A match-fixing scandal may be looming over the world of professional football (or soccer to contrarian Americans), but Microsoft wants to provide a haven for fans with Destination Brazil on Xbox One and 360 and Every Street United, an unscripted series for Xbox platforms in which legendary players Thierry Henry and Edgar Davids scout out the most gifted rising stars from the streets of the United States, England, Argentina, Spain, Brazil, the Netherlands, Ghana and South Korea to compete in a 4v4 game in Rio de Janeiro.
The series is the first to be released by Xbox Entertainment Studios, which is also developing a documentary about the 1983 burial of famous Atari failure E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and a live-action Halo series. Every Street United will premiere on Sunday, June 15 on Xbox Video, or via its own app which can be downloaded onto the Xbox One and Xbox 360. The app will utilize the Xbox’s technology and connectivity to provide a richer, more interactive experience than a conventional television program with bonus footage, interactive polling, and an immersive hidden-object game. An Xbox Live Gold membership is not required.
Every Street United is just one part of Destination Brazil, Microsoft’s build-up to this summer’s World Cup, which centers around the Brazil Now app for Xbox One and Xbox 360. The app can be set up to track your favorite team, providing notifications and score updates while you’re doing other things on the console, and snapping in next to the live game to provide live stats and information.
Live polls will let you join the discussion as the game is happening, and participation will be rewarded with collectible cards that unlock team pictures and bragging rights. Again, an Xbox Live Gold membership is not required, but you will of course need broadband Internet and a television service provider to watch the games live.
Lastly, it wouldn’t be Xbox if you couldn’t put on your virtual cleats and get in on the action yourself. As part of Destination Brazil, EA Sports FIFA 14 owners can download a free content update called Ultimate Team: FIFA World Cup. This new mode will be separate from the popular FIFA Ultimate Team mode, and will include all 32 national teams heading to Rio de Janeiro this summer, along with their associated crests, the official match ball, and stadium, providing a new look and flavor for the meta-game squad building that fans have come to love in Ultimate Team. Regardless of how the series actually plays out in the coming weeks, you can correct history and bring your favorite team to their rightful place on top in both online and single player tournament modes.
Destination Brazil will be available for download from Xbox Live on June 12.
