EA shafting PC FIFA players again

Sean Ridgeley - Wednesday, June 24, 2009 10:11am (PST) 0 Favourite (0)

No "next-gen" graphics for FIFA 10, lack of demand cited

As with the NHL series and FIFA 09 before it, Electronic Arts (EA) isn't giving PC gamers much love with the forthcoming FIFA 10: the game will not feature the same high quality graphics found on its current generation console cousins, but rather the previous.

On the FIFA Soccer Blog, they note: "It’s down to the fact that not everyone has a high-end PC, but in time it will get closer. Currently only 10% of consumers have machines capable of running the next-gen engine." It's important to take into account this figure was based on worldwide data, with no local differences accounted for.

To EA's credit, they are looking to step up the gameplay for this version of the title, listing many improvements in the same post mentioned above, pertaining to the collision system, animations, orientation, and player switching. Still, the graphics thing feels like a cheap move, especially considering they've put out many "next generation" titles on the PC this year and last. But if hardware really is the case, why not make it scalable like many other companies are doing?

FIFA 10 will release this autumn.

Source: FIFA Soccer Blog

Alternate Source: PC Games Hardware

Section: PC Games

0 thumbs!

Hellfire29 Jun 25, 09

This is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in the past month. If you already have the assets for the console versions, then why not use them?
Staff

0 thumbs!

chautemoc Jun 25, 09

The idea is to accomodate the average computer user, I guess, who doesn't have the hardware to run the "next gen" version. I think it's more likely their games aren't selling well on PC anyway (Peter Moore said they're not and blamed it on piracy before, and this is the reason they've cut a few games out altogether for certain years), and so they're downgrading the graphics to minimize poor sales. Kind of understandable..but first, how do you expect people to upgrade their hardware unless you keep putting out games which demand it? And second, be honest with your customer.

Course this is just speculation, but EA's explanation doesn't really make sense as is.
1 thumbs!

Guest Jun 25, 09

History is repeating itself. Remember Star Wars The Force Unleashed? If you can't blame the pirates, blame the hardware. Vice versa. I built my pc 2 years ago and it seeems to handle well all of the pc version of multi-platform games since. Anyway, it is disheartening playing the same game you've bought a year ago again and again. Shouldn't this move be considered as an expansion pack or DLC if they are using using the same game engine?