STACK #227 September 2023

GAMING FEATURE

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WHAT’S NEW IN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL FOR FC 24 ?

“It’s incredibly exciting,” Shepherd enthuses, “as FC 24 will bring men and women’s football together to play on the same pitch for the first time in Ultimate Team. Players will be able to discover new squad building and campaign opportunities relating to real-world performances across women’s football with players from the biggest clubs and leagues.”

It’s been a massive year for soccer in many ways – and adding to the excitement is the launch of EA Sports FC 24 .We caught up with Electronic Arts VP and executive producer John Shepherd to get the inside word on the monumental new franchise. Words Paul Jones JOIN OUR CLUB

excited at how great the game’s looking this year, as there’s a true leap in graphics.

Are there any significant changes in Player and Manager Careers? There’s a whole host of updates. Notably, the new Total Management System allows players to define and implement a unique tactical identity, and revamped training options allow them to get players ready for matchday with a new level of control over training, from personalising pre-match warm-ups to focusing on drills to help master specific game-changing skills. The new Manager Career camera also allows you to watch and manage the game from the touchline. We’ve also brought in PlayStyles in Player Career. This means as you get better, you’ll also get more unique, with new opportunities to refine how you grow into a one-of-a-kind talent, and players can also chart their dream career path with help from the new Player Agent to create Career Path Objectives. The new ‘Play as Player’ camera also allows players to become the focal point of every match, keeping you front and centre as you orchestrate the on-pitch action. What will UltimateTeam players be most excited about in FC 24 ? A significant addition is Ultimate Team Evolutions – a new feature that creates a progression path for players already in your Club. It allows players to develop their favourite football stars into club legends by completing objectives that improve their stats, PlayStyles, overall rating, and even player item look/ type. There’s much more too, including fresh new item designs, an overhauled menu with the Quick Switcher, and some fan-requested changes around icon chemistry and objective flow improvements. What excites you most personally about EA Sports FC 24 ? The opportunity of a new start is incredibly exciting. The changes to the brand, gameplay and the inclusion of women’s football is going to change the way the game is played worldwide. I can’t wait for more people to experience EA Sports FC 24 .

• EA Sports FC 24 is out Sep 29

We’ve been playing FIFA for 25 years. Do you have any tips on breaking that muscle memory name and moving onto EA Sports FC 24 ? After 30 years of defining interactive football, there’s definitely some muscle memory in a name. Around the studio, we’ve all been shortening it and calling ourselves 'FC.' I honestly thought this might take a while, but it’s stuck super quick and already feels comfortable and meant to be. It’s been incredibly invigorating – to own our brand and fully define our future has given us energy. Sure, things can get stressful with looming deadlines, but it’s hard to not look at what we get to come in and do every day and not feel incredibly fortunate. One challenge we’ve thought deeply about is how to ensure our fans know that we’re bringing everything about what made our past games great, the deep gameplay, all the modes, the graphics, and visuals, and all the amazing authenticity, while still signifying the change and pointing towards the future. What’s been the biggest challenge crossing over to FC 24 ?

What will stalwart fans of the franchise notice immediately from a gameplay perspective? We’ve developed three new technologies to deliver the most

realistic players in the game. HyperMotionV is our biggest leap forward in realism to-date, translating the rhythm and fluidity of real-world football using volumetric data from more than 180 professional men’s and women’s football matches that allows us to reflect real-world movement in-game more than ever before. Gone are those old mocap suits, we’re literally capturing real animation data from real matches – the tech here is incredible. PlayStyles allows players to go beyond ratings to bring individual players’ personal styles and signature abilities to the pitch, making their way of playing in-game more authentic. These feel great, and have material impact on how each player plays (but is, of course, still balanced!). Finally, an enhanced Frostbite Engine delivers lifelike detail, bringing a new level of immersion through redesigned player models, smoother animations, and visibly unique characteristics that make each player special. We’re super

SEPTEMBER 2023

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