With E3 upon us, our first real look at FIFA 16 is coming this week. After news released about the inclusion of the Women's National teams pre-empting this summer's Women's World Cup, many FIFA fans felt a bit disappointed there was not more news beyond that. As great as it is to have women's soccer being represented in FIFA, impatience still gets the better of all us at times, but in this instance it's best we practice a little bit of it. With another summer of footy action (the aforementioned Women's World Cup, MLS action, the crazy summer transfer rumors and Copa Sundamerica 2015) we'll have plenty of footy to keep us occupied as FIFA 16 news is slowly released. It's with that in mind that we'll take a look at what FIFA 16 must get right in order to maintain its spot on the throne.


1. Unique Player & Team Styles

FIFA 16 will have all of the key European licenses secured, but in order to truly replicate the beautiful game the team over at EA Canada must take it a step further and deliver on player likenesses and team styles. Players must feel, respond and act differently. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two of the best players of this generation, and while they both score goals at astronomical rates, the methods with which they do this could not be more different. Ronaldo relies on step-overs, great flat-line speed, and unrivaled confidence going towards goal with both feet and his head. Messi does his damage with incredibly close dribbling control, shoulder drops and a low center of gravity that allows him to fend off defenders who try to lean on the diminutive-sized man.

FIFA 15 improved upon its team-management tactics even if the CPU did not use them in the same manner. FIFA 15 did a great job by adding different situational team mentalities (all-out-attack, park the bus, etc...) but formations remained pretty stagnant throughout the match/career. Barcelona would employ the same formation in Year 1 and Year 10 despite bringing in different types of players. It would be a welcome addition to see the CPU throw on an additional striker instead of pushing a center-back forward.

Team styles and mentalities are what make football matches interesting, much like the old boxing cliche that states "styles make fights." The variation between team styles is not evident enough. Barcelona and Real Madrid are two of the top clubs in the world and to an extent both play the 4-3-3 (4 defenders, 3 midfielders, and 3 attackers). The way they go about playing the 4-3-3 could not be more different. Where Barcelona looks to hold on to possession while applying massive pressure on defense, Real Madrid looks to use their speed on the wings with their unmatched athleticism. Conversely, in England, Arsenal and Stoke City play opposite styles. While some of this can be mitigated through applying custom team tactics, the onus should be on EA Canada to get this right out of the box for the top-tier clubs.


2. Career Mode Fixes

FIFA’s Manager Mode has seen many improvements over the years. Additions like the Youth Academy, the ability to manage a National side and Global Scouting Network have all contributed to the best season experience outside of Football Manager. While these additions have been a huge hit with the community, they are not without their flaws. Whether it is unrealistic Board expectations, a flawed progression system or the interesting transfer logic, the mode still has significant room for improvement.

One of the main areas in which Manager Mode can improve is the Youth Academy. Young prospects too frequently come into the system with flawed physical stats or physical characteristics that don’t match their position (i.e. 6-foot-3 wingers or 5-foot-6 center backs). Speaking of positions, youth products are position locked, which means that your young Gareth Bale cannot make the transition from left back to full-out attack without running the risk of missing out on key development points. Far too many below-average athletes enter the youth team creating the dilemma of, “do I play the technically skilled but below average player or the better athlete whose left leg is only for standing?” There needs to be more happy mediums when it comes to skills vs physical traits. Player progression needs to be balanced throughout the year, forcing the manager to make key decisions year-around and not just after May 1.

Disabling the first transfer window was a key addition a few years back and allowed players to at least play a half-season before the CPU went crazy in the Transfer Market. While it’s good that the CPU actively wheels and deals in the summer months/January, some of the moves can quickly spiral out of control. Aside from the usual Aguero to Real Madrid and Benzema to Arsenal stuff, the CPU too frequently stockpiles players at the same position. I have personally seen Real Madrid with keepers Manuel Neur, Iker Casillas and David Da Gea. No club, not even Real Madrid, would keep that many high-profile keepers (and wage earners) on the books for even a year.

Board expectations can be downright brutal at times, leading many of us to call for the ability to turn off firing. While the expectations can be realistic at top clubs like Real Madrid and Chelsea, those of us who like to take middle-of-the-pack sides would like to be given the time to build your club as you see fit. Objectives should be prioritized because clubs like Sunderland only have one mission in real life: avoid relegation. If you achieve mid-table success with Sunderland, the board should be willing to overlook your early exit from either the FA or Capital One Cups. Conversely, if you’re a club like Chelsea the ultimate prize should be the Champions League (European Cup in the game) trophy. On top of that, a Top 4 finish with a deep run in Europe should have you safe for a few years.

Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the issue with CPU squad rotations. I have played Manchester United close to 10 times in Manager Mode and can only recall seeing David Da Gea start two or three times. Our posters here in the FIFA forum have been quick to point out the issue regarding stamina being the main culprit for overly rotated squads. Perhaps a deeper look at the stamina ratings by EA Canada is required.

3) Presentation


FIFA 15’s presentation was a huge hit amongst fans. The addition of the Sky Sports matchday package to the English Premier League allowed players to really feel what makes a matchday in England’s top flight feel so special. From the authentic stadiums to the crowd-specific chants, the immersion factor was at an all-time high. Despite this, there are a few ways in which EA Canada can take this to the next level.

Interactive and adaptive commentary is one such area. While the commentary in the FIFA series is generally good, it could really improve in-game as it relates to what’s going on in your match, specifically the ebb and flow of the match. There are too many canned lines that quickly become cliché (lines about the 2014 World Cup for example), and in Career Mode there is little to no mention of what’s going on around the league. In addition, the return of a more user-friendly Custom Audio Center would win over fans of lower-level clubs that don’t have custom chants in the game.

Leagues outside of England could really use some love as well. More stadiums from Italy, Spain (The new San Mames – Athletic Bilbao), and Germany would really go a long way in expanding EA’s grip on Europe. The addition of national stadiums could also help to really spice up tournaments like the World Cup and Euro 2016.

A few years back when EA introduced live scores/audio updates from other league/tournament matches, they took a huge step towards immersion. Adding some kind of studio show with highlights from other matches during halftime would take this to the next level.


There's no doubt that FIFA 16 will be a success when it comes to sales. The global demand and popularity mean that units will move rapidly off the shelves. In order for it to garner critical acclaim amongst reviewers and fans, FIFA 16 must continue down the path of what has made them successful up until this point. What do you think EA needs to do in order to continue it's successful run with the FIFA franchise as we move closer to the release of FIFA 16?