11-versus-11 FIFA by 2010 World Cup - EA

By Tom Bramwell Published 1 June, 2007

FIFA 08 takes first steps.

Electronic Arts hopes that FIFA will be able to support 11-versus-11 play in time for the 2010 World Cup - so that its "Virtual World Cup" will consist of each country's best 11 players competing side by side.

Speaking to Eurogamer, FIFA 08 producer Joe Booth unveiled this year's "Be A Pro" mode, which lays the foundations for 11-versus-11 play in the next two years. Be A Pro gives you control of one player on a football team, with reward systems built around how well you contribute to the team.

"In the long term we have big plans. We'd like for the 2010 World Cup to have a virtual World Cup at the same time, and build an organisation in each territory that finds the best 11 players and flies them out to South Africa, and have a full-on tournament there," Booth said.

"That takes a number of steps to get us there - not only what we're doing with the engine and what we do with online, but it also means we have to build community structures around that."

In a Eurogamer interview published to coincide with the game's unveiling, Booth added: "What we're trying to get to is something that feels like offline. And that feels like it's at least a cycle away."

For more on Be A Pro, and the other features that make up FIFA 08's impressive range, check out the full interview and our exclusive hands-on impressions of FIFA 08.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (42) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Aretak #1 5 years ago

    I reckon it'd be rubbish though. No-one would want to be in goal, and what are the chances of finding 22 players who know their arse from their elbow? You'd also get wankers who wouldn't pass the ball at all.
    Edited by 1 at 01/06/07 @ 09:22

  • souljacker2000 #2 5 years ago

    But they will be the best in the country... so they should be able to tell the difference...

    /starts scratching his elbow

  • lambtron #3 5 years ago

    The obvious problem for me is as Aretak says being the keeper. Its always been nigh on impossible in any footy game I've ever played.

  • Razz #4 5 years ago

    It'll never work.

  • gizmo #5 5 years ago

    Have you EVER found 22 like-minded people on-line, let alone at the same time.

  • tobi #6 5 years ago

    seabass has been saying 11 vs 11 for a while.

  • Steroyd #7 5 years ago

    A fifa Gimmick with a long term plan?

    GTFO!!

    Pro Evo gives you the option to control one player in the whole team wonder if those options extend to online play wouldn't take much for Pro Evo to go from there and build up on it minus the PR Marketing.

  • Thamuhacha #8 5 years ago

    This is a nice idea ... but it will just be hardcore 11 man clans won't it?

    And you could be the keeper ... if they gave you a totally different view to the other players? 3rd person over the shoulder or summat?

  • crazyhorse174 #9 5 years ago

    What is it the kids are saying these days? Oh yeah...

    meh

    :D

  • The_Inquisitor #10 5 years ago

    @ Slurpy J

    Probably true, but those players would learn the hard way that you don't win games like that. Given enough time to get used to it, it could be quite interesting and competitive. As long as they understand how important positioning off the ball is.

  • The-Bodybuilder #11 5 years ago

    What's so sad is that it's EA who are displaying the vision for the FIFA franchise, whilst konami seem to be happy to just do the minor updates and maintain the same game.

  • The-Bodybuilder #12 5 years ago

    @ Aretak

    Why does everyone have to be so pessemistic? Just because you can't imagine yourself in goal, doesn't mean no one else wants to.

    And there is a certain thing called teamwork, existing in many previous online games before this. Teamwork has existed in fps games, why would it die off all of a sudden in a team work-based sports game?

  • Furbs #13 5 years ago

    EA bring out new FIFA game: "Oh god, same shit different year"
    EA bring out new FIFA game trying something new: "Oh god, whats the point, it'll never work"

    Gamers: Worse than women.

  • playgen #14 5 years ago

    2010! - don't want to rush those updates! They leave stuff out of these games on purpose just so they can add it in the next years addition. EA don't make their games too good, or people wouldn't buy the next one hoping it's better. 2010 - pathetic!

  • The-Bodybuilder #15 5 years ago

    If teams exist in the real world that play as a team, why not in online games?
    If anything, you will find the right people along the hardcore.

    I would love to be either a left back, central mid, or left winger.

  • Furbs #16 5 years ago

    To be fair, Battlefield 2 and countless capture the flag type games have shown that you'll never ever get cooperation online. Oh.

    /digs up a post from 10 years ago

    56kgamer wrote:
    "Meh, why would anyone want to play something other than deathmatch??"

  • gizmo #17 5 years ago

    "If teams exist in the real world that play as a team, why not in online games? "

    You haven't played Battlefield, have you?

  • jonsaan #18 5 years ago

    11 people chasing after the ball will be amusing to watch.

    It could work though. Probably with clans.

  • Steroyd #19 5 years ago

    @Furbs

    EA always introduces something new every year it's routine.

    2004 was the introduction of off the ball control 2005 was first touch with the right analogue stick, I think 2006 was the trick stick ala Fifa street, and 2007 was strategy change on the fly using the D-Pad while next gen had ball physics.

    You can bet EA will advertise something new in Fifa 2009.

  • Furbs #20 5 years ago

    Which kind of proves my point :)

    Just to make you feel old though, I think off the ball control was 6 years ago FIFA 2001 I think?..thank god that got ditched.
    Edited by 1 at 01/06/07 @ 10:24

  • Steroyd #21 5 years ago

    Oh hell I can't remember which Fifa had what in which year they all just blaired together after 2001 which I think is still the best Fifa.

  • red_shift #22 5 years ago

    haaaa. it'll be terrible.

  • koopa #23 5 years ago

    I'll be the goalkeeper if you won't... Then I'll go to South Africa and laugh at you...

  • malteaserhead #24 5 years ago

    surely 10v10 with computer controlled goalies gets around some problems?
    I suppose the 10 strikers thing could happen but I think a few EG footy teams would be great craic...

  • koopa #25 5 years ago

    I really think this could work if executed right, altough maybe not in the next FIFA. Of course most people would want to be strikers, but then wouldn't you rather be one of the best defenders in the league and have all the best teams wanting you, rather than some third-rate striker? If some prizes were awarded for the best teams I think it would be much easier to do this right

  • Karl70 #26 5 years ago

    Isn't the whole 11 vs 11 being done already ? found this site recently for Football Superstars, a new MMO footy game. But we won't have to wait till 2010 their site gives a release date of 2008...

    [link url=http://footballsuperst ars.com
    ]http://footballsuperst ars.com
    [/link]

  • gamingdave #27 5 years ago

    I dont see it being a complete failure, and of course it could work, but I do suspect that most of the time it'll be a ball chasing nightmare. Assumingly youd have to have both teams made out of the same players, or at least excedingly balanced. It wouldnt exactly be fair if the teams have to play with their real country.

  • Andrew_Lloyd #28 5 years ago

    WOW ! Thanks Karl, that looks great, don't know how it went under my radar, have always wanted to play a football game online. Wonder how they have sorted out the everyone going after the ball problem. Registered already :) lets hope we both get on the Beta !!!

  • koopa #29 5 years ago

    And heck, maybe goalkeeping could actually be fun with a good third person view and some smooth advanced controls. Perhaps the keeper could see the shots coming a bit slower to have time for reaction. I think goalkeeping really needs to be improved in football games, at least in penalties.

    And why do people assume that everyone would go after the ball? When you play real football with your friends does everyone run after the ball, or do you assume your positions because you want your team to win?
    Edited by 1 at 01/06/07 @ 11:49

  • Karl70 #30 5 years ago

    NP matey :)
    Sounds interesting huh ? from the FAQ they have up it sounds like they have a mix of management, football sim and leagues/tournaments, been trying to work out how it'd all work. Gonna go have a mooch around for more details.

  • MGG #31 5 years ago

    If the guy in charge had paid me and my fellow coders and kept to some of his promises, this game (ie 11v11 MMO footy) would have been out 2 years ago.

    In the meantime, EA and Konami pick up on the idea (not that its terribly original, but no-one has pulled it off yet) and I am over £10k out of pocket in lost wages.

    Welcome to the real games development.

    It would not have to be 11v11, it could be 10v10, 5v5 etc, with AI bots taking over the missing positions. Sure, they wouldnt be as good as humans, but they would be a lot more disciplined....

    oh and frod: yes I remember Player Manager very well, it was *great*. So much so, it still has a rather large community that would like to see it remade, and were even willing to fund it themselves at one stage.

  • ecureuil #32 5 years ago

    Meh, Libero Grande did this years ago! And it was shit.

  • Andrew_Lloyd #33 5 years ago

    Libero Grande wasn't the best it's true but for me being able to play with my friends online and after looking at the Footballsuperstars site being able to speak to them too somehow sounds like a great idea. I suppose it all depends on the view of the player/pitch and the controls, if they get that right it's going to be HUGE !

  • Karl70 #34 5 years ago

    Andrew, they have a VN board the link is on their site (Don't wanna keep spamming their stuff here) im gona go ava look.

  • vane101 #35 5 years ago

    In fact some of the best 11 a side |Fifa teams might be teams of real footballers who are into gaming. They would have the natural positioning discipline that ordinary gamers might not have.

    No doubt EA will line up a team of footballers to take on a team of gamers for an exhibition game and have it shown on xleague.tv or something like that. Would be good viewing. :)

  • FWB #36 5 years ago

    Granted... the average games are going to have 11 guys hanging around up field, but the my serious team/clan games surely won't? It would be to their advantage to play specific roles and they can always switch change positions each game.

    They could throw in a minor RPG element too.. say... improved stats if you make a certain number of passes or tackles. Would encourage teamplay.

    I really enjoyed that indie game where you play as one player and make your career. It was just a little limited because of the size of the developers. The concept was fine. So I see no problem with this if implemented well.
    Edited by 2 at 01/06/07 @ 13:17

  • FWB #37 5 years ago

    Besides, the more selfish players won't last online long. Who is going to want to play them? They'll just get barred/ostracised.

  • chiz #38 5 years ago

    5 a side would be better with 4v4 and 2 cpu goalies.
    Infact, no matter what EA does to FIFA, it's still going to be shite and a shadow of PES.

  • The-Bodybuilder #39 5 years ago

    >"You haven't played Battlefield, have you? "

    The name "battlefield" doesn't help much.
    Yes I have played it, and hated it. But I've played GOW, Halo and even counterstrike.

  • L0cky #40 5 years ago

    I think those detracting from the idea haven't played a clan match before. Teamwork is possible online as much as in the real world, just not with random players. Not necessarily because people are selfish, but because there is no premise of organisation.

    @Furbs: Battlefield 2 and countless capture the flag type games have shown that you'll never ever get cooperation online.

    Actually these games have proven the opposite; just don't expect some magical force of organisation. Capture the Flag was probably the first proof of concept that teamwork does work, and the countless leagues for all kinds of games out there prove it.


    2005 was first touch with the right analogue stick

    I found this hilarious as it's supposed to be in defense of EA. A whole year of development, and that's what they come up with. The same can be said for every release of every EA sports game.

    EA Sports: It's All the Same

  • Furbs #41 5 years ago

    I guess my sarcastic "oh" went missing there L0cky :)

    And to be fair, it wasnt just the first touch system which was introduced that year. That was the heavily marketed new feature, but there was more than that. And hey, at least its *something* new, which is more than can be said for other francises.

  • SeesThroughAll #42 5 years ago

    "No-one would want to be in goal, and what are the chances of finding 22 players who know their arse from their elbow? You'd also get wankers who wouldn't pass the ball at all."

    Just like the real thing then! :D