As soon as the release date for FIFA 20 hit the internet, the web was flooded with excitement. Better manual defending, revamped shooting and a ‘Volta Football’ street and indoor five-a-side mode: FIFA 20 is on its way.
The game is set to release on the 27th of September 2019 and will be available on the Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4 and the Nintendo Switch. Click on the link below to view the very first, brand new trailer on FIFA 20:
FIFA titles make incremental improvements over the years – it’s rare to see one massively change the formula, and FIFA has been in a pretty stable state for the best part of a decade now. Let’s have a look at some major changes made by EA to FIFA 20. Fans and pros alike have been clamouring for changes to FIFA’s new defending system since the game came out.
FIFA 20 is likely to introduce Volta Football once again by bringing back the indoor football modes of early PS1-era FIFA games or the street-style ‘Futsal’ matches of the FIFA Street series. They’ll be back as a new ‘Volta Football’ mode in FIFA 20. You’ll be able to play 3v3 Rush (no goalies), 4v4, 4v4 Rush, 5v5 and Professional Futsal matches in indoor and outdoor matches in bespoke stadiums from around the world.
There will be a campaign mode, online leagues and squads and customisable player avatars – almost enough for a full game. It’ll only be available in the PS5, Xbox One and PC versions of the game though, skipping out on the Nintendo Switch, PS3 and Xbox 360 versions.
There is also a possible inclusion of VAR in FIFA 20 and fans aren’t liking it. An online petition on reddit has fans fuming at the idea of VAR in FIFA 20: “Please no, imagine last minute winner that gets ruled out by VAR. Controllers will be broken.”
However in actual football, former professional football player Joleon Lescott argues that VAR will get more decisions right than it will be wrong and there will still be an element of subjectivity that will keep fans interested in leagues like the Premier League as there was a positive response to VAR being in the world cup.
FIFA 20 will also have more football intelligence: a new combination of features that tweaks on the ball, off the ball and the play of the ball itself. Players will get more time and space on the ball, with a tweak to the physics of the ball. There’ll be more one-ones as a result of this system, with greater emphasis on user controlled defending. Off the ball players will spread around the pitch in a more authentic way, too.
As mentioned above, players will now see more benefits to manually defending, rather than relying on the skills of the game’s AI. Computer-controlled defenders will now be less efficient and effective while those controlled by you will perform better. Manual tackles are also more likely to go in your favor than those attempted by AI. This should create a balance which will see players who make the effort to manually defend feel that it’s more rewarding.
All new systems come to penalties and free kicks, making them easier to pull off great goals from set pieces. Free kicks in particular will be completely revamped, giving players greater control of spin on a shot.
Fans and critics would also like to see the “dynamic weather” phenomenon to be brought to FIFA 20 as well. Pro Evolution Soccer has had this feature for quite some time now, but EA has never really picked up on it. It would be great to see some life-like rainy weather blow in mid-game, changing the pace and flow of play. It’s a realistic consideration, and one that’d have a subtle but welcome effect to moment-to-moment tactics in FIFA 20.
son heung-min