FIFA 21 fans need not worry – the next iteration of the FIFA franchise is on track for release later this year as per EA Sports, and FIFA fans can expect an added twist – a holiday-season re-release to coincide with the launch of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
The new consoles will take gaming to the next level, providing players with previously unimaginable performance levels.
For fans of the FIFA series, the launch of the next-gen consoles is magnificent news, opening up a wealth of possibilities for their favourite game.
With that in mind, we take a closer look at what football fans can expect from FIFA 21 when it is released later this year.
FIFA 21 Release Date Demo
The game has been released on the final Friday in September over the past few years, and fears of any significant delays have been put to rest by developers EA Sports confirming that FIFA 21 will launch on October 9.
The new consoles are not scheduled to arrive until the run-up to Christmas, meaning that EA will release console-specific versions in November/December.
Fans will be able to play the game around two weeks before the final version is launched, with EA likely to follow its usual policy of issuing a demo.
Will FIFA 21 be backwards compatible?
Both Sony and Microsoft have previously stressed the importance of games being backwards compatible, which will be the case for FIFA 21.
EA has confirmed that purchasing FIFA 21 on PS4 or Xbox One will allow fans to upgrade the title to the ‘equivalent next-generation console’ for free.
The Dual Entitlement program will allow players to transfer their progress on the game back and forth between the old and new consoles.
Can I play the VOLTA mode on FIFA 21?
One of the most positive aspects of FIFA 20 was the inclusion of the magnificent ‘VOLTA’ mode, which recreated elements of the wondrous ‘FIFA Street’ game from years gone by.
The feature proved to be hugely popular with players, allowing them to control their favourite teams and players and place them in unusual environments.
With three-on-three, professional futsal and more, VOLTA appealed to users looking to add an additional edge to their gameplay.
Building on the success of VOLTA in FIFA 21 seems to be a no-brainer, and it would be a major surprise if it wasn’t included in the game.
How will the FIFA 21 gameplay be improved?
FIFA 20 pushed the boundaries of what was possible on the current consoles, meaning many of the upgrades from previous versions were tough to spot.
The next-gen consoles should bring about big improvements, with SSDs for faster loading speeds and better audio quality amongst the big changes.
EA has moved to strengthen its licensing position for the FIFA series by agreeing a new 10-year deal to feature La Liga. The omission of Juventus in FIFA 20 was a major niggle for true football fans, but the extended link-up with Spain’s top flight is hugely positive news.
From a gameplay perspective, the new Unreal Engine 5 and 8K supported graphics will make a massive difference and lead to a much richer gaming experience.
What else will change in FIFA 21?
While FIFA 20 wasn’t a bad game, numerous elements of it didn’t meet up to the expectations of players.
Problems with headers, corner taking, free-kicks and penalties detracted from the game and drew plenty of criticism from fans.
The career mode was also a bugbear and needs a major revamp, with the FIFA 20 version feeling a little like EA had run out of ideas.
However, the boosted performance levels of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X should give EA the scope to create a stunning FIFA 21.
You can also see the latest list of FIFA 21 wonderkids here.
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