Source: EA SPORTS FIFA via Facebook
FIFA 17 was a groundbreaking edition in EA Sports’ long list of football video games for a number of reasons. The developers decided to include women’s international teams on the game for the second year in a row – showing signs of progress in both the stature of the female sport but also in the gaming industry.
Secondly, The Journey was well received on the whole. FIFA opted to incorporate a new feature similar to that on EA Sports’ NBA 2K games. The Journey allowed you to control Alex Hunter, a young star working his way through the ranks at your favourite club - but it isn’t as easy as that. With a number of loan moves, training sessions and limited appearances to impress the coaches, you have to strategise and take advantage of opportunities just as you do in real life.
So where do EA Sports go from here? FIFA 17 is widely regarded as one of the best football games in the industry. Pro Evolution Soccer has struggled to rival FIFA in recent years but the FIFA series needs something new in order to remain at the forefront. Here are a few ways for them to stay ahead of the field...
Continue to improve graphics
Every year, FIFA’s graphics get better and better but there is still room for improvement and EA Sports will strive to offer gamers a near-perfect gaming experience if possible. Some of the players look nothing like what they do in real life and incorporating regular updates on appearance rather than just statistics could be the way forward.
In terms of the crowd and how they interact with the game, a few additional gestures and movements would go down well with those fans who enjoy well-rounded gameplay. Gameplay itself was much better in FIFA 17 but a smoother experience is always appreciated whenever possible, especially online.
Introduce more stadiums from Europe’s top leagues
The introduction of all 20 Premier League grounds was a pleasant surprise but there are still some high-profile arenas from around Europe that do not feature. If possible, bringing in all grounds from Spain, Germany and Italy will appeal to those who enjoy playing with clubs outside of England and after all, that’s where most of the best sides are based - not to mention dedicated gamers.
As of April 10th, Leicester City, 33/1 to win the Champions League in Paddy Power online betting odds, are the only English side remaining in Europe’s elite club competition. EA should begin to focus on enhancing European football’s top divisions...