FIFA likely a Wii U launch title

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 8 June, 2011

Plus, EA's eary ideas on how it may work.

FIFA will probably be a Wii U launch title.

One of EA Sports' senior executives has dropped a strong hint that a Wii U version of the venerable football franchise will be available to buy alongside the home console when it launches next year.

"FIFA has the great fortune of being invited to all the VIP parties," EA Sports' senior vice president of worldwide development Andrew Wilson teased when we asked him whether FIFA will be a Wii U launch title.

The Wii U's most unique feature is its controller: it has a touch-screen built in and can display content sent wirelessly from the console.

So, how may FIFA Wii U work with it?

"This concept of cleaning up everything you see on the big screen and putting all that here [on the controller screen], is an interesting proposition," Wilson said.

"We don't have that problem solved, but the opportunity to change the way you interact with a game based on moving everything from the HUD to here, is interesting.

"The radar can go there. You could trigger wing play. You could play an offside trap here. There are a whole bunch of things you could do here that before, you had to remember a two-button combination or a d-pad combination, or you had to see it represented up on a screen, which meant if anyone else was watching they saw it."

During Nintendo's press conference EA boss John Riccitiello took to the stage to pledge the publisher's support for the Wii U.

A number of games are being explored for the system - but FIFA looks like a dead cert.

Wilson insisted the Wii U version won't include gimmicky features that make use of the console's unique features just for the sake of it.

"Between now and when that launches, we'll be working diligently to make sure it adds value, that it's not a gimmick, but it truly adds value," he said.

"As a FIFA gamer, if I could have touch-screen controls that said wing play, offside trap, push forward, pull back – all these things that no longer were assigned to a d-pad – I would feel pretty good about it.

"I'm sure we're going to do more than that, but as the lowest common denominator, that would be pretty cool. That would change the way I play."

Wii U is due out at some point in 2012. Will it be out before or after FIFA 13?

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (11) Latest comment 12 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • TomDent93 #1 12 months ago

    So he starts with not confirming anything, and then pretty much confirming it.

    Bit more than just a hint.
    Edited by TomDent93 at 08/06/11 @ 09:30

  • kirankara #2 12 months ago

    Surely a year from now there will be FIFA 13 just around corner , but they going to launch FIFA 12 anyway???
    Why bother?

  • jablonski #3 12 months ago

    If this was some sort of HUD overlaid over your eye futuristicly I would get excited.
    But keeping having to look down at a etch-a-sketch in the middle of a full-on football game? That's not natural

  • modula #4 12 months ago

    Errr...and what about those second players who have to use a wiimote?! Unless the new controller is not crazily expensive this could be a common issue

  • Magrippinho #5 12 months ago

    @kirankara It seems that you can port current "multiplatform" games to the Wii U with no effort, so why not? It means more sales for EA with the same amount of work, even if it will obviously not sell nearly as well as the X360/PS3 versions which will have a year long head-start.

    They could also use it to experiment with the screen, see what works and what just irritates people, and adjust accordingly for FIFA 13. Same deal for testing the Wii U's online capabilities.

  • Slikz #6 12 months ago

    It will make penatly/free kick taking a lot more interesting. Deadball (iphone) style.

  • kirankara #7 12 months ago

    yeah Magrippinho, i guessed that side of things, but i was thinking more from a consumer point of view, its sounds like a total waste of £40, but guess some people will always be easily parted from their money.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #8 12 months ago

    What about those second players who have to use a wiimote?

    Hasn't Fifa had a 'two-button mode' since last year that players can use optionally? And there's always the Classic Controller to plug in.

  • makeamazing #9 12 months ago

    So rather than getting easy to see information on screen while i am playing, i will now need to look down at the controller to see it... thats not going to work.

  • reeferchief #10 12 months ago

    @kirankara as well as what he said, the obvious cash cow factor that EA loves to milk, as well as FIFA 13, they'll also be a Euro 2012 game out next year as well. EA will milk it for all it's worth that much I'll promise U.

  • modula #11 12 months ago

    "Hasn't Fifa had a 'two-button mode' since last year that players can use optionally? And there's always the Classic Controller to plug in."

    Don't think I explained myself well. They're talking about cleaning up the HUD, hiding tactics from the main screen. and being able to make fancy strategic moves on the tablet controller - yet you add in player 2 on a wiimote or classic controller and suddenly everything's back on the HUD and the person with the tablet making advanced moves and hiding tactics has a massive advantage! If two people had the tablet then great, but it doesn't really work on a level playing field with only one tarty controller!