Cologne, Germany – David Rutter, producer of FIFA 2010 took the stage at the EA Press Conference in anticipation of the GamesCom in Cologne. He emphasized the previous success of the Fifa franchise so far but promised that the new installment, which is scheduled for a October 2nd release in European territories and a October 10th release in the United States, would be greatly improved compared to previous installments.
These improvements include upgraded online features such as improved matchmaking and the ability to filter out certain types of matches set on player preferences. Also, a new feature called ‘Virtual pro’ will be added to the game mode, which allows players to upload their picture on the Fifa ’10 website and import it to design players in their own likeness.
Players will also be able to take command of a single player during a match, and play online matches with teams consisting of several active players. Downloadable content will be emphasized, though further details were not revealed. The practice arena will be expanded as well, and can be customized so that players can practice any move they wish. Gameplay will be tweaked further and players will be able to execute reflex blocks and players in the field will react to urgent situations and make desperate moves depending on the situation.
A new set-piece creator will also be added to the game, allowing players to customize their advanced strategies. Physical interaction between players and the ball will be further expanded, allowing for more complex attacks. The game will also feature 360-degree dribbling, allowing players to fluently move across the field rather than just in the classic 8 directions.
The game will be released on Playstation 2 and 3, Nintendo Wii, PC and Xbox 360. A separate version of the game will be released for handhelds.