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EA Play 2018 Returns to Hollywood

2017 may not have been the best year for the media giant, but maybe a little tinsel town 'zazz' can woo the public back on their side. 

Blake Morse

February 22, 2018 9:00 AM

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Thinking of going to E3 this year? There may be a reason to head to SoCal a little earlier than planned. EA will be bringing their EA Play event back to Hollywood for another year of entertainment and pageantry. The event will take place at the Hollywood Palladium June 9-11, which is also the weekend and the Monday before E3 2018 officially kicks off.

EA's press release for the event is promising players a first chance to get hands-on time with the next game in the Battlfield series, this year's offerings of EA Sports titles, and a closer look at their upcoming new action title Anthem. Fans will also be able to chill out with some Sims 4, a large offering of mobile titles and "lots of experiences for attendees and families, including music, art, food, souvenirs and entertainment for everyone."

Tickets and a schedule of events are not available for EA Play just yet, but EA says it will be releasing more info over the next few weeks and months. The company has stated that it will be using a different ticketing system than in previous years but offered no further insight into the process, but it probably won't involve paying for random boxes that may or may not contain passes for the event. Folks who aren't able to attend the event will still be able to catch all the breaking news and possible big reveals via a livestream that will be hosted at EA.com and the company has stated there should be a smattering of Youtubers, livestreamers, and social media celebs at the event to help get folks on the board the cyber-hype-train. 

From the press release:

"Electronic Arts is returning to the heart of Hollywood once again with EA PLAY 2018. At the core of EA PLAY are amazing games, fun experiences and thousands of players that bring these gaming communities to life. This summer, the three-day event will include more EA brands, more hands-on stations and more entertainment than ever before. If viewing from home, pull up for a front-row seat because EA.com is gearing up to deliver breaking news, behind-the-scenes stories and live content to take players deep inside the games. Or get a different view through the lens of some of the world's biggest community creators - whether that's on YouTube and Twitch or Facebook and Twitter, among others. These are the biggest games of the year, and some of the world's biggest names in social media will be vlogging and streaming directly from the show." 

After last year's loot box fiasco, which saw the company face a major consumer backlash for having microtransactions in their multiplayer PvP title Star Wars: Battlefront 2, and the recent delay of Anthem to 2019, they're going to have to pull off some impressive moves to get fans back on their side. EA Play will take place at the Hollywood Palladium June 9-11 with operating hours Saturday 2pm - 8pm and Sunday & Monday 10am - 8pm.

Blake Morse

Events Coordinator

Blake has been writing and making videos about pop-culture and games for over 10 years now. Although he'd probably prefer you thought of him as a musician and listened to his band, www.cartoonviolencemusic.com. If you see him on the street, buy him a taco or something. Follow him on twitter @ProfRobot