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When it comes to cult sports games, FIFA has definitely conquered the world. EA Sports’ wildly popular soccer series is none other than the world’s highest-grossing sports video game franchise. And the latest installment in the series makes no exception. Released in September 2022, FIFA 23 amassed a record-breaking 10.3 million players in its first week. As a matter of fact, the latest FIFA title will also be the last to bear the iconic name as the agreement between EA Sports and FIFA comes to an end. So, does the game shake up the formula enough to be worth giving a try for newcomers and long-time fans alike? From updates to new additions, we’ve compiled five cool facts to know about FIFA 23.
Women’s Football
FIFA 16 was the first entry to introduce women’s football as early as 2015. But FIFA 23 has taken female representation to the next level. Whereas FIFA 16 only comprised 12 women’s international teams, the latest title brings out the best national clubs to the Kick-Off mode. Both the English Women’s Super League and the French Division 1 Féminine are now fully licensed. Gamers may snatch the Champions League trophy just as Olympique Lyonnais did in 2022 or play it like Sam Kerr with Chelsea. A first for a woman footballer, the Australian forward even made it to this year’s global cover alongside PSG striker Kylian Mbappé.
HyperMotion 2 Technology
The FIFA franchise has long prided itself in its realism, and the introduction of HyperMotion technology in FIFA 22 showed how far the series had come. While exclusive to next-gen consoles, the enhanced HyperMotion 2 takes hyper-realism up a notch. This highly intuitive technology has brought over 6,000 new animations captured from real live matches, resulting in more responsive and accurate moves from players on the pitch. Gameplay-wise, the technology allows for much more organic corners, penalties, and free kicks. The new AcceleRATE feature also levels out the playing field for tall and strong players, as the likes of Erling Haaland or Harry Kane used to be at an unfair disadvantage compared to their fast and explosive on-screen counterparts.
Fresh Teams
Soccer fans might find it frustrating to play FIFA with any other team than the club they wholeheartedly support. Thankfully, every FIFA iteration brings its new set of familiar jerseys. And FIFA 23 has the most extensive roster of clubs and leagues so far. This year, Bianconeri may rejoice as the iconic Juventus makes a much-anticipated comeback. The Italian legendary club was previously licensed by Konami. Followers of the English fifth division can also have a blast with the introduction of the Vanarama National League. And with the world’s most exciting soccer tournament just around the corner in Qatar, all 32 qualified international sides are showing up. But a future World Cup mode is reportedly set to include as many as 48 playable teams.
World Cup Mode
The World Cup update that was released during the Russian tournament in 2018 was a massive success among FIFA enthusiasts. And a recent leak has shown that a similar feature was coming to FIFA 23, consisting of four sub-modes: FIFA World Cup 2022, Online Tournament, FIFA World Cup Live, and FIFA World Cup kick-off. Said mode is only due in November, though. Meanwhile, gamers may bide their time watching the highlights of the soccer season or placing early bets on who will lift the trophy in Doha. Free World Cup betting guides may help punters navigate the best online bookies. Top guides go beyond mere match result predictions to tackle goal-scoring props, individual awards, and even in-play betting. Thus, even bettors unfamiliar with soccer can benefit from valuable tip-offs. Plus, experts have scoured the web to pick an array of profitable platforms boasting the most rewarding odds
Cross-Platform Play
Hardcore FIFA fans have long awaited the opportunity to share a game with friends playing on a different console. And EA Sports has finally answered their prayers. FIFA 23 is the first entry in the series to feature crossplay right from its very launch. The downside is that only owners of consoles of the same generation may enjoy this feature. Simply put, PS4 users can face off against Xbox One opponents, whereas PS5 players can launch a game with owners of Xbox Series S/X or PC gamers. As for Nintendo Switch players, cross-platform play is unfortunately off-limits.
