take the series back to its roots and focus on the mechanics of golf and its innate technical side rather than on the superstars playing the sport.
More customization options will be offered and the new Ignite engine can be used to create more accurate physics and to make sure that the interaction between clubs and balls is carefully simulated.
EA Sports will also probably include a range of real-world famous courses and will update the overall presentation.
The new PGA Tour 15 game will be launched on the PlayStation 4 from Sony, the Xbox One from Microsoft and mobile devices.
Why it matters: Golf continues to be an important sport for Electronic Arts, but this is a niche product that has performed well over expectations for a long time because of the Tiger Woods association.
Now that the athlete is no longer associated with the series, the development team needs to create a deeper and more interesting experience in order to keep older fans and attract new ones.
Rumors suggest that EA is looking to streamline its core business and low sales for PGA Tour 15 might spell doom for the series.
The full list of Incoming 2014 Games articles can be read on Softpedia.