Alongside the announcement of the open beta for Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online, EA Sports today announced that the next iteration in the popular golf video game series, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, will ship this June for Wii, Xbox 360, PS3 and iPhone. The franchise has sold 25 million units worldwide since its inception.
Meanwhile, Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online will be playable for everyone online through a web browser for free in the "coming weeks." An open beta starts today. Executive Producer Mike Taramykin said that EA's already seen in closed beta testing "tremendous participation and enthusiasm from golf fans around the world." The closed beta has seen more than 500,000 rounds of golf played.
These moves by EA Sports reinforce their commitment to Tiger Woods. While numerous sponsors have backed away completely or at least distanced themselves somewhat from the golf legend, EA is standing by him.
"...regardless of what’s happening in his personal life, and regardless of his decision to take a personal leave from the sport, Tiger Woods is still one of the greatest athletes in history," EA Sports President Peter Moore said recently. "At EA Sports, we make authentic sports simulations. When we say 'It’s in the Game,' it is not just a tag line but a statement about the quality and authenticity of the game experience. Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online is truly representative of that rallying cry, and a game that all of us at EA Sports are proud to be delivering this month to sports fans around the globe.”
