Authenticity & Gameplay in EA SPORTS Grand Slam® Tennis

Hey, my name is Liam Millar, Lead Producer on Grand Slam Tennis.


When we make an EA SPORTS title, it has to be as authentic to that sport as possible; that’s the constant behind all EA SPORTS games. But that doesn’t mean we don’t get to have some fun with it and with the Wii specifically. From an art perspective you can see that we stylized the venues and characters for the Wii, but kept everything very authentic and iconic. Grand Slam Tennis for the Wii is not a port – it’s custom made just for the Wii.

With our venues you can see that we used a smaller palette with brighter colors but the geometry is all true to life. The court surfaces retain their unique physics such as low, fast moving balls at Wimbledon and players sliding on clay at the French Open. This affects gameplay just like it does in real life. You’ll also notice unique audio experiences in each Grand Slam from how the crowds react down to the umpire’s accents. It is all about making the game as immersive and engaging as we can.

This art style carries over to our characters. Instead of taking the typical lifelike next gen approach, our characters are highly stylized and we highlight their recognizable features. Things like McEnroe’s fro and short shorts, and Borg’s headband and long hair. We accent this with unique star player animations for each player and play styles that are true to how they play in real life.

Immersive and fun gameplay, combined with authenticity to the sport of tennis truly gives the user that experience of being a tennis pro on the greatest stage the sport offers – the Grand Slams.