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Rumor: EA Sports Working On New NFL Blitz

I can't decide if "Rumor:" would be enough or if I should also put a question mark on the end of the headline.

NFL Blitz '99: It's only one of the greatest football games of all time. 
NFL Blitz '99: It's only one of the greatest football games of all time. 
Let's start with a little bit of history. Back when EA Sports announced that it was bringing back Midway's classic NBA Jam franchise for a new generation, we got word that Electronic Arts had picked up the rights to multiple Midway sports franchises, including NFL Blitz. While I don't think this will eventually translate into a new release called RedCard Soccer 20-13 or anything crazy like that, it sounds like EA is preparing to develop a new entry in another classic Midway series.

I got a phone call a few weeks ago from an industry insider! A tipster, if you will! The content of the call was brief and without much to go on, but the crux of the call was crystal clear. Electronic Arts is beginning work on a new NFL Blitz game. It sounds like the game is going to be developed at EA's Tiburon studio, which makes sense both because it's where EA makes its football games and it's also where one of the creators of the Blitz series, Mark Turmell, is currently serving as the Senior Creative Director.

Other details are scarce, which is unsurprising since the game is said to be very, very early in the development process, but I also heard that the game would be released on multiple consoles and that it probably wouldn't hit until 2012. I checked in with EA for an official confirmation of the project, but as I'm sure you're well aware, EA "doesn't comment on rumors or speculation." 

So, obviously, you should take this as purely unofficial. It's a rumor. But I heard it from a trustworthy source, so I feel OK about passing the word along. Considering NBA Jam received a lot of critical attention earlier this year, I'm not surprised that EA is looking to branch out into more arcade-style sports games. And, let's face it, I totally effing love the arcade versions of NFL Blitz. That style of gameplay hasn't been done properly for quite some time and it feels like it has tons of potential, especially with NBA Jam already out there.

If I hear anything else, I'll pass it along.
Jeff Gerstmann on Google+

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LordAndrew

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Edited By LordAndrew
@KuribosShoe said:
" free with every purchase of Madden NFL 12? "
Until they cancel Madden 12 and sell NFL Blitz as a full retail title.
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Coleslaw893

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Edited By Coleslaw893

Oh man, I loved Blitz 2000. I've been waiting for this to happen...

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ferrarimanf355

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Edited By ferrarimanf355

Gerstmann, please tell me that EA Sports also got the rights to CART Fury.  
 
A remake of CART Fury by Criterion Games with the current Indy Racing League roster would be the greatest thing ever.

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Claude

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Edited By Claude

It took a lot of passion to try and remake NBA Jam. May that same passion be reborn.

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KeefJM

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Edited By KeefJM

It's about time.

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StLunacy

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Edited By StLunacy

Nice!

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joku2002

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Edited By joku2002

wow 2012? many thats a long time to wait for just another nfl game.
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NoPantsTuesday

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Edited By NoPantsTuesday

With NBA Jam and now Blitz, I feel like my childhood is resurfacing in the best way possible.

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Jemima87

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Edited By Jemima87

thanks for the news!

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icytower38

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Edited By icytower38

I'd be all over a revival of probably the greatest football franchise of all time. 2012 seams like a long way off, but if they waited to finish off NBA Jam first it would make since.
 
Here's to hoping that this not only turns out to be true, but that EA decides to turn these in to every other year franchises or something. Yearly would be over doing it with this style of game I think, but maybe switching off each year would work. (2012-Blitz, 2013-Jam, 2014-Blitz...)

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ocdog45

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Edited By ocdog45

The one thats already out is good to me. 

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Aaron_G

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Edited By Aaron_G

That would be exciting to have a good NFL Blitz game again.

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Cluter

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Edited By Cluter

Please sweet zombie Jesus... give us a new NHL Hitz as well! That commentary (with Kitzrow) was fantastic, and the action was intense!

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AwesomeAndy

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Edited By AwesomeAndy

Oh man I hope this actually pans out.

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TinyGallon

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Edited By TinyGallon

We can all just pretend Madden Arcade never happened...

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wrighteous86

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Edited By wrighteous86

Let's hope they stick to making one of these per generation, like the Mario Kart franchise or something.  There's no need for yearly Blitz updates, EA.

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wadep

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Edited By wadep

I've lost more time than I care to admit playing Blitz 99 back in the day on my Voodoo 3 3000. I am up for a remake for sure.

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TwoOneFive

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Edited By TwoOneFive

This really is amazing news.  
 
 
NOW IF ONLY WE CAN GET A NEW NHL HITZ AS WELL. That was the most fun hockey game ever made

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dacalmbaby

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Edited By dacalmbaby

first of all im upset they took down the NFL TOUR  Servers. I thought NFL TOUR was a Great Game. I enjoyed playing it TREMENDOUSLY. then they put out MADDEN ARCADE. which sux totally. But yet MILLIONS of people Play it EVERYDAY and its no wait to find a game that SUX Terribly.  
 
With All of that Being Said.  NFL BLITZ would Be a Great Idea.  But here are some reminders. 
 
DO PUT IN:  .......  The Option "TO MAKE YOUR OWN PLAYS"  like in the NINTENDO 64 Version 
                                                                                                               that was AWESOME IN BLITZ 
 
ALSO REMEBER and I URGE THIS.. PLEASE LETS MAKE  the players in NFL BLITZ perform at different levels . 
 
                         That MEANS every Player should Have Ratings . Go by the Players 40 yard dash time   
 
 
Every Player should Run at Different Speeds Like IN TECMO SUPERBOWL.   I hated the Blitz game  
 
where all the players ran the same exact speed and performed at the same exact level that was garbage and the only difference between one nfl team from another was their name. 
 
 
If you PUT IN  "CREATE YOUR OWN PLAY" and  YOU MAKE EVERY PLAYER PERFORM BY There 40 Yard Dash Time and RECEIVING YARDS and RECEPTIONS and RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS ,and PASSING YARDS and PASSING TOUCHDOWNS. INCOMPLETE /COMPLETE  RATIO. You should be just fine. 
 
FOR BONUS TIPS TO MAKE A REALLY AWESOME GAME.  PUT IN a BUILD YOUR OWN TEAM MODE  FOR MULTIPLAYER WHERE before THE GAME STARTS players can take turns Selecting RB QB WR or DE LB DB  from any team to use on their team to play with online. I THINK THIS WOULD BE AN EXCEPTIONAL IDEA. kinda like a FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT  right before each game in a SPECIAL MODE  that way guys could select ADRIAN PETERSON a CALVIN JOHNSON or a SAM BRADFORD and play with those guys without having to almost certianly giving up a loss to a person who picks NE PATS or ETC whose all around Team is much better.  THIS WOULD ADD DEPTH AND IM SURE SPARK INTEREST IN THE MULTIPLAYER FOOTBALL WORLD. THE strategy would be to SElECT good Defenseive Players First or Offensive players first. FANTASY FOOTBALL PLAYERS WILL GO WILD. KEEP IT in MINd. EVERYONE GETS TIRED OF THE SAME TWO TEAMS COMBATING IT OUT . for instance COLTS VERSE PATS.  
 
ALSO if you kept an update patch so all the trades were in stock like madden would be great. 
 
ONE MORE THING. with NBA JAM. if you had the PATCh for player trades or Pregame Player select before each online game that would have been TOTALLY Awesome as well. so YOu could USE HOWARD and BIRD or  OLAJUWAN and BRYANT and not nececasarrly be stuck with the same team selections. A FANTASY DRAFT MODE BEFORE EACH GAME WOULD KICK ASS in MULTIPLAYER