EA Sports FIFA World Cup 2010 Game Gets a Release Date. But Will You Be Buying?

January 27th, 2010 | by: Daryl |

985985_20100126_790screen008 Every World Cup year since 1998, EA Sports has released a special version of its legendary FIFA game. This being a World Cup year, we’ll be getting another one. There’s even a release date penciled in, and it’s apparently April 27th.

I can never decide how I feel about these FIFA World Cup games. Gamers will know that EA release a new FIFA game every single year, sometimes with and sometimes without significant improvements or changes. So releasing two games in one year raises the question: Is the EA FIFA World Cup game a part of the glorious celebration of football that is a World Cup year? Or is it a shameless attempt to cash in on said glorious celebration by slapping a World Cup logo on an old game?

Obviously I haven’t played EA’s World Cup game, so can’t say what it’s like. But if you want to get excited/be convinced about FIFA’s World Cup game, then you’ll enjoy this Gamespot interview with EA Sports FIFA World Cup 2010 line producer Simon Humber, discussing the development of the new game.

According to Humber, the April 27th release will feature:

A gorgeous new pitch: Our pitch simply wasn’t good enough, so we’ve made it look superb.

Lighting of the players and environment: Clever changes to the lighting makes everything look more realistic.

Camera flashes: You’ll see all the fans in the crowd using their cameras.

Seat cards: Fans hold up cards to form national flags and emblems in a show of patriotism.

Fans: Close-up shots on supporters cheering on their team or despairing in anguish.

Confetti rains down from the sky in the team colors and stays on the pitch all game.

Streamers create a carnival atmosphere as they glide to the ground.

Populated benches: Characters sit on the benches rather than being empty.

Broadcast graphics: The same captions you’ve seen in FIFA tournament broadcasts.

Close-up celebration camera: To really feel the goal-scoring moment, the camera zooms in close to the player as he responds to your celebration commands.

New players and managers: More content for star heads and many of the team managers.[England national team manager Fabio] Capello looks brilliant, and [notoriously tall English footballer] Peter Crouch no longer looks like a naughty elf.

All of which sound like cosmetic changes. There’ll be a few tweaks to actual gameplay too, plus a facility to play out the World Cup online, competing against other human opponents. Or you can take your country through the whole World Cup qualifying process. Which actually sounds quite good. But I’m still not sure. Maybe the best bet is to hope someone else buys it and invites me around to play.

What do you think? If you already own FIFA 10, do you also plan to purchase FIFA World Cup 2010?

International Football News – World Cup Blog RSS Feed

http://den-hans.myminicity.com wob

No…
I prefer the PES games over FIFA.
I played FIFA Euro 2008 a good while ago (bought for €3 at the end of 2009) and it just didn’t make sense. There was nothing near ball control. The only way of dribbling was shooting the ball 2 metres before you and then start running after it. Every shot, how close it was, was held by the goalkeeper while the opponent scored with a weak, lousy shot from about 20 metres.
Sorry EA, but no more FIFA for me..
Dave

yes, i probably will even though i already have fifa 10, due to the fact that i can use teams like cote d’ivoire, ghana, and other teams that aren’t included in the internationals of fifa 10.
http://usa.worldcupblog.org/ Marlon

I prefer FIFA to PES but if the EURO 2008 game EA putout is anything to go by then this is not a worthwhile purchase.
Drabik

FIFA has become much better in recent years. Ball control is superb and is much better than PES. Honestly, PES fans should try FIFA again. It has got much better.

I will buy FIFA10 World Cup – It will get me even more excited about the real thing. I cannot wait!!!
Jean-Francois

I have fifa 09 and a few others. I bought the world cup edition just before the last world cup and it was great. I did not buy fifa10 because I knew the world cup game would come out. I would rather play it.
Aiden

I usually don’t buy the World Cup game, but I will this year so I can live in an alternate reality where Ireland qualifies and wins the whole thing, the way God intended.
http://atletico.theoffside.com Al

I probably will. Yeah, it’s a watered-down version of FIFA and it’s another 60 bucks out of my pocket… but I’ll be in the World Cup spirit and would like to take on people online as Mexico and have them be countries as well, instead of playing idiots being Barcelona and Chelsea all the time. I’d think of it as an international football themed FIFA game. And the qualification mode looks awesome; they had it in FIFA 98 and it was superb.

Count me in.
chris

2006 road to the world cup was really great. But i didn’t own the fifa that year i don’t think, so i may pass this time.
http://www.worldcupblog.org Daryl

Random question: Does any other EA Sports title have anything similar? As in a regular game each year, and then a tournament specific game?
dan

Hopefully this game isn’t too realistic – that would require gamers to crank up their surround sound and subject themselves to the vuvuzela for the full 90 minutes…possibly sparking more “italian-son-knife-to-the-throat” -type violence
lrg

Have FIFA10 (excellent btw) but I don’t think I’ll make this purchase. I always thought it was a copout for them to put the World Cup into another game instead combining the two. And to answer Daryl’s question, I don’t believe there’s any other title like this. Only because basketball, baseball, hockey, and golf aren’t set up like soccer is with a hugely popular international tourney.
Pseudinho

I prefer the World Cup game over the FIFA version of the game. Simply because I like international footy better. But I do buy every FIFA game. The game evolves each year. So you are getting a slightly updated version of FIFA 10. If your a casual player then I would suggest buying the World Cup game in 2010 and then a FIFA game in 2012. So you’d be buying a World Cup game every four years and a FIFA game every four years giving you a new footy game every two years with distinct differences. But if your hardcore like me you’ll notice the subtle tweaks that are made and the difference between playing a normal FIFA game and a World Cup game.
lazar

I played both Fifa 10 and Pes 10 and honestly PES is much better! better gameplay, better ball control, more realistic, etc. i dont see why anyone would pick fifa over pes…..
Pseudinho

To me PES seems more arcadeish if that makes sense. The control is more responsive though which is a plus. But this is about the World Cup game. There is only one of those. Not FIFA or PES.
http://www.assyriska.theoffside.com Luka

I regret getting FIFA 10 now, actually. I wish I had just waited to buy this game.
Coconut

You guys are probably going to lynch me but…

i always thought the World Cup versions had a bit better graphics than their regular FIFA counterparts…
Rich L

I’m sticking with PES. I’ve already customised the national squads to my liking. With PES its all about the editing…
walter

euro 2008 was garbage but i do have fifa 10 and its way better then pes..i would get the world cup one due to the fct of the team that are there
Pseudinho

The World Cup game is completely different deal. Its not a battle between PES and FIFA. There are no other World Cup games out their. Its a once every four year deal.