Play Online With Your Friends In The Switch Version Of FIFA 19

Wasn't EA's reasoning before for Fifa 18 not having decent online on Switch, that the system wasn't up to snuff with online features? Funny how they U-turned on 19 but left 18 as is. Maybe I'm wrong but it seems lazy to me

Not a big FIFA or sports game player, but I am very happy to see a more concerted effort from EA to improve the game experience of their IP on the Switch this year compared to last year's efforts. I hope they bring a few more sports and non-sports titles to the console in the coming years. As it seems they have realized in recent months, the Switch can handle more than you think!

None of my friends play video games. But I'll see if I want to pick this up because I like soccer even though I don't play it outdoors it's nice to have FIFA to add to my Switch collection. I like soccer!

Good on EA for continuing to support the Switch! While I may not like them (and I don't watch nor play football), I have to give them props for helping Nintendo grow.

I'm amazed that this is actually news. Good on EA for...giving a crap, I guess.

They had to integrate this feature for 19. It was forgivable last time because I don't think anyone was really sure whether it was worth continuing to invest in this platform. But now that everyone can see Switch is here to stay, it's time to start rounding out these features.

Adding online will mean that they’ll finally get more money. I hope they’ll pay attention to the sales numbers this time!!

EA should be selling Unravel 2 on Switch instead, not more sports games.

Is EA like Nintendo when Nintendo makes marginal improvements over their online infrastructure?

Im a little worried about the 'looks and feels like the PS4/XBO' part, because I actually prefer the feel of the Switch version. The PS4/XBO games are a bit on the slow side for me.

I guess ill gamble and trade in '18 before '19 releases.

@Nincompoop why cant they release both. Doesn't have to be one or the other

How about adding it to 18 for now...

Wait the previous didn’t let you play with friends? I generally don’t play sports games so I didn’t know that, but that sounds fairly backwards, dang!

@ShadJV You could play online with randoms but not friends. It was a bizarre omission and still frustrates me to this day,seeing how a lot of folks on my friend list regularly play FIFA.

I’m not a FIFA fan, but bought 18 as it was on sale - and I’m utterly loving it (possibly because I just too England to World Cup victory). I doubt I’ll get 19 though as my football itch is already being scratched, and I don’t online play

It seems like 18 is going to be an all around improvement over 19.

Great news for me. I loved 18 on the Switch and this would make it even better

Certainly sounds like they improved the game!

@GrailUK It is nice to see the improvements developers are able to make now that they are getting more used to the hardware. Hopefully we will start to see some better optimized 3'rd party games, Nintendo and Bethesda have done a good job of showing off what can be done so far.

@JayJ Absolutely.Sure we won't get the cutting edge AAA stuff, but luckily if all games were like that, companies would go bust!

I'm relieved and excited that FIFA '19 will come to Switch with the ability to play friends online. However, the description sounds like the barest of bones. Play online friendlies? Why can't we have online Friends Only, League and Cup tournaments?

I'd love to get 8 or more folks of my Friends list and play a knockout Cup or hell, an ongoing season where we can play matches over a longer period of time.

The way FIFA '19 Online with Friends is being described we will have to go back to those old days where you arrange a 'friendly' and record the score on pen and paper (or on the FIFA '19 forum thread) and basically record the results game by game ourselves in order to make it like a league table or cup competition.

@Captain_Gonru FAST RMX on Switch has online play with friends and Shin'en are a very small studio. Don't make excuses for EA's laziness.

Not sure EA can be given credit for supporting the switch - FIFA is the only game coming this year - real shame.

File it under “better than nothing” I guess. 18 is a great game on switch - was hoping Madden and NHL would join and see no reason unravel couldn’t too.

Most played switch game. 100’s of hours played. EA have supported the title well and deserve credit for that. Roll on 19.

Good to see them put some effort in to this. Coming to terms with Switch tech probably pays off for EA as they can expect to run the same engine on quite many Android devices around the world.

@Pichuka97 At best it suggests Nintendo Switch Online may not be garbage (the paid online subscription will be in effect by the time FIFA 19 launches).

@Lroy It does say it tracks your rivalry over a 5 match season and invite anyone from your friends list. The wording isn't clear,but perhaps a few friends can join in on the mini 5 game league.. Hopefully it tallies how many mini leagues you've won also.

@Pichuka97 yeah, they said at the time they hadn't found a way to make it work due to the switch's limitations. How is it lazy? That is such a dumb assessment. Ever think they spent a lot of time trying to get this to work and thus it isn't lazy? It amazes me that idiots are allowed on the internet.

They have spent 9 months working with Nintendo. If you were a FIFA fan you would know that. This is to get online working. And also to get it so two devices that are nearby can play.

Isn't Pokémon lazy? That they claim its design that keeps the series from becoming more than "baby's first RPG" isn't that lazy? That they call limitations of Gameboy a design choice now?

Have the graphics been improved?

@Folkloner

Oh okay... And a PS4 pro can handle 4k, stop being lazy Nintendo!!!

That is using your logic. There are many reasons they cannot just set up online. Especially when matchmaking is so important. Playing with friends is one thing, but playing competative...

You guys, that clearly have not played much, if any, FIFA games and simply are using such idiotic logic.

RMX has online. Wow. Really? Except that is a racer and Welp... Racers are easier to do online for. In fact racers are the easiest games of all time, going back to games like old NFS and Outrun. The fact you think that RMX and FIFA are comparable shows a ignorance.

EA are testing waters on a system that is unique because of how it is set up. The online service has been called into question by most of the industry. Funny how some here had a go at the online but now contradict that by claiming the online is good and needs no work and that all Devs should find it easy to include. Ha.

There is a reason it took time for Fortnite to be considered on the Switch and it's the same reason we never see a Battlefield or Overwatch on the system.

I love the switch, but to say a developer and the team are lazy because a system is weak. I mean you do realise all but Switch now use the same architecture? You do know that right? You do know that switch is the odd one out? And the fact they made a custom version of FIFA shows they aren't lazy. Your comments show that Nintendo fangirls are as bad as xboners. And that you are special little princesses that live in a world sheltered from reality. "EA are lazy because the first attempt wasn't perfect and didn't include every feature!" I mean Jesus.

Please go learn how Nintendo have set up their online servers and how Xbox live and PSN is set up.(bearing in mind Microsoft provide the tech to Sony for the PSN to work meaning that the set up is the same on both formats) and look at how Origin is set up on PC. Now also realise that those 3 versions are all the same and they have nearly 23 times as many customers. And their online services have been tested. This isn't the first FIFA they have released on those formats. 18 was the first Switch FIFA.

But whatever. I think Nintendo fangirls have forgotten that the Switch isn't that powerful. In handheld mode it's a beast... But in docked mode it's a joke. And that is what EA know. The designers are thinking about how to add unique things to the switch to take advantage of it being a handheld.

Also, just to ask... You do know that Sony and MS don't require you to connect your phone to the console to use chat features, right? Think about what else could be unique about how the switch does stuff, and now think about why maybe there have been obstacles to get online working to the same level it does on console and PC.

@JudgeMethos

What do you mean? That is such a generic question.

Do you mean are the models higher poly? No. They aren't.

Do you mean is there more AA?
Yes. There will be as the engine is more optimised for both lighting and AA.

Do you mean is there nVidia gameworks?
No. It's a switch. That is why Nintendo are considering a new Switch for 2019 to include the nVidia chip.

I'm really trying to understand people on here.

The changes are usually how they design the models and about making the animations better.

But since it's a physics based game I would more hope they improve collision and physics and focused on getting the engine running smooth. I would also prefer to see them work on making sure the game plays the same as it's counterparts, so switching from PS or XO doesn't require adjusting time. I really could care less about the graphics. If that is what matters to you then get a PC or PS4 pro. On a tiny screen in 720p the graphics are already good enough. Let's not try and improve the graphics for docked, just to see those models and the engine to cause problems for handheld mode. Fine if you want two versions of the cart: a docked one with higher poly models for the OC GPU to render and a cart for handheld that uses lower size textures and lower poly models to make sure FPS stays in the realms of playable.

People really need to learn more about gaming. Right now Devs take a lot of stick. From comments to YouTube. We even get death threats. That is not cool. I think the gaming community needs to realise how much blood, sweat and tears go into games design. The fact that at uni we get no life. That we have to be trained in everything from Substance to Photoshop. That we have to be architects, anthropologists, engineers, artists, historians, etc. We have to be able to do more than just use blueprints in unreal and buy assets from a store.

And we work bloody hard. Sometimes 80-100 hours a week. At deadline we are stressed out. We miss birthdays, births, first words, first steps and all for a community that at times really is the most toxic environment in society. We don't want stardom. We don't want to be like Kojima or Peter "the liar" Molyneux. But we do want a little respect. And maybe that the community tries to understand...

You people at times rip apart our lives, our ability and our livelihoods. And tbh it is now showing. That is why steam is filled with crap. Designers have had enough. And now you are being drowned with asset flips and unfinished games. The good guys have had their hearts destroyed. So you are left with the bad.

The games community can be the greatest. When you get told how much your work, your creation and your baby means to someone. When someone hands you a piece of fan art. Some of the stories you hear are what make it all worth it.

We don't do this job because we want money. We do it because we are gamers. It's about time the community gave us a break. Stop calling us "lazy" as sometimes the community has to take credit for a hostile environment it helped to create just as much as Unbisoft, Activision and EA has.

And I agree. You should always hold Devs and publishers who have done wrong accountable. But now we are always the scapegoat.

Let me put it this way: if nobody had paid for loot boxes they wouldn't exist. If nobody paid for microtransactions in mobile games they would be better quality. Instead you created this partly. Now take ownership and realise gaming doesn't belong to the small section that have to be so nasty. Gaming is for everyone.

@R4z0rGr1nd3r ... If it's such a 'generic question, don't bother answering it. Sheesh😒 I'm wondering how improved it is if it's "closer to the PS4/Xbox One." What's with the attitude? Have a nice day and calm down.

@Captain_Gonru
No EA are lazy. Matchmaking has been possible on any system since online play started and other devs manage fine on the Switch. If a dev like Shinen can do it with a team of about 5 guys, then there's no reason EA couldn't with their vast resources.

The other modes weren't left out because they were impossible on Switch, again it was just EA were lazy. They didn't even say it was due to technical difficulties, just that having too many modes would be overwhelming for Switch owners (like we've never played games before) so they kept it bare bones so as not to confuse us.

The truth is that they rushed '18 out with as little effort as possible and now that it has proved to be a viable seller they are putting a little bit more effort in.

@Grumblevolcano If that's the case then, I'm down. Fingers crossed

No Command & Conquer, No Burnout, No Madden for Nintendo Switch. I guess EA hates our MONEY!

@Nincompoop

The should be selling both games on Switch.

Unless there’s a upgrade plan (yeah, silly me) I think is not worth it for me. Even if online friend playing is cross platform (haven’t read all the news about next FIFA on Switch) I’m going to hold on to FIFA 20. Good enough for me and having the Workd Cup mode is a very much welmcome addition.

Why would people play this game, online, on the Switch when every other option is far superior to online game-play?

@R4z0rGr1nd3r Not disagreeing with your overall points, but calling people idiots and morons isn't the best way to get your point across.

@Pichuka97 Well if they fixed the old one, therebwouldnt be any reason to buy the new one! 😉

Fifa 18 world cup update keeps crashing on my system, seems like they went mega backwards since the update which included the world cup.... amazed that its still not fixed

EA didn't do it before because they didn't fully believe in Switch.

They now see that it prints money so they put in the leg-work to make online feasible.

They still won't release Madden on it because there's limited growth opportunities there. But FIFA has huge potential the world over to sell like hotcakes on Switch.

@R4z0rGr1nd3r All those points made by yourself to defend EA but strangely not one mention of Rocket League which works perfectly well on Switch with a far more complex online infrastructure and matchmaking system than FIFA has. So how did they get that to work then?