During EA Play, it was announced that FIFA 18 for the Nintendo Switch would have many of the same features and gameplay options like its counterparts on the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4. However, there will be two major differences for FIFA on the Nintendo Switch.
It was announced that the Switch version of FIFA will not include the highly anticipated The Journey 2 story mode. Finally, it was announced that the game will not be on EA’s Frostbite game engine.
A few months ago, I wrote an article questioning whether the sports titles will succeed on the new Nintendo Switch console. With the Nintendo Switch being a new console, growing pains would be felt as what kinds of games would work on the console is still to be determined. There were rumors circulating earlier this year that FIFA would be made for the Switch with the game engine from the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
The news of FIFA 18 for Nintendo Switch not running the Frostbite engine is disappointing and could be a strike against the console in the eyes of gamers. While 1080p visuals when you play the game docked on the HDTV is great, but the trailer that was shown during EA Play will not be what Switch fans will see when they play the game on the go. Not to say that the game won’t be well-received upon release, but there will be fans unimpressed.
The other issue is FIFA 18 for Nintendo Switch will not have The Journey 2 in the game. It is a tough thing to add everything to a new version of a game (see MyCareer for NBA 2K on last-gen consoles), particularly since The Journey requires the Frostbite engine for the full effect. There’s no real solution to bringing The Journey to the Switch, but hopefully EA could still create either a Switch-specific career mode or design The Journey 3 with the Switch in mind.
It is important to know that this is just the first edition of FIFA on the Nintendo Switch. It does seem that many, including myself, are negative about the game engine and the omission of The Journey. However, the fact that FIFA is on this console is a big deal and gives players the option of playing this game on the Switch. It will be interesting to see what happens going forward with other sports titles and if other companies will take the same route or up the ante regarding Switch-exclusive modes.
