EA Sports FC 24 to Launch on September 29th for Consoles and PC
EA has announced the release date for the inaugural game of their revamped soccer series, marking the beginning of a fresh chapter. EA Sports FC 24 is set to launch on September 29th, available on various platforms including PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The rebranding comes as EA’s longstanding collaboration with FIFA concluded with FIFA 23, leading to the name alteration.
The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions were rumored to cost $80, but they weren’t true. The game still costs $70 on these platforms. However, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players also have to pay the same amount. EA is selling it as a “dual rights” cross-generational title. EA Sports FC 24 is also $70 on PC, compared to $60 on Switch.
The $100 Ultimate Edition includes Ultimate Team benefits, 4,600 FC points and up to seven days of advance payment. Notably, those who opt for the standard version won’t have access to the Ultimate Team Campaign mode, although they can still play the regular version of Ultimate Team – EA doesn’t want to lock any player out of one of its biggest cash cows. Meanwhile, EA is adding women to Ultimate Team for the first time, meaning men and women will play with and against each other on the same virtual field.
The release date and price information were revealed when EA showed off the actual game for the first time and announced some new features. The league formerly known as FIFA is getting two new women’s leagues: Spain’s Liga F and the Frauen-Bundesliga, the highest level of competition in Spain and Germany.
EA has signed agreements with various leagues and organizations with the aim of keeping the series as realistic as possible. EA Sports FC 24 features over 19,000 authentic players, over 30 leagues and over 100 stadiums. The company also has exclusive deals with the English Premier League and UEFA to use its brand and retain access to competitions such as the Champions League.
The Frostbite engine is still in the game this time around, though EA says it’s using an improved version. This is also the first installment in the series to use Frostbite on Switch, according to its eShop listing.
EA has also updated its HyperMotion technology. HyperMotionV (available for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC) utilizes volume data from over 180 high-level professional men’s and women’s games. “This unlocks authentic full-team movement, as well as 1,200 signature running styles, so fans can experience the unique ways elite players move,” EA says. It added that this technology could help it create new animations for EA Sports FC within days.
Another new PlayStyles feature uses real data from Opta and other sources to make players more unique. EA says this will affect gameplay and give players different features. In Ultimate Team, “PlayStyles+ enhances these signature abilities to a world-class standard – think [Erling] Haaland’s Power Shot – reflecting the ability of elite players to play at a level that few others can achieve,” the company added.
Crossplay is available between PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC, and between PS4 and Xbox One. Clubs, Co-Op Season, Volta Football and Ultimate Team Co-Op modes support cross-play for the first time. However, the Switch version of FC24 does not include crossplay.
