FIFA team eyes playable TV replays

By Johnny Minkley Published 24 September, 2009

Football "dream" revealed.

EA has outlined its "dream" for FIFA - synching up with a live game to offer playable replays of the action fans have just witnessed. And EA Sports' marketing boss reckons the huge technical challenges involved will be overcome "very soon".

"The dream will be that you can watch that Sky Sports replay, you're watching it through your Xbox 360 and at half time or during the game you press the controller, dive straight into the game and actually then play out what you've just seen," FIFA marketing boss Matt Bilby told Eurogamer TV.

EA already has a deal with ESPN in the US, with the broadcaster using Madden to recreate game highlights. But Bilby explained the relative complexity of football makes it a much tougher nut to crack.

"[There's] 22 players, 22 AI running around on the pitch at the same time," he said. "Madden benefited from the fact that it's very stop-start and the players line up in a formation that you can create straight away and there's only a certain amount of things that could happen.

"With football there's randomness with 22 players, and if you don't replicate every player in the right position at the right time, facing the right way with the right movement of legs it just looks inauthentic. That's the biggest challenge - actually being able to recreate it in a way you as a football fan would believe it, and it is a real analysis tool rather than just something that looks nice."

With FIFA 10 out next week, Bilby revealed that EA is having serious discussions about the long-term direction of the franchise, not just next year's version.

"We have outstanding meetings now where we're not talking about FIFA 12 or FIFA 13, we're talking further out and we're being very thoughtful about what we need to do now so that we continue leading and creating the games we want to play, you want to play," he said.

"There's 300 million people in the world that paid to interact with a football game last year. We don't sell 300 million copies of FIFA, so until we're at that level we haven't got to the biggest potential of this franchise."

You can watch our full feature on the making of FIFA over on Eurogamer TV now. FIFA 10 is out on all major formats on 2nd October.

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About Johnny Minkley

Eurogamer TV's Johnny Minkley is a veteran journalist with a lifelong passion for games and the games industry. He uses Twitter more than most people use air.

Read more articles from Johnny by visiting the Johnny Minkley archive page.

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Comments (21) Latest comment 2 years ago

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

  • M_of_the_sys #1 2 years ago

    How does this work? Would you actually control anything? Does the opposing team do what one team does and you do exactly what the other team did? I don't understand or see the point.
    Edited by 1 at 24/09/09 @ 17:14

  • Shadders #2 2 years ago

    This isn't a dream I'd like to be a part of. I really don't see the point.

  • INSOMANiAC #3 2 years ago

    I think the 'dream; ultimately is to sell 300 million copies of fifa 2150 using gimmicks

  • Waffleaber #4 2 years ago

    I think virtual premier league replays, where you could view the action from multiple angles and player perspectives, would be a great addition.

    Like a more technically advanced version of the one the bbc had a <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sp ort1/hi/football/fa_cup/virtual_replay/6636845.stm?goalid=50 1071" few seasons back.>

  • Mo0k #5 2 years ago

    I think you would be able to take control - it says 'playable,' after all. Imagine being able to turn around the European cup last year so Man Utd win it, if that's your fancy.

    If they manage to put in some past footballing replays (Maradonna's famous goal against England, for one) I think it has some potential.

  • Physically_Insane #6 2 years ago

    lolwut?

  • Mkwone #7 2 years ago

    This is the Alan Hanson mode informing us where players should be and what they should of done.

  • moggsy #8 2 years ago

    Wouldn't it just drop you into the action at a particular moment in time and you then just take over by playing the game? That could work quite well.

  • Skoptsie #9 2 years ago

    The use of the word playable is very misleading here.

    Virtual replay systems in admittedly Amiga-level 3D have been available on websites for quite a while now, so EA could perhaps get the people who create those involved as surely it's just working out how to get their player movement data talking to FIFA's engine?

  • M_of_the_sys #10 2 years ago

    "If they manage to put in some past footballing replays (Maradonna's famous goal against England, for one) I think it has some potential."

    I have youtube for that...

    @moggsy

    Still seems kinda pointless to me :-\ I'd be happy to be dropped in at the start of the match.

  • rob76 #11 2 years ago

    I'd rather be at the match!

  • HandOfBeadle #12 2 years ago

    FIFA Tactics Truck 2054?

  • rprince #13 2 years ago

    Someone said they were going to do exactly this with live F1 races and it still hasn't happened.

    The issue is: when does the replay action stop controlling the 21 other players and the AI start reacting to what you do? Surely the point is so you can take control of that attack down the left wing where Downing skied the cross into the crowd and instead cut inside, get right to the bit where the D meets the edge of the box and curl it into the top corner (as it's the only way to ever score in FIFA). That or double-tap to cross then overhead kick to score!

  • Jay-ITFC #14 2 years ago

    At least it shows they are thinking of new ideas and concepts. Not just resting on their laurels like EA of the past...
    Edited by 1 at 24/09/09 @ 18:36

  • BiscuitBase #15 2 years ago

    Pointless. Clearly thought up by some marketing executive who doesn't know fuck all about games.
    Edited by 1 at 24/09/09 @ 19:37

  • Cider-X #16 2 years ago

    This will never happen.

  • ObiChrisKenobi #17 2 years ago

    Wow, surely, you'd all complain if EA didn't TRY and add new features and angles to the game. Football is football, and EA are getting closer and closer (closer then any other developer) in recreating that in a 3D engine.

    If they can keep delivering the core element of the game (the football), they can add all the little cool extra features they want, as that's what they are - extra features. Features that, hopefully, enhance and prolong the enjoyment of the game.

    Why are people so quick to say 'it won't work'? Madden Moments works pretty well, which I assume the EA guys are referring to in part.
    Edited by 1 at 24/09/09 @ 21:11

  • davisorle #18 2 years ago

    Well to be fair this is inovating so I dont see a reason to not encourage them to impliment it. Plus the fact when there is Olympiakos - Aek/Panathinaikos game here in Greece I bet you already that the most obsessed of my buddies will LOVE replaying recreated phases from the games on the console. I dont see why not ofc, just im not so into sport on console any longer. Got too tired of it. Hopefully somethign will spark me back in, though i have to admit, this feature wont be it as interesting and inovating as it sounds.

    Anyhow, good thinking and yeah, it will take a bit out of them to make it happen as "dreamed" of.

  • andywilkie35 #19 2 years ago

    So you'd just be playing a pre scripted event? So it would be a quick time event FIFA?

    You've done so well with the last few EA, just stick to improving it as you have.

  • Fab4 #20 2 years ago

    What is one of the technical difficulties? Implementing a trailing leg move so you can replicate Rooney cheating his way to penalties?

  • thesonglessbird #21 2 years ago

    I'm normally at the ground or in the pub at half time. Only one pub I know of in Manchester that has a console in it and they have PES, not FIFA.