EA Sports PGA Tour is returning on next-gen consoles

After a five-year hiatus, EA Sports is bringing back its PGA Tour golf series. The publisher announced today that a new EA Sports PGA Tour is in development for next-gen consoles, with a release date and specific platforms to be announced in the coming weeks.

While details are still scarce, EA promised fans will be able to “build their virtual career and experience the sights, sounds, and thrills of the PGA TOUR including THE PLAYERS Championship, FedExCup Playoffs and more unforgettable events.” EA also teased the inclusion of the “world’s most famous courses” and “some of the biggest names in professional golf.”

One name that’s possibly in question is the inclusion of Tiger Woods. The golf legend recently signed a long-term partnership with 2K that will see him become the face of the PGA Tour 2K series, which is developed by HB Studios Multimedia Ltd. It’s unclear if Woods has an exclusive deal with 2K that would forbid him from appearing in competing games, but it would be a major blow to EA Sports if he’s unable to be featured in the game. While Woods is no longer a top-ranked golfer, he’s still a premier face of the sport.

EA is said to have signed a “long-term deal” with the PGA Tour, which suggests EA is in it for the long haul. The developer will build the game on the EA Frostbite engine, which is used to power most of EA’s sports games including Madden and FIFA. EA boasts that the game engine will leverage next-gen technology, resulting in “stunning fidelity, breathtaking immersive environments, and approachable, dynamic gameplay.” Of course, we should probably wait for a trailer before we cast judgment.