Immersion & Innovation Lead ‘EA Sports FC’ Domination Of Console, PC & Mobile Markets
With football undoubtedly the most popular sport on Earth, it makes sense that EA Sports wants to make the most of its reach and brand to cater to players all around the globe. From the console to PC markets, and even to mobile, there is no running away from the influence of the newly rebranded sports franchise, starting with EA Sports FC 24 and EA Sports FC Mobile.
EA Sports FC 24
The former is a well-known quantity by now, counting a player base of millions every single month. However, the fallout between the sport’s governing body, FIFA, and the EA Sports team has led to a new name, and, hopefully, a new dawn for one of video game’s most popular titles. The new start, beyond the new EA Sports FC name, has actually been years in the making.
“This is a very big year that we’ve been planning for multiple years. And the gameplay engine that we have, we continue iterating on it. We started 30 years ago; however, why I’m saying that this year is very special is because we’re adding those three pieces of technology with volumetric capture, and then PlayStyles informed by Opta, which is another piece we’re very proud of, and the enhanced Frostbite engine altogether, makes a better game. This is not something that happens every year,” shared Sam Rivera, Senior Producer on EA Sports FC 24.
“The technology wasn’t ready, the consoles weren’t ready, and artificial intelligence wasn’t ready. So we had to wait multiple years. Finally, this is a year where all those three get to the level where it’s impressive what they can do and we’re putting them in the game.”
The unexpected fresh start also meant that EA Sports FC could start forging new partnerships with more freedom and enrich the games to come, with Nike being a prominent example brought up by Rivera. Having the buy-in of the different and popular leagues around the world helps as well, making sure players don’t just get to see the leagues in action, but also all the tactical nous behind various teams.
A key facet that differentiates players in EA Sports FC 24 is the new PlayStyles, the X-factor that separates the elite from the rest of the pack. 34 unique PlayStyles will be part of the meta when the game launches, and trying to nail them down has required plenty of hard work.
“It’s literally a lot of discussion between the production team, the design team, the engineering team, and trying to analyse the pro players, what mechanics they’re using, what’s important for the game. There are a lot of discussions around what’s important that we don’t really have in terms of attributes, and then we basically expand on those we see; that’s how we came up with the five different categories with defending, goalkeeper, passing, shooting, and ball control,” shared Rivera.
There is no doubt worries about potential balancing issues, but the producer was quick to reassure us that while automation is part of the process in determining PlayStyles for players, the feedback of the community will be important as well, making sure features like this are “noticeable and usable, but not overpowered.” Expect to see plenty of tuning in time to come after the launch on 29 September.
EA Sports FC Mobile
As for the mobile cousin of the mainline game, there are also many things to look forward to for a giant market that continues to grow. Set to launch on 26 September, EA Sports FC Mobile will feature intuitive gameplay controls that will introduce a new level of immersion.
Taking a parallel approach, the mobile experience will see the addition of True Player Personality, which brings the most recognisable players to life on the go. The Elite Shooting System is a revamped one that rewards smart shooting decisions, and with the Power Shot, players will have more weapons available to get on the scoresheet.
“It’s not about just copying or taking any feature of our big brother. It’s identifying which features make sense for the mobile platform. A good example is the elite shooting system. That puts a lot more focus on the use of skill. And yes, we are bridging the gap, and I think our game is maturing,” said Timo Mueller, Gameplay Producer.
Similarly, Knock On Dribble will give pacy attackers more license to beat their men, while Hard Tackles will give the defence more opportunities to snatch back possession while ensuring the attacking team has no chance to recover. All of these new features will complement the dynamic game speed of EA Sports FC Mobile, giving players more time to enjoy themselves and the action.
And depending on the device, user experience may vary, but the team is working hard behind the scenes to ensure parity across the board. Assistance options can be tweaked to find the perfect playing experience, wider button spacing will help with customisation, and there will be more options coming in the future as well.
With the console, PC, and mobile markets locked down, and having built up a fervent following over the decades, the EA Sports FC brand looks to go from strength to strength, even without the notable FIFA branding. It remains to be seen just how the players will take to the different experiences, but the new technology and innovations put in place are setting this juggernaut of video game football for success, and that’s how the team likes it.
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