We tell you all the keys to FIFA 23, the latest installment in the saga that will debut on September 30 on PS5, PS4, Xbox, PC, Stadia and Nintendo Switch.
29 years later, a stage full of successes in virtual football comes to an end. EA Sports and FIFA will separate from next season to go their separate ways. FIFA 23 is the last dance of a franchise that has transcended the grass. Its managers emphasize that the greatest ambition has been deposited in this installment despite the fact that EA Sports FC is on the horizon. In fact, they describe it as “the biggest FIFA ever made, the most connected and inclusive”.
The official covers, especially the one corresponding to the Ultimate Edition , are a preview of the decisions made. Women’s football wins presence at all levels, the number of licenses expands and looks directly towards the World Cup. Everything is ready for its launch on September 30 on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, PC, Google Stadia and Nintendo Switch (Legacy) . A few days before, on September 27, early access for the Ultimate Edition will begin.
Expansion of women’s football
EA Sports has wanted to take steps forward so that women’s football takes a more relevant role in its offer. For the first time in the saga we will be able to control clubs based on two of the most outstanding leagues on the planet. Those chosen for launch will be the Barclays Women’s Super League (England) and Division 1 Arkema (France), which in total add up to 24 playable teams with the same treatment as men’s football competitions. His appearance of him coincides with an important boost at the controls that we can talk about in the near future.
Sam Kerr’s prominence in FIFA 23 is not only due to the excellent performance in his club, Chelsea. His Australian origin makes him one of the biggest attractions of the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia 2023, which will also be present in the video game. It will be accompanied by the contents of the Men’s World Cup in Qatar 2022, which adds two World Cups in the same installment . The study summons us later to know the details about his impact on him on the rest of the game modes.
connected community
FIFA 23 will be the first edition of the franchise to have full cross-play features since launch. The tests carried out during FIFA 22 seem to have been successful. The chosen system divides the community by generations , that is, PS4 and Xbox One will be able to play against each other, but not against PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Google Stadia, which go together in the current generation package.
Yes, you read that right: the PC version will come in the same package. The community on Origin and Steam will receive the same functionality as the current systems . This update will increase the minimum and recommended requirements given the technical leap. Crossplay will be available in all 1v1 game modes.
HyperMotion2: the search for authenticity
HyperMotion2 technology debuted last year as a way to translate what happens in real-life fields into video games. The technical potential enabled by the current generation sustains a complex network of algorithms that make animations and artificial intelligence flow in more natural ways than ever before. FIFA 23 debuts the second edition , which expands the amount of data available in the engine.
While we can’t yet go into detail about how these changes come about, players will see some distinct elements of FIFA 22. The most obvious improvement is AcceleRATE , a new speed system that determines a player’s traits based on their speed and speed. acceleration. We will find three types: explosive, long term and speed peak . If pace played a role, these traits will be even more influential when it comes to feeling like the player is running.
Sam Rivera, Gameplay Producer at EA Vancouver, gives us an example of two completely different types of player. Kylian Mbappé has explosive acceleration , he manages to take a big advantage in the first meters of the race and then stabilize his speed from him. If he is covered by a player like Virgil Van Dijk, for example, the Dutchman will suffer at the start of the race given his height (1.93 cm) in exchange for his stride being wider and more powerful. Casemiro would be one of the players in the third group; by running he will get the maximum speed from him at the halfway point of the sprint.
When controlling the ball we will see two relevant novelties. One of them is the technical dribble . Rivera explains that performing these breaks will be “more responsive than ever” thanks to the fact that the ball will feel closer to the ground than before. They have also wanted to transfer the personality of the players to their digital avatars. If we control Vinicius Jr we can perform those fake jogs before directing the ball to the desired side, just as he does in real life. On the other hand, lowering the ball before shooting on goal will receive more natural transitions.
Without the ball, the improvements will be aimed at fighting in defense. Rivera promises that defenders will fill spaces better and react better when blocking shots . When the players are on the edge or inside the area we will see them automatically reach behind their backs.
Goalkeepers will make up for the bugs seen in FIFA 22 when fighting for an aerial ball. With HyperMotion2 they will take into account the space between your body and the striker , allowing more realistic behaviors when contacts occur in these situations. There are other playable details that may go unnoticed, but that make a difference. When a player blocks his view in front of the striker, he will look for movement to continue seeing him and will take a little longer to react if a shot is made.
From powerful shots to new fouls
All versions of FIFA 23 will also include a string of playable novelties that expand the possibilities. The highlight is Power Shots , a new alternative shooting mechanic that rewards skill and risk. Shooting while holding R1+L1 (LB+RB) will have the player ready the leg slower than normal; in those moments the aiming becomes manual, to then leave the boot propelled with more force.
In 1 vs 1 duels against the goalkeeper it seems that it will be the best way to solve the situation , although the examples that they offer us are more directed when we are in tight situations after a dribble. They are relatively easy to counter by defenders. Just by struggling the player can steal the ball while he builds his leg. You will know that a player is going to do it when there is a small zoom on the screen at the time of making the gesture.
All set pieces have been completely redesigned . Free kicks and corners offer two levels of adjustment, both the ball itself and the desired direction and effect. With the right stick we control a small target around the ball, which depending on where you place it, the style of the shot will vary; with the left stick, instead, you control the direction and curvature. Yes, we say goodbye to the targets in the fouls that have accompanied us for several installations.
Penalties add a kind of rhythmic minigame . You no longer just have to take into account direction and power, but you have to nail the position of a constantly moving circle under the ball. If you achieve the green, the one with the highest value, your shot will have the best chance of going between the three sticks.
Rivera and his teammates insist that FIFA 23 seeks to find the variety of situations that are seen in a match in real life. Soccer is not mathematics . If a ball comes to you bitten, as a player you will hit it towards the goal as you can and where you can. A greater range of shots and passes have been introduced where players use their entire body. Is a ball going towards your position and it is behind you? Use your back and continue the play. That is the message that the study wants to convey. Pure football.
Preseason starts
These are just a few glimpses of what will arrive with FIFA 23 in all versions from September 30. In the coming days we will be able to share specific details about Ultimate Team, Career mode, Pro Clubs and Volta Football , in addition to the statements of those responsible to the FreeGameTips microphone about how they have brought football to life in the digital world. Let the ball roll.