FIFA 19: FIFA 18 has just been released, and how much of a footprint it leaves behind in the world of soccer simulations games is yet to be seen. We say “world of soccer simulations games,” because while 2K’s NBA and WWE franchises have little to fear in terms of competition, EA’s FIFA series has had Konami’s PES franchise breathing down their necks for a while. And while EA is far ahead in terms of the overall look and feel, PES 18 has gone to show the heart that it takes to be an avid football fan’s game. So here’s taking a look at FIFA 19, the title that is inevitably set to release next year and take the game to a whole new level.
FIFA 19: What To Expect?
The fact that there has been a steady stream of installment every year over the past two decades is enough to guarantee that there will be a new game next year. Much like NBA 2K19 and WWE 2K19, there is little in terms of surprise element when it comes to the FIFA 19 release date. But what is to be excited about is that EA has truly upped the bar set to measure the quality of the games over the past few year. FIFA 17, which came out in 2016, was proof enough of that fact. And that itself has been a major propelling factor behind the expectations surrounding FIFA 18. This year’s game hasn’t been out for too long yet, and fans have yet to fully wrap their brains around how things work in it. But there’s truth in recent history, and it is no secret that FIFA 18 has come out with most of the improvements that we anticipated. While it has not reached the critical acclaim of last year’s game, it definitely has incorporated some giant leaps on the technical front. That makes one thing clear, that EA is by no means losing their grips on steady improvements. And with each year, the competition with Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer is tightening immensely. Going by these, FIFA 19 is going to be one game to look forward to.
FIFA 19 Release Date
Being an annual franchise may take a toll on the regularity of upgrades, but for fans, sometimes it can come in handy, like when we’re speculating about the FIFA 19 release date. Unlike, say, Titanfall 3, which we want badly to happen but don’t have a clue about, it is safe to assume that the FIFA 19 game is going to happen. And by taking a look at yesteryears’ release patterns, it is also possible to take a stab at the release date of FIFA 19. The most recent example, FIFA 18, was released on September 29 this year, while the entry before it had come out exactly a year ahead in 2016. In fact, since 2010, EA has been steady in rolling out the main FIFA entries around mid to late September. Following this cue, we think it is highly improbable for EA to swing out of this pattern anytime soon. So it may be justified to believe that FIFA 19 will launch on most major platforms in September 2018. If a delay is on the cards, the latest we can expect it to go back is to an early October date next year.
FIFA 19 Platforms
FIFA 18 came out on all prominent platforms in existence, including the Nintendo Switch. However, considering that Take-Two Interactive’s celebrated wrestling simulation game, WWE 2K18, gave the seventh generation consoles a miss, we wonder if EA will do the same with the next FIFA game. The only platforms we can be certain about are Xbox One, PS4, and Windows 10, while it is dubious if the new title will come out on the Xbox 360 and PS3. The Switch version of FIFA 18 has received satisfactory reviews, and there is no doubt that Nintendo needs to up the ante in terms of the features it can support. Still, having said that, FIFA 18 on Nintendo Switch has clearly been a delight for whoever has spent time with it. So FIFA 19 will also probably come with Switch support, although an overall better game is desirable.
FIFA 19 Beta
The FIFA games’ beta tryouts are a very exclusive affair, and only a few chose ones are lucky enough to be invited. This proved to be no different for FIFA 18, the event for which was held for over a week in August. A few things have changed in 2017, such as players were no longer able to register themselves for the closed beta to get chosen. Instead, only a select few FIFA 17 players who had chosen to get promotional notifications from EA via email were contacted directly with the beta codes. Usually, EA chooses those with some amount of prominence and influence in the world of gaming for their closed beta invites. So if you want to stand a chance to be invited to the FIFA 19 Beta, you must play as much FIFA 18 as you can and remain subscribed to EA’s emails.
FIFA 19 Demo
While details are lacking and will be for the better part of the cycle, one can expect the FIFA 19 Demo (a pretty big deal among fans of the game) to be accessible around two weeks ahead of the FIFA 19 release date. The demo for FIFA 18 was released a few days prior to the expected date of September 15, which is what fans had expected from EA’s history of releasing the demo exactly two weeks ahead of the full release date for the past couple of years. But it wasn’t rolled out much earlier either, with the publishers informing fans that they would be able to download it on September 12.
Coming to what how much of the game one may be able to preview, it certainly won’t stand to compare with the full version, or even the EA Access Program. But the demo is a great way to get acquainted with the improvements that the developers bring in, including sampling how well the gameplay handles and how fluid the animation has been made. This year’s demo had also allowed fans to get a preview of The Journey Season 2.
FIFA 19 Wishlist
So far, everything about EA’s franchise has been going great, but there’s always room for voicing fan demands. FIFA 18 is undoubtedly a good experience, but there are things that we had wanted to see that did not end up making their way into the game. This is all but normal, especially for a series that releases one new entry each year. The pressure that comes with deciding what things to include and exclude is enormous, so there’s hope for us yet. We are sure that FIFA 19 will bring in a lot of new features as well as upgrades, but here is our very own FIFA 19 Early Wishlist.
Improvements In Women’s Football: EA’s introduction of women’s teams in FIFA 16 has been widely praised, and some critics even went on to say that the female counterpart had better gameplay. With FIFA 18, the creators have taken this even further. There are new teams that have joined the force, but there’s a lot more to be desired. Yes, a slow and steady progress is better than none at all, but there is much you can do with the women’s football. Hopefully, EA will see that and FIFA 19 will fill up the gaps. One of the first things that come to mind is that there need to be more national teams on that front. Women’s football is not nearly as uncommon as the female counterparts to many male-centric sports, and this needs to find reflection. What about customizing your very own female player from scratch and play many seasons with them? And adding female icons from all over the world will definitely end up giving female soccer the widespread recognition it deserves.
Keener Gameplay Details: FIFA 18 has to be the most fluid edition till date, with the gameplay feeling as close to the real deal as possible. However, there are some things that throw fans enough to make them wonder what just happened, even when they are the main perpetrators. Many players point out that making some moves that will surely get you banned from the field in real life can be got away with without so much of a penalty. This works to counter so much of the realism that this year’s game has brought in. In order to truly deliver the game that was promised, a lot more needs to be done on the AI front, and we are totally on board with that. Having said that, the AI in FIFA 18 has been tightened to a great extent, and these flaws aren’t all that common. We hope EA find the time to polish these little things before pushing out the next game in the series.
Increased Customization: No, we are not simply talking about the customizations in women’s football that we were talking about earlier. One of the best things about any simulation game worth their salt is the level of customization that they offer, and FIFA still has some ways to go in that direction. It’s there in FIFA 18, but not as deep as we would like it to be. For instance, the player creator is ultimately pretty good in the new game, and there are things that you can do to a great deal of satisfaction. But there’s a lot more in terms of opportunity. What about expanding the creation suite to teams? Think about it.
FIFA 19 Trailer
You shouldn’t expect to see the FIFA 19 trailer surface anytime before E3 2018 rolls around, which is when we expect a lot of great first looks anyway. The first trailer for FIFA 18 was released only a few days ahead of the biggest gaming event of the year, with many of the finer announcements making their way during E3 2017. We expect the FIFA 19 trailer to be first showcased around June 2018, and it will shed light on the most important things, such as the release date, platforms, and of course, the FIFA 19 cover star. For now, however, here is the trailer for FIFA 18’s The Journey.
Wrap Up
FIFA 19 is still in the realm of wishful thinking, and there will be much additional content to look forward to over the upcoming months. However, while we have already got hints about a few of them (such as the new additions to The Journey 2), we can’t expect the ones that we have put on our wishlist to be brought into FIFA 18. Ultimately, if the last two years are anything to go by, then FIFA 19 is going to be a grand improvement over this year’s game. If you want to tell us how you like FIFA 18 or what you would like to see in the next entry, let us know in the comments below.
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