EA reportedly under criminal investigation in Belgium due to FIFA's loot boxes
And failure to comply with country's gambling laws.
The Belgian government, which declared loot boxes to be a form of gambling earlier this year, has reportedly launched a criminal investigation into EA after the publisher refused to modify FIFA's randomised card pack loot boxes in order to comply with the country's gambling laws.
A FIFA player used GDPR to find out everything publisher EA had on him - and realised he'd spent an incredible $10,000 on the game in just two years.
When EA Sports released the free World Cup update for FIFA 18, some players thought it played differently compared to the main game. Actually, it was more than some - there were loads of players who thought it played differently.
These players, who suspected EA Sports had tinkered with the gameplay of FIFA 18 for the World Cup update on the quiet, claimed it felt slower, with nerfed dribbling and passing. I've also seen plenty of people say the World Cup mode plays more "arcadey" than the main FIFA 18 game, with overpowered shooting from distance. I've also seen people say lofted through balls are more effective, and even spotted the suggestion the World Cup update reverts to gameplay before FIFA 18 was patched.
The truth is, the gameplay in the World Cup update is exactly the same as the gameplay in the main FIFA 18 game, Andrei Lazarescu, producer of the Switch version of FIFA and the World Cup update confirmed to me at E3. So, why do players think there's a difference?
Remember when Iceland knocked England out of Euro 2016, and the players did that awesome Viking thunderclap celebration in front of their fans? EA's put that in FIFA.
Aston Villa has launched an esports league
John Terry's gone five minutes and this happens.
Here's an odd one: Aston Villa, the once great English football club now struggling to get out of the Championship, has launched an esports league.
The appropriately-named AVFC Gaming starts in June with a series of FIFA 18 tournaments that may or may not cheer up Villa fans still mourning the Championship playoff final defeat to Fulham that saw Chelsea legend John Terry exit the club.
Aston Villa said AVFC Gaming, which is working with the European Gaming League, will encourage gamers to compete against each other to win Pro Points, which in turn score exclusive prizes including match tickets, signed photos, signed FIFA player cards and AVFC Gaming branded consoles.
If you're a Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland fan, you'll need to pick a second team to root for at this summer's World Cup.
FIFA 19 has the official licence for the Champions League and the Europa League - according to a leak from an unlikely source.
FIFA 18 gets free World Cup mode in May
At least England have a chance with this one.
FIFA 18 gets a free World Cup mode on 29th May, so you can win the tournament with England in the game to make up for England getting knocked out at the group stage in real life.
Now Belgium declares loot boxes gambling and therefore illegal
Hazard warning.
Hot on the heels of the Netherlands declaring loot boxes are gambling and therefore illegal, Belgium has had its say.
The Netherlands declares some loot boxes are gambling
Tells publishers to modify them.
The Netherlands has determined some loot boxes are gambling - and warned video game publishers to modify their loot boxes to remove "addiction-sensitive" elements before mid-June.
Late Fiorentina captain Davide Astori to remain in FIFA 18, EA confirms
But Astori FIFA Ultimate Team items pulled from packs.
Late Fiorentina captain and Italian international Davide Astori will remain in FIFA 18, EA has confirmed.
A message displayed to players upon logging into the game reveals EA took the decision at the request of the club.
However, EA has pulled Astori FIFA Ultimate Team items from packs.
Hundreds of FUT 18 players get ratings boost
Not Bakayoko, though.
EA Sports is boosting the ratings of hundreds of FIFA Ultimate Team players according to their real life form.
The worst player in the Premier League is the best player in FIFA 18
Meet Tiémoué Bakayoko.
Speak to any Chelsea fan and they'll tell you Tiémoué Bakayoko is the worst player in the team.
PlayStation Network has had a tough time of it in recent days - so much so that it's been offline for extended periods.
Much-needed FIFA 18 patch stamps out kick-off goals
Among other things.
EA has issued an update for FIFA 18 that makes some much-needed improvements to the game.
Chief among them is an attempt to rid the game of its problematic kick-off goals glitch. I've reported on this before - essentially, loads of players were scoring straight from kick off because of the way the players set out and react upon the referee getting the game underway. As you can imagine, this caused problems online.
The patch makes the defending team more compact after kickoff. You should notice the defending team's attacking players are less aggressive in pushing up the field, and their defensive players close the space between them and their attacking players to reduce the gap and limit the attacking team's space.
For years now, FIFA players have wondered whether the all-conquering football game is cheating them. Some are convinced it is.
Allegations of cheating rock FIFA 18
Wenger out.
This past week has been a rough one for the FIFA community, with disturbing allegations of cheating calling into question the legitimacy of FIFA Ultimate Team's most competitive mode.
Last night, EA made one of the most dramatic U-turns in its history: temporarily turning off controversial microtransactions in Star Wars: Battlefront 2.
After EA tackled an "exploit" that involved using terrible players to beat the AI on the hardest difficulty in FIFA Ultimate Team, FIFA 18's next big issue has come to the fore: a kick-off "glitch".
FIFA 18 patch stamps out popular FUT AI "exploit"
And offers rare peek behind the AI curtain.
Last week we reported on an "exploit" FIFA 18 players were using to beat the FIFA Ultimate Team AI on the hardest difficulty for the maximum FIFA Coins reward possible.
While the "exploit" was hardly a 'press a button to win' situation, it was effective. It involved shielding with terrible (bronze) players with low physical stats to bait the AI into fouling and getting sent off. With enough players sent off, the computer controlled team could be consistently defeated even on the normally rock hard ultimate difficulty.
The "exploit" got traction within the FIFA community after the top-ranked FUT Squad Battles player on PlayStation 4 was accused of using the technique.
A new FIFA Ultimate Team "exploit" has emerged that some players reckon can't be fixed.
Will there come a day when EA doesn't release a new FIFA every year?
"The short answer is yes," EA's boss says.
For years now the FIFA community has wondered whether EA would stop selling a new game in the huge football series each year.
There's a Star Wars kit in FIFA 18
Wenger out.
With Star Wars Battlefront 2 looming over the horizon, EA's cross-promotion work is fully operational. First up, we have a Star Wars kit for use in FIFA 18.
Big FIFA 18 patch nerfs passing
Wenger out.
FIFA 18 has a new patch - and it's a hefty one.
Title Update 3, which brings FIFA 18 up to version 1.04, nerfs ground passes and ground through balls.
Most FIFA 18 players agree the passing in FIFA 18 is particularly effective. I've found the game favours fast one-touch passing, with even mediocre players able to drill accurate passes into the feet of teammates from seemingly impossible angles. (More on this in my FIFA 18 review.)
The government finally responds to gambling in video games petition
And the response isn't as bad as we expected.
The UK government has finally responded to a petition calling for gambling laws to be adapted to include video games with gambling mechanics that target children - and the answer isn't as bad as you might have thought.
EA has added guest play to FIFA 18 after a sustained player campaign that put pressure on the developers to reverse its controversial decision to omit the popular feature from the game.
Last night Hull City midfielder David Meyler captained the Republic of Ireland in their 0-1 victory over Wales. He is on the brink of taking Ireland to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He is already a national hero.
FIFA 18 came out on Nintendo Switch last week - and it didn't take long for fans to discover that you can't play against or with friends online.
FIFA 18 now shows you which player your online opponent is controlling
And the community isn't happy.
Yesterday we reported on FIFA 18's first major patch, which focuses on welcome changes to goalkeepers and shooting. But it didn't take long for fans to react to a couple of changes that initially went under the radar.
EA has released FIFA 18's first big patch - and it makes some important changes to the game.
This update, available now on PC and soon on console, makes improvements to the goalkeepers, which some considered to be poor, and makes shooting slightly harder.
One of the chief criticisms of FIFA 18 is that it's too easy to score (there's more on this in our FIFA 18 review). In short, the keepers aren't great, shooting is pretty easy and quick-passing is incredibly effective. I found this to be a fun and, crucially, improved experience compared to FIFA 17, but some games do balloon out of control with too many goals.
FIFA 18 scored first place in the UK games chart this week, though its physical launch sales were down by a quarter.
Numbers company Chart-Track recorded retail copy sales as being down 25 per cent during FIFA 18's launch week compared to FIFA 17 a year ago. Should EA be worried? Well, probably not...
First off, FIFA 18 launched on a Friday this year. FIFA 17 arrived on a Tuesday, so had three days longer on sale to rack up numbers.
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest footballers of all time, has a trademark celebration. When he scores he runs off to jump, twirl, plant his feet with his hands by his side. Pretty much all football fans have seen this.
Poor Gareth Bale. Not only does he have to contend with annoying recurring injuries and the nagging sense that Real Madrid's going to sell him sooner rather than later, but he's now found himself relegated from FIFA's top 10 rated players list.
On PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
The FIFA 18 demo comes out today on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (it goes live on each platform at various times - we'll update the article throughout the day). You can play Kick Off mode with a raft of clubs and stadiums, as well as preview The Journey story mode.
FIFA's story mode, The Journey, already has Frostbite-powered cutscenes where you make decisions using a conversation wheel. Well, now they're in Career Mode.
Watch a full 20-minute FIFA 18 match
With a lot of Real Madrid.
Overnight, EA hosted a livestream in which it revealed new features for FIFA 18. But we also got our best look at FIFA 18 gameplay yet.
There are three versions of FUT Icons in FIFA 18
Ronaldinho when he was good, when he was great and when he was the best.
There are big changes coming to FIFA Ultimate Team for FIFA 18. Chief among them: three versions Icon players, each with its own unique ratings.
EA says no, your FIFA matches aren't rigged
Wanna bet?
For years some FIFA players have suspected the game of cheating.
FIFA 18 - referred to officially, it seems, as EA Sports FIFA 18 on Nintendo Switch - will have almost every mode available in the console and PC versions.
FIFA 18 ditches Xbox-exclusive Legends for multiplatform Icons
Marketing moves from Xbox to PS4, Switch version doesn't run on Frostbite.
Big news in the world of FIFA: EA Sports has ditched Legends - aka retired footballers for FIFA Ultimate Team - in favour of multiplatform Icons.
Icons will be available on all platforms, EA said today. And the first Icon is Ronaldo. No, not that Ronaldo. Old Ronaldo.
EA has also gone with PS4 for its FIFA 18 marketing, which is a significant switch after a number of years with Xbox.
Ever since EA announced FIFA for the Switch, there have been questions surrounding exactly what kind of game owners of Nintendo's new console can expect.
Here's our first look at FIFA on Switch
It's kicking off.
A new Nintendo Switch trailer from Japan has given us our first glimpse of EA's FIFA game for Switch.
