Simon Humber is since last year responsible for producing FIFA 07 Next-Gen for Xbox 360. In this interview, he talks about the Women’s Fooball, and explains how EA permitted to use the names in FIFA game.
Simon, we are very glad to have you for an interview. Can you please first introduce yourself and tell us since when you are at EA and working for FIFA?
Simon Humber: Hello, good to see you here, thank you! My name is Simon Humber, I’m associate producer on FIFA Next-Gen, so I’m one of about six or seven producers which working on the game. I have been at Electronic Arts for two years now. Last year I made the FIFA Manager game and now am making on the FIFA 07 for Xbox 360.
FIFA 07 will be released this autumn, but many national teams, clubs and leagues will not be available again in the game! Is is about the licensing?
Simon Humber: Yes, of course it’s about the license. We need to have a license to include such teams and players with their real names in the game; otherwise we have to include them generically with players who have unreal name.
Simon, you know of course about the some threads at FIFA-fans sites in which FIFA fans submitted their ideas about FIFA 07, One of the interesting idea was the Women’s Football, what do you think about it?
Simon Humber: A big good idea! Especially in North America the women’s football is very big, and in some European countries.
Is there any plan to put the women’s soccer into the game, by creating the Women’s FIFA video-game or by making at least an official patch for FIFA football?
Simon Humber: There is no any plan at the moment, but maybe in future if the people want it. Maybe in 2008. But we need to get the license for it. For each content of FIFA game, we need to get the license first; otherwise it restricts us for what we want to do.
A question regarding FIFA 07 improvements: the CPU player of FIFA 06 and older versions was not very smart, how is it in new version?
Simon Humber: Definitely improved. It is one of the problems that are not very easy to solve. You are trying to simulate 22 players on the pitch. And when you a human charges a CPU player, the CPU have to react about that. So it is not easy work to simulate every reaction that happens in real life.
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