Four years ago, the team here at Gambit Magazine listed the five worst soccer video games of all time. Titles like O’Leary Manager 2000 and Pure Futbol are abominations to the beautiful game, and they never should have seen the light of day. The FIFA series on the other hand has turned into an ultra successful franchise, having sold over 260 million copies globally as of September 2018. With soccer fans eagerly awaiting every new installment, we look ahead to what you can expect from FIFA 20 out later this year.
A September release most likely
There are no official announcements yet as to when FIFA 20 will be released. One thing we do know is that since 2015, EA Sports has released every new game on the last Friday of September. FIFA 16 was released on September 22, 2015; FIFA 17, on September 27, 2016; FIFA 18, on September 29, 2017; and FIFA 19, on September 28, 2018. September’s final Friday this year will be September 27, so you can already mark it down on your calendar.
The Journey is no more
As Tech Advisor notes, the in-game feature The Journey made its last appearance in FIFA 19. That’s a pity as some gamers had grown fond of Alex Hunter, whose journey to superstardom had been one of the FIFA series’ unique features. This could mean that EA Sports is dropping this single player mode completely for FIFA 20, or maybe even creating something new. Maybe we will get to follow a new star.
A new star on the cover
EA Sports has dropped Cristiano Ronaldo from the cover of FIFA 19 and replaced him with PSG’s Neymar, Ronaldo’s Juventus teammate Paulo Dybala, and Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne. Sports Bible reports that the cover switch was part of EA Sports’ rebranding.
English Premier League fans will be hoping that De Bruyne goes the distance and becomes FIFA 20‘s next cover star. Being on the cover of a FIFA game has become a huge honor, as it indicates who EA Sports feels is the top soccer star currently playing in the world. It is not hard to see why they would chose De Bruyne, as he has been a key part of Manchester City’s success. After winning the league last year, City are now favorites to win it again, according to the current odds provided by bwin Premier League. If they do, De Bruyne would become the clear choice to be put on the cover, even ahead of Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min who is currently leading a poll for potential FIFA 20 candidates.
A better game
Part of what makes the FIFA series so great is that EA Sports continuously rolls out one incredible game after another. Expect more of the same with FIFA 20. In fact, expect even more this time given that the next generation of consoles could be out by then (depending on which rumors you believe). Expect smoother gameplay and more dynamic weather, which will add even more realism to the series. Virtual reality could also make an appearance, potentially allowing players to play solely as the goalkeeper. While this is all speculation, there is no doubt that the game will be another step up for the franchise.
