In a studio-wide email, EA Canada reportedly went into further details, noting that “strong marketplace competition” had made it difficult to staff up for the next Fight Night. The sequel was originally slated to be developed along with EA Sports UFC 5. However, because the studio doesn’t want to split its senior creatives, development is on hold “for the time being.”

“We’re very excited about UFC 5 and…we want to eliminate the split focus that several members of our leadership team have had over the past while so we can solely focus on delivering migration and UFC 5 at high quality.” Not many details are known about the game and a spokesperson for the publisher stated that the company’s policy is not to respond to “rumors and speculation.”

We’ll see how it pans out but don’t expect the next Fight Night to release for another couple of years.

In more recent years, the publisher has devoted itself to its yearly sports sequels. Multiplayer shooters are still a prime directive, as indicated by the Star Wars Battlefront and Battlefield series, but we began to see more different titles like A Way Out, Unravel, Fe and Sea of Solitude. The company’s reputation has still been questionable, as indicated by its loot box and live service debacles. And yet, there are positive strides being made to bring back franchises like Command and Conquer, as seen with the Remastered edition, and Skate, with Skate 4 currently being in early development.

It’s strange though – of the many IPs that EA has shelved for not being successful, SSX remains an exception. Developed by EA Canada, the first SSX released in 2000 for the PlayStation 2, having originally been planned for the Sega Dreamcast. Though snowboarding games weren’t necessarily new, none had gone quite as bombastic as SSX. With boarder-cross creator Steve Rechtschaffner serving as its executive producer and creative leader, SSX was a revolution in terms of high-speed snowboarding.

The main emphasis was on tricks and filling up the boost meter to go even faster during a race. Many of the tricks were ridiculous, feeding into the game’s arcade-like design, but it’s overall style and visual design were fantastic. It also introduced an ingenuous way for players to actually care about their performance with the music becoming louder and more pronounced as one excelled. SSX would become an overwhelming critical and commercial success, touted as one of, if not the best, PlayStation 2 at the time.

It was followed by SSX Tricky. Whether considered as an enhanced version or a clear sequel, most agreed that it was still a great game. Performing tricks for boost was still a core mechanic, but if the boost bar filled completely, then one could perform Uber moves to boost infinitely for a short time. If six Uber moves are performed and “TRICKY” is spelled, then you get infinite boost throughout the level. A new Rivalry system was also implemented – being friendly with other characters means they’re less likely to oppose you during races but act like a jerk and they’ll assault you.

The soundtrack was also amazing thanks to the involvement of Mix Master Mike (who was also an unlockable character) and other artists. It continued to change according to one’s performance, with the complete song playing if you were doing well. SSX Tricky was another critical success and it was only a matter of time before SSX 3 came along just two years later. It saw the return of a boost meter (referred to as the adrenaline meter) and a soundtrack that adapted to one’s performance. Ubers would increase the meter level and unlock Super Ubers, further increasing the depth of the gameplay.

An expanded campaign saw players completing events and challenges in order to reach the next mountain peak. The PS2 version even had online multiplayer where two players could race against each other, and even rank up. Not only was SSX 3 a huge critical success but it sold one million copies – a first for the series, with total sales for all games reaching 3 million by July 2006.

Over the years, several things would change at EA. Rechtschaffner went on to become a chief creative officer at EA Canada and wouldn’t be involved in future titles.

SSX On Tour was released in 2005 and introduced custom characters. The Uber tricks became Monster Tricks and increasing one’s Hype to rise through the leaderboards was the main goal. The presentation went for a more sketchbook-like format and even the music saw some changes with more punk rock, rap and alternative songs. The music would also reduce in volume upon performing Monster Tricks in the air before cutting back in when the player hit the ground. Despite all of these changes, SSX On Tour still received positive reviews and even some awards. EA Montreal would handle SSX Blur, a 2007 Wii title that introduced motion controls with decent results, before EA Canada developed the reboot in 2012.

A new rewind feature, nine different mountains to descend down (with challenging Deadly Descents limiting how often you could rewind) and Explore Mode helped distinguish it from previous entries. For the most part, however, this was SSX Tricky’s gameplay for a new generation, right down to the return of “It’s Tricky.” There was also the new Harmony system which remixed songs on the fly. SSX reviewed favorably and despite all kinds of competition at launch, did well in sales, exceeding EA’s expectations.

However, EA Canada was changing. From six titles, including SSX, in 2012, it narrowed its focus to a select range of sports titles like FIFA and NHL. EA Sports UFC would also be included throughout the years. This could likely be attributed to their more “guaranteed” sales status, especially with the billions that FIFA generated in Ultimate Team microtransactions. Despite the majority of its resources going towards its prime money-makers, there are plenty of reasons for EA to bring back SSX.

First, the company has seemingly realized that leaning so heavily on live-service titles, especially following Anthem and Battlefield 5, isn’t the best move. There’s also Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order which had over 10 million players within four months of its launch. Multiplayer isn’t a terrible move though – Star Wars: Squadrons proved that you could have a successful space dogfighting title with a campaign and multiplayer features that also receives updates without burying the player in microtransactions or live-service shenanigans.

There’s also another successful revival to draw on – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, which reviewed positively and sold well. And this is coming off of the reviled Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 which many felt to be the death knell of the franchise. With Vicarious Visions now part of Blizzard Entertainment and working on Diablo 2: Resurrected, the way is clear for EA to capitalize on a market that clearly favors remakes of beloved properties. Even if it didn’t go the sequel route, remakes of SSX 1, Tricky and SSX 3 in one package would be the dream.

There’s hope that EA could revive SSX, that too without dipping fully into the open world, seasonal model with microtransactions like Ubisoft’s Steep. If there’s one thing the publisher could learn from Activision’s handling of classic franchises, it’s to give the people what they want (and this is Activision we’re talking about). Don’t overthink it, tap the people who would best fit – like Steve Rechtschaffner who founded his own studio, SuperNatural Games – and bring it back. There may not be a huge petition or countless memes like with Skate 4 but if there’s one classic franchise that’s a great fit for EA’s portfolio and a proven success, it’s SSX.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

While Phil Spencer has been working hard to revitalize and rejuvenate the Xbox brand over the last few years, a lot of its problems are inherited from the tenure of Don Mattrick, under whose leadership Xbox steered away from an exclusives driven strategy to focusing on media and Kinect.

Mattrick led Xbox for a few years before eventually leaving and ceding the position to Phil Spencer. However, the irony of the situation is that when he used to work at EA Canada before joining Microsoft, he flat out had no faith in a Microsoft created console ever working. Seamus Blackley, one of the creators of the Xbox, recounted on Twitter how when Microsoft had tried to speak to EA Canada to pitch the console to them ahead of the very first Xbox’s release, Mattrick had tried to block them, believing that Xbox would never work.

Of course, Mattrick would then head (and nearly sink) the console he didn’t believe was possible just a few years later; thankfully, Spencer came around and turned it around. Xbox, in spite of Don Mattrick, finds itself in a pretty good place today.

I’ve never talked about this before, but the irony of Don Mattrick as Xbox Chief was huge for me: when I first came to EA Canada to present the idea of a Microsoft console, he nearly blocked me from addressing the company because he didn’t believe it was possible. It was tense. pic.twitter.com/3pqRq4rGBL

— Seamus Blackley (@SeamusBlackley) March 4, 2019

In a bid to make the franchise even more realistic, Electronic Arts is adding all-new narrative-driven features in FIFA 17’s story mode. Chief among these is, oddly enough, a dialogue wheel that brings Mass Effect to mind. While Bioware’s got their hands full with Mass Effect: Andromeda, EA’s decided to bring over one of that galaxy-trotting franchise’s highlight features to their…football game.

How exactly does that work? The dialogue wheel, a Mass Effect innovation, allows you to forgo full-length responses, opting instead for responding with a particular “tone.” In FIFA 17’s The Journey mode, the narrative centres around a  young footballer named Alex Hunter.

But instead of having canned cutscenes, you’re given a degree of player agency by making Mass Effect-style dialogue choices as Alex interacts with the coach, his friends, and others. While we’re at it, let’s not forget that there’s a football game in their somewhere. EA’s also decided to switch over to the Frostbite 3 engine. While we’re not sure this will result in increased stand destructibility, FIFA 17’s visuals will be sharper than ever.

Thanks, EuroGamer.

After Fight Night Round, EA started taking interest in the UFC franchise and released EA Sports UFC on the PS4 and Xbox One back in 2014. It was somewhat of a mix bag but graphically it was a pleasant game to look at; and we are pleased to report that EA Canada has upped the ante with the sequel. Graphically speaking, EA Sports UFC 2 is an odd game to analyze. It doesn’t feature flashy visuals and it by no means is a system pusher since it only takes place in an octagon shaped stage. But what is there is truly special and it’s the attention to detail that really sets it apart from other fighters out there. Let me just get something out of the way, EA Sports UFC 2 is by far the most realistic looking fighting game we have ever played and we mean that not only in terms of visual aesthetics but the way each fighter has been animated.

Before we jump into what makes the game a visual stunner, it must be noted that the title is running on the Ignite Engine, an impressive framework of game development tools that has powered many of EA Sports’ games in the past. The engine has been improved in the last few years and its latest build integrates a full physical based rendering pipeline along with better lighting rendering and physics toolsets. The Ignite engine is compromised of several sub-frameworks which pertain to different sections of the game. One of the modules that is utilized by EA Sports UFC 2 is Human Intelligence which allows the AI opponent to make smart decisions based on how the player is performing. This enables the AI to take quicker judgment calls resulting into a realistic fighting experience. Secondly, the True Player Motion framework allows for various parts of the character’s body such as limbs, legs and even the clothes to simulate in a realistic manner.

So coming back to what we briefly mentioned before, the game is a unique fighter due to its attention to intricate details. The characters exhibit real world properties such as sweat being thrown off when they land a hard punch or the waves in their hair as they jump around or move around quickly. And did we mention how cool the blood effects are? During intense fights, character faces will have blood pouring from their forehead, nose and cheek; and during this moment if you are able to land a punch or two on the face, blood will fall and start spreading on the octagonal stage.

Furthermore, the character’s body and facial animations are a sight to behold at times. Usually most fighting games don’t have any issues in rendering the correct animations when the player lands a punch or a kick but in this title the developers have also added the correct facial and body animations for missed shots. Furthermore, whenever you land a shot, the muscle area of the impacted body will undergo a temporary displacement effect. This is a very subtle effect but you can clearly observe it in the slow motion replay.

Performance is pretty much identical. Both versions are capped at 30 frames per second and the game manages to keep it locked at almost all times with minimal drops. Now some may question the lack of 60fps in a fighting game but unlike other games in the genre such as Tekken, UFC isn’t a fast paced fighting game. Of course, we have always maintained that 60fps is a game changer but the 30fps doesn’t really hurt the experience here.

We also wanted to briefly talk about the AA solution the game integrates. EA Sports UFC 2 utilizes 4 X MSAA which helps the image quality to really stand out. We have mentioned the importance of MSAA in many of our previous analysis and how it helps reduce jaggies drastically. We witnessed next to no jaggies during gameplay as well as during the game’s cutscenes. Kudos to the developers for utilizing a resource intensive solution instead of using something simpler such as an FXAA solution. Other post processing effects such as the skin shaders, lighting tech, cinematic motion blur and depth of field are identical across both versions.

Other add on effects such as complex skin shaders, shadow quality, depth of field and others remain consistently similar across both platforms. In the end, EA Sports UFC 2 is a technically amazing fighter. The developer’s focus on attention to detail makes it a must play game. Now, only if there was a PC version to drool at as well.

"hen there’s the new Knockout Mode which is tons of fun in its own right. Imagine UFC without the grappling and submissions. Five straight hits to the head and you’re down."

EA has been on a bit of a downturn in the past few years, especially following the first EA Sports UFC. While it introduced the Ignite engine to the franchise, its lack of options, laggy multiplayer and difficult learning curve were severely disappointing for fans of Undisputed 3. EA Sports UFC 2 immediately tries to address problems with the learning curve by throwing you into training from the outset. Select from over 250 fighters across a variety of weight classes, ranging from Vitor Belfort to CM Punk, and take to training against a free-style opponent. Tune your foe’s settings to improve your stand-up, grappling and blocking game.

How do you figure out the finer points of these mechanics? Aside from the game taking time to explain it in the middle of fights, you can head into the Challenges mode and complete a range of challenges, varying in difficulty, to properly hone your craft. Honestly, after Street Fighter 5, there was a small beat of terror as I thought this was all EA Sports UFC 2 had to offer. Thankfully, that’s far from the case.

Head to the Main Menu and you’ll be greeted with a wealth of options, from Live Events to Career Mode and Unranked Fights. Take part in online divisions to battle the best players in the world. Ultimate Team makes its debut for the first time in a UFC game, which allows you to create a roster of fighters (or select from the pre-existing batch) and lead your team to fame and fortune. Then there’s the new Knockout Mode which is tons of fun in its own right. Imagine UFC without the grappling and submissions. Five straight hits to the head and you’re down. Sounds boring? Maybe but the actual result is gripping, forcing you to duck and weave while carefully calculating your opponents mistakes. It’s an entertaining, if not overtly deep, diversion to the EA UFC formula.

"As it stands, Career Mode is a cut-and-dry approach to simulating the life of a UFC star. It’s nothing spectacular and gets the job done, offering plenty of fighting. One just wishes there was a lot more done, especially given the level of graphical fidelity and presentation."

The other modes are as touch-and-go as you’d expect. Live Events have a specified time and have you taking part in past UFC cards. The twist is you can bet on certain fighters and the outcome of matches in order to score currency. Say you think Mike Hunt goes down in the third round via Knockout. Play the match, make it happen and you’ll earn some currency, which goes into earning Card Packs in Ultimate Team mode. Then there’s Career Mode where you select your custom fighter (with the ability to create a female fighter for the first time) and work your way up the UFC ladder.

Career Mode is intriguing for all the nonsense that takes part before fights. This is best manifested in the so-called random events that can affect your performance. Maybe you’ll lose sleep one night and wake up late, cutting your training time down. Perhaps the gym picks up some new equipment, thus improving your overall training significantly. You can even sustain injuries from training too much but these don’t manifest in fights as much as we’d like. As it stands, Career Mode is a cut-and-dry approach to simulating the life of a UFC star. It’s nothing spectacular and gets the job done, offering plenty of fighting. One just wishes there was a lot more done, especially given the level of graphical fidelity and presentation.

Mechanically, EA Sports UFC 2 feels a lot better than its predecessor. Besides the hard-hitting stand-up game, which feels more physics and momentum-based while relying on tactics and placement, the grapple game has been significantly improved. You’re no longer left fumbling when your opponent takes you down. A list of commands will appear – hold the analog stick in a given direction and you can switch positions, effectively taking your opponent’s back and laying some serious ground and pound down. When coupled with the different styles of fighters and their skill with grappling and mat fighting, you’ll find an interesting range of options outside of pure striking. Pacing-wise, it can wear on your patience, especially when your opponent takes you down multiple times during a fight or when your attempt to change positions is countered but it’s still a welcome degree of control.

"EA Sports UFC 2 is a very good combat sports title that deserves your attention and improves on the weaknesses of its predecessor. The series still has a ways to go before coming across as championship material though."

Personally, submissions still took some getting used to, as did stuffing an opponent’s takedown and the game was a bit iffy when it came to explaining later. Nothing that some more hardcore training couldn’t correct but it was annoying in the early going.

Speaking of “pure striking”, there perhaps isn’t a more visceral looking fighting game on the market. EA Sports UFC 2 doesn’t have the most diverse range of visuals nor is it pushing the hardware for all its worth. However, the sheer detail on fighters – right down to their tattoos and skin textures – is amazing. You’ll be impressed from the opening prologue itself and the overall gameplay keeps delivering with realistic deformations on impact, impressive knockout animations that are unique for every instance and an incredible atmosphere that makes you actually believe you’re in the Octagon.

Gameplay-wise, it felt like some impact was missing at times, like blows weren’t connecting properly. Then again, on watching UFC for the first time, it’s easy to get that impression for even the most basic of hits. When the knockouts come or you’re busy pounding an opponent on the mat, then you’ll witness the brutality front and centre. Blood streaks cover the mat or paint the air and the cage is akin to an old-school battleground. It’s awesome, even if you’re submitted on the mat in the next ten seconds.

For all it has to offer though, EA Sports UFC 2 still feels like its missing something. The tactical nature of the combat, despite some hiccups in understanding all of its essentials, and the online play are solid, thus providing the best possible reason to hop in. It also helps that a large roster is on hand to offer a huge amount of variety, no matter which weight class you opt for. And yes, with the addition of training and Challenges, it’s easier than ever to learn game’s mechanics and pursue a career as a digital fighter. But even with Live Events, Ultimate Team and Knockout Mode, EA Sports UFC 2 could have used a more comprehensive and involving Career Mode to really suck players in. It’s a very good combat sports title that deserves your attention and improves on the weaknesses of its predecessor. The series still has a ways to go before coming across as championship material though.

"The initial experience is actually far lighter on the tutorialization, and more focused on fun and excitement. But immediately afterward, we offer players the ability to try out the new Practice Mode or Skill Challenges."

EA Sports UFC received quite a lot of hype, especially because it was the first title for current gen consoles, but was also routinely criticizes for its glitches and graphical problems. What steps have been taken to rectify this in EA Sports UFC 2?

Brian Hayes: Yeah, the infamous “Tommy Toe Hold Videos” were a thorn in our side to some degree. Although, they were entertaining. It should be noted, even he put a disclaimer on them saying how rare those issues were – and a lot of them were from our early access demo, not the final game. The thing is, it’s so easy to capture and share video with the PS4 and XB1, so even if the issues are very rare, it’s just a press of a button to save it for eternity. I’m not saying that the game didn’t have its glitches, but you could have 200 fights without seeing anything weird and then that one time Demetrious Johnson teleports outside the cage… Boom. Glitch video.

That being said, this is the reality now. We know how easy it is to save those weird moments now, so we’ve really focused on eradicating them within our game physics and animations.

How have you looked into improving the tutorial mode and easing players into their first fight?

Brian Hayes: This has been a big focus for us this time around. The initial experience is actually far lighter on the tutorialization, and more focused on fun and excitement. But immediately afterward, we offer players the ability to try out the new Practice Mode or Skill Challenges. In addition to that, there are new in-game training systems like the Grapple Assist feature to help players out if they just decide to jump straight into a fight.

What changes have been made to the Career mode over the first game? Are there any new features or challenges we can look forward to?

Brian Hayes: Basically, everything that happens between receiving a Fight Offer and stepping inside the octagon for your fight has been overhauled. Players can now receive multiple opponents to choose from for their next fight. That can affect how long they have to train and obviously what type of opponent they are training for. Then the Training Camp system is entirely new. It incorporates the concepts camp quality (did you have a good camp a bad camp), training intensity (are you training hard or taking it easy), and the potential for training injuries or general wear and tear on your fighter’s ratings. We also added a new feature we’re calling “The Fight Game” which will throw you a curveball once in a while and can make your training camp tougher or easier. There is also a “boss battle” system when you finally match up against the big names in your division like Jose Aldo or Conor McGregor. In short, there are a lot of new features and challenges!

"The advent of women fighting in the UFC came right in the middle of development for UFC 1, so we were only able to add the Bantamweights as a playable division. For UFC 2, we have the ability to create female fighters and play Career Mode, or Ultimate Team with them."

KO Mode sounds pretty cool and this will be the first time that Ultimate Team comes to a UFC game. Can you tell us more about both of these new additions?

Brian Hayes: KO Mode is a striking-only mode that was born out of just watching hundreds of users play the game in person, looking at in-game telemetry, and conducting some player research. As cool and awesome as the gentle art of Jiu Jitsu is, there are plenty of UFC fans that just want to stand and bang. Plus. KO Mode is the perfect vehicle to showcase the new physics knockout system in UFC2 because every fight ends in a KO.

UFC Ultimate Team is another entirely new experience for UFC gamers. Obviously, fighting is a 1-v-1 sport, so we’re not talking about some crazy team-based fighting mode. It’s a mode that lets you create up to 5 fighters, which would constitute your team (in MMA terms, think of it like Urijah Faber’s Team Alpha Male, or Jose Aldo and Team Nova Uniao). Then, each one of those fighters can fight to earn in-game coins that you use to purchase packs of upgrade items that can improve each fighter. There is a lot more customization of the individual athletes in UFC Ultimate Team compared to the UT modes you may be used to in FIFA, Madden or NHL.

Given the rise of women’s MMA in the past few years and EA Sports UFC 2 including Ronda Rousey as its cover athlete, is there any special mode – perhaps an additional career path – for female MMA fighters?

Brian Hayes: The advent of women fighting in the UFC came right in the middle of development for UFC 1, so we were only able to add the Bantamweights as a playable division. For UFC 2, we have the ability to create female fighters and play Career Mode, or Ultimate Team with them.

EA Sports UFC 2 has been hyped as “ridiculously good looking”. What new graphical features and systems have been added to achieve a higher graphical standard over the previous game?

Brian Hayes: That was me! Our Art Director was like, “Dude, seriously?” But, I’m a big Zoolander fan and the game does look amazing. UFC1 looked pretty awesome as well, so there wasn’t a lot required in terms of overhauling features, it was more a process of adding to and refining what was already there. One of the nicest things is our improved hair physics because of how it accentuates the impact of strikes in the game. But the entire graphical package is better and in my opinion, the fighters look better than ever.

Will there be any extra characters like martial arts legend Bruce Lee included down the line?

Brian Hayes: We might have some announcements regarding additional fighters at some point, so stick around and we’ll let you know if we do .

"At the end of the day, Holly Holm’s win over Ronda was worldwide news in large part, if not entirely due to the impact that Ronda had on women’s MMA and the UFC and she deserved the spot for that alone which is why were happy to announce her on the cover beforehand."

Will the game run at 1080p on both PS4 and Xbox One? What frame rate are you subsequently targeting?

Brian Hayes: The game runs at 1080p, and renders at 30fps with motion blur. We’ve found that going to 60fps doesn’t have a hugely beneficial impact, and people in testing have told us that the game actually looks better at 30fps with motion blur.

When exactly in Spring 2016 can we expect EA Sports UFC 2? Will the series ever head to PC at any point?

Brian Hayes: We’ll be sharing these details when we can.

As someone who is working exclusively on next gen consoles, what are your thoughts on claims of these consoles becoming obsolete in the next few years when compared to a high enc PC? Do you think consoles will hold their own at a graphics level when compared to the PC technology?

Brian Hayes: Graphics used to be the “end-all, be-all” to some degree. But I think we’ve seen evidence recently to say that awesome graphics aren’t everything. An engaging experience is what really matters. Content is what matters. I don’t know how limited consoles are compared to a high-end PC in that regard, because that comes from solid design more than it does from GPU horsepower.

Finally, what are your thoughts on the EA “cover athlete curse” especially given Ronda Rousey’s first loss via knockout shortly after she was announced as the cover athlete for EA Sports UFC 2?

Brian Hayes: I’m not a superstitious person, so I tend to look at it as an example of confirmation bias. The fact is, if you make it on to the cover of an EA SPORTS game – that means you’re playing a professional sport which is inherently dangerous to begin with. People get injured. Then, with special consideration for being on the cover of a fighting game, it means you were at the top of the mountain, everybody is gunning for you, and you’re always fighting a top contender. At the end of the day, Holly Holm’s win over Ronda was worldwide news in large part, if not entirely due to the impact that Ronda had on women’s MMA and the UFC and she deserved the spot for that alone which is why were happy to announce her on the cover beforehand.

Is there anything else you want to tell us before we let you go?

Brian Hayes: EA SPORTS UFC 2 is going to be awesome and I have to get back to work!

Like PES, FIFA has been undergoing a shift in visual quality in the past two years. The Ignite Engine debuted in FIFA 14 two years ago and since then, it’s been used in every major current gen sports title from EA. It’s not all about better character animation, which has improved “ten-fold” over the previous generation or more realistic stadium members or even the improved physics to limbs and clothing. Ignite has also been pegged to feature better artificial intelligence calculations and allow its players to behave more akin to real-life athletes. Such a change in visual direction was to be expected and Ignite also lends itself to physical based rendering for added realism.

FIFA 16 on both the Xbox One and PS4 runs at 1920×1080 resolution and 60 frames per second. V-Sync is employed to ensure a steady frame rate during gameplay but this drops to 30 FPS in cinematic scenes like close-ups and replays, both manual and general. Oddly enough, frame rate spikes have been noticed during camera changes but it’s near instantaneous and you won’t even notice it.

MSAA 2x is employed for both versions of the game and does a great job of smoothening out any jaggies. The result is most apparent in objects with intense curves in their complex geometry – as a result, stadiums are of the highest image quality throughout. The PC version goes a step further with MSAA 4x which results in even better looking curves.

EA Sports made a pretty big deal about improved crowd graphics in FIFA 16 and despite how dumb some of the animations look, it’s managed to fulfill that promise. Models are now fully 3D and LOD relies on a less aggressive model to ensure clarity of details when the camera pans in and out. While the actual reactions don’t appeal to us, it’s hard to deny that FIFA 16 has the best crowd reactions till date in any football title.

Head to head comparison between PS4, Xbox One and PC versions. Select 1080p and 60fps option for best possible video quality.

When observing shadows throughout the gameplay, many of them appeared smooth but we noticed some dithering every now and then. This was noticed only on the console versions, primarily during cinematic cut scenes, replays and celebrations. The PC version doesn’t have this issue, thankfully. It should also be noted that Xbox One fans receive motion blur right out of the box along with all the other platform versions. Last year’s FIFA 15 saw motion blur patched in later and it’s a small sign of progress that helps maintain visual parity among the various platforms.

Even with dithering issues and 30 FPS frame rates, the replays are still one of the highlights in FIFA 16. The cinematic filter combined with the best goals, tackles and close calls really lend that extra polish to the presentation whether you’re a football fan or not.

That being said, all three versions suffer from inconsistent texture filtering. Trilinear filtering appears to have been used, which results in loss of details the further one looks into the distance. This is most noticeable with grass strands and goal bars looking blurry and losing detail when viewed from afar. Also, strangely enough, all three versions also feature weird player animations during gameplay and post gameplay sequences. Some good examples are the goal keeper quickly getting up to save from another shooting attempt or when a player slides again (resulting in an instant second step). Both animations look pretty jerky and remind us that Ignite’s skeletal animation system still requires a lot of work.

Player faces and models also look a bit off at times. The on-field emotions come across as incomplete as well and while one could point to the complexity of the system at play, PES 16 does a much more graceful job. We’ll look into just how deeply the two differ in this regard in the future.

At least the settings and environmental effects are well implemented. As with past installments, FIFA 16 features day/night settings along with rain and snow effects. This time around, they’re dynamic and you’ll even notice the playing field suffering from natural wear and tear like skid marks, foot prints, etc. Even players’ hands, legs and clothes tend to get dirty as a match proceeds. We even noticed water squeezing out from the bottoms of shoes or in impressive streaks as the ball moves through the field. The wet weather doesn’t really affect the appearances of players though, and function more as subtle graphical touches.

Oddly enough, FIFA 16 on the PC doesn’t sport a range of graphical options to tinker with. You can adjust the resolution, with choices up to 3840×2160, low or high rendering quality, MSAA 2x or 4x, locked 30/60 FPS or limitless FPS and the ability to disable the Windows Aero theme in case of micro-stuttering. We’re not sure if this is better or worse than PES 16’s three graphical presets though FIFA 16 looks way better on PC.

Testing the performance on an Intel Core i7-5960X with 16 GB of RAM, we benchmarked on two different GPUs at 1920×1080 resolution.

Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 – Average: 240 FPS, Minimum: 218 FPS

Nvidia GeForce GTX 950 – Average: 160 FPS, Minimum: 122 FPS

We then tested these at 4K resolution.

Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 – Average: 133 FPS, Minimum: 106 FPS

Nvidia GeForce GTX 950 – Average: 63 FPS, Minimum: 42 FPS

In short, PC players can look forward to strong performance all throughout and even those with mid-range GPUs will have a good time. Oddly enough, we noticed a bit of screen tearing at times in the PC version. While it doesn’t occur often, there’s no denying its existence. One would hope this has already been patched.

Overall, all three versions are incredibly similar to each other. The PC version features better anti-aliasing and shadow quality with no dithering despite minimal screen tearing but otherwise, the PS4 and Xbox One versions perform very well. Unfortunately, it seems we’ll have to wait until FIFA 17 for better character animations and physics.

Note: Bill Smith carried out the performance analysis.

EA Sports’ next entry in the long running FIFA series, FIFA 16 is finally available however certain users are facing some issues with the PC version. For that purpose we have compiled a tech guide that may help you resolve the problems. Please be advised that the following methods are to be used at the sole discretion of the platform owner. GamingBolt or its staff members take no responsibility for problems that may arise or issues that may occur from trying the below. Always remember that official support is always the best support. 

Some users are facing crashing issues. In such a scenario make sure you have updated GPU drivers for your Nvidia or AMD card. If that does not work, try running any executable in the game’s folder for any .dll issue. Some users are also facing resolution or black bars issue. This is most likely and AMD GPU issue. However there is a possible fix. Try the following steps listed here.

If you are facing lag or connectivity issue, you need to make sure that following ports are opened: UDP: 3659, 9565, 9570, 9000 – 9999, TCP: 3569, 9946, 9988, 10000 – 20000, 42124. Several users are also facing Transfer Market issues, please note that there is no known fix so it will most likely be fixed by EA. Some users have also reported that they are locked out of FUT 16 Web App. This is a known issue and it will most likely be fixed by EA

If you get the message that FIFA16.exe has stopped working, try right clicking on the game in Origin and click Repair Install. If you are facing stuttering and screen tearing, try setting v-sync to adaptive in your GPU control panel.

Note: Given that the wide range of PC hardware out there, the fixes mentioned here may or may not work for you. But it’s worth giving them a shot since these have worked for players who own the PC version of FIFA 16.

Furthermore, we also take a look at how you can earn coins, cash and money faster along with how you can unlock some of the trophies and achievements in the game. FIFA 16 is available on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, iOS, Android and PC platforms. The game is developed by EA Canada and published by EA Sports.

Let us know if you have any questions in the comments section below.

Basic Guide to FIFA 16:

Defending and tackling in FIFA 16:

It goes without saying that defending is a crucial part of any soccer/football game and FIFA 16 is no different. However FIFA 16 takes it a step ahead with improved animations and AI to help you defend better as a team. Remember, in order defend to better you need to defend better as a team and FIFA 16 makes it slightly easier by providing players with 25 different changes to the overall defensive strategies with each AI [non playable player] acting according to the speed, distance and acceleration of the football. They will accordingly form strategies and circle in on the attacker, obviously with the player input.

If you are a veteran player, you will be pleased to know that FIFA 16 now supports fake tackles, further frustrating the opposing player. Crosses can be intercepted using mid-air tackles and full body tackles can be performed while your opposing player is attacking. However, as usual be careful as aggressive tackling can get you a yellow card and in some case a red one too.

Passing and Interception in FIFA 16:

Passing in FIFA 16 has been revamped to support better passing abilities. Players can now pass the ball in narrow gaps provided they do it with the correct timing. This is called as ping driven ground passes in the game wherein accuracy is improved to find the right pass to the right player. Interception has been revamped as well, in both attacking and defensive modes. When you have possession, attackers will be closer to you and try and find space for passing. When you are defending, defenders will quickly circle in to give you the right moment to put in a tackle.

FIFA Trainer:

FIFA 16 comes in with FIFA trainer that will try and sharpen up new comers to the series. Veterans can use it to further improve their skills.

FIFA 16 – FIFA Ultimate Team – FUT 16 – Guide:

Buying and Selling:

FUT 16 now includes and improved buy and sell system wherein the prices will have a wider range compared to the previous iterations. EA Sports plans to keep the price range as wide as possible provided there is less coin farming. The developers have taken steps against coin farming by tweaking the economy system. To begin with they have split the Transfer Market across generations which basically means that items cannot be shared across cross gen.

The Best Tips And Tricks:

The Best FIFA 16 ULTIMATE TEAM DRAFT:

The Best FIFA 16 ULTIMATE TEAM DRAFT – ATTACK

Tutorials:

We have compiled a list of videos that will take you through FIFA 16 gameplay features including dribbling, curled free kicks, skilled moves and more.

No Touch Dribbling

How To Score Curled Free Kicks

Intermediate Skill Moves – Stand Fake Pass, Heel Flick Turn, Simple Rainbow

How To Score Penalties

How To Score Long Shots

How To Score Power Free Kicks

Advanced Defending

Basic Skill Moves: Step Over, Ball Roll, Roulette

Basic Defending

New Celebrations Tutorial

Gameplay Innovations: Defense, Midfield, Attack

Making money, cash and coins faster in FIFA 16:

We have compiled a list of videos that will help you earn faster in FIFA 16.

How to make coins and money faster without using any cheats and codes:

Youtuber MrFifaUltimateGamer has revealed a new method of earning coins faster. You can check out the entire explanation below.

How to make 20,000 coins faster:

How to make Profit faster:

Fastest way to make tons of Coins:

How to make 50,000 coins faster:

How To Get 100,000 coins Every Day Using FUT 16 Web App

Coin Farming, FIFA Points Glitch & Price Ranges

How to make 25,000 coins using the best trading method:

Achievements and Trophies Guide:

Can’t touch this

Beat an opposing player using no touch dribbling.

Threading the needle

Assist a goal using a driven ground pass

Play Beautiful

Score a goal after 10 consecutive passes in the opposing third of the pitch

Take aim

Have 100% shot accuracy in a match (10 shots minimum on target).

I am the boss

Substitute your star player in a match (highest rated player in the team).

I brought the ball

Have more than 65% possession in a match

Fair Play! 

Finish a match without conceding a foul against you (off-sides do not count)

Around the wall 

Score a goal with a curled free kick

Set-piece specialist 

Score 2 goals from a corner in a match.

It’s a lottery

Win a penalty shoot-out.

Go for it! 

During open play, score a long-distance goal with a defender (25 yards out)

Half-time pep-talk

Win a match against the Legendary CPU after being down at half-time

The Invincibles 

Win all 4 matches in an Online FUT Draft session in FIFA Ultimate Team

Testing the waters

Win all 4 matches in a Single Player FUT Draft session in FIFA Ultimate Team

Legacy in the making

First match appearance of a player bought from the Transfer Market in FIFA Ultimate Team

FUT 50 105

Have a player score their 50th goal at the club in FIFA Ultimate Team

No hard feelings, right?

Win a Friendly Season in FIFA Ultimate Team

Trial offer 

Sign a Loan Player from the EASFC Catalogue

A loyal ally is hard to find 

Buy a player from the FUT Transfer Market and earn his loyalty by playing 10 or more games with him

Molded to perfection 

Apply your first Chemistry Style consumable in FIFA Ultimate Team

Trial of power 

Challenge and complete a match against the Team of the Week in FIFA Ultimate Team

Class of ’16 

Win a division title in FIFA Ultimate Team Seasons

Mutiny!

Change your captain in FIFA Ultimate Team

Just for inspiration 

Copy a Squad from the end of an online match in FIFA Ultimate Team

Try-outs 

Use all 7 substitutions in a Pre-Season game in Career Mode

Head start 

Win a Pre-Season tournament in Career Mode

All bases covered 

Complete all basic Skill Games

Teacher’s pet 

Get an A grade for all the drills in a Skill Games category

Lead by example 

Improve 1 attribute in Player Career Mode

I’ll do it myself

Play 5 training drills in Manager Career Mode.

Adding some context 

Play a full match with the FIFA Trainer overlays turned on.

Dream-team in progress 

Sign a world class player in Manager Career mode (80+ rated)

Going up? 

Earn Promotion in Online Head to Head Seasons (must be obtained through game-play)

Proving grounds 

Play a Drop-In Match in Pro Clubs

Friendship test

Finish an Online Friendlies Season

More to come

Complete and win your first Pro Club Seasons league match

Just a little off the sides 

Change your Online Pro haircut

Grab the popcorn 

Watch an EA SPORTS News video.

Going Pro 15

Join a club with your Online Pro and play your first match in Pro Clubs

We are the champions 

Win a Division Title in Online Head to Head Seasons (must be obtained through game-play)

Social craving 

Share an EA SPORTS Football Club Activity.

Giving back 

Gift an EA SPORTS Football Club Catalogue Item.

All for myself 

Purchase an EA SPORTS Football Club Catalogue Item

We 

Play a women’s football match

New Silverware 

Win the Women’s International Cup tournament.

5 star performance 

Score 5 goals in a women’s football match.

I got this! 

Perform a slide tackle and keep possession of the ball in a women’s football match.

Got flair? 

Score a goal with a Flair Shot in a women’s football match.