Now EA Sports goes casual

In an official announcement, EA said that EA Sports Freestyle  is "aimed at a growing, more casual sports gaming audience" and will include games that are "playful, inclusive, casual, and easy to pick up and play for kids and parents, women and men, and casual and hardcore sports fans of all ages."

The first game released under the label is Facebreaker, the arcade-style boxing title due for release later this year which is also EA Sports' first new IP since 2002.

"The launch of EA Sports Freestyle is an exciting milestone in the evolution of the EA Sports brand," said Peter Moore, president, EA Sports - who just last week we reported as saying that the phrase 'casual' might need redefining.

"EA Sports Freestyle will be a perfect complement to our core portfolio of games that our loyal fans are deeply passionate about, and will provide compelling opportunities for new audiences looking for a lighter gaming experience and an easier entry point into EA Sports."

EA is taking casual games very seriously - click here to read today's exclusive interview with Casual VP Russell Arons to find out more about the publisher's casual games strategy.