When EA released FIFA 18 on the Switch, it was missing a number of modes and features. Given that the game was being handled by another studio in Bucharest – and given that one of the game’s producers gave the (rather fishy) excuse that they didn’t want to overwhelm Switch players with every option at once – we gave it the benefit of the doubt. It was still a great game at its core, after all.
Then, when FIFA 19 followed a year later, progress had clearly been made: some elements from the Xbox One and PS4 version like the new shooting system, the Champions League licensing and the brilliant new friendly ‘house rules’ had made it to the Switch, too. That said, though, the Switch version was still miles behind the other systems when it came to full parity, with entire modes missing and the much-loved Ultimate Team still lacking a number of key features.
And so here we are now with FIFA 20. By this point we’d hoped for a ‘third time lucky’ scenario: after all, with the other systems’ Journey story mode ending in FIFA 19, and all-new modes announced for FIFA 20, we’d hoped that EA would have taken the initiative and built on the Switch’s ever-growing popularity by ensuring the Nintendo version of FIFA 20 offered similar to its Microsoft and Sony cousins. On the contrary: it’s done absolutely nothing.
Rather than put any effort in whatsoever to regain interest in the Switch version by trying to bring it in line with other systems, EA has simply slapped a ‘Legacy Edition’ sticker on the title, taken its ball and gone home. And with that, we’ve stopped kidding ourselves and started kicking ourselves instead: this was always going to happen, and we all should have seen it coming.
To clarify, Legacy Edition is the cursed subtitle EA’s been adding to ‘dead’ updates of its games ever since FIFA 14. It presumably came about as a response to the drama caused when it was revealed (by this very writer, actually) that FIFA 13 on the Wii was identical to FIFA 12 with only the kits and squad line-ups changed. There was mass uproar about the suggestion that EA was trying to trick dedicated players on ‘lesser’ consoles by chucking the exact same game out with updated transfers, and so from FIFA 14 onwards EA started adding the ‘Legacy Edition’ name to make it clear what you’re getting. Or, rather, what you’re not getting.
What does this mean if you buy FIFA 20 on the Switch? Well, simply put, it means you’ve just bought FIFA 19 again. As with other Legacy Editions, the summer’s transfers have been updated, this season’s new kits replace the old ones and the four new stadiums added to the other versions make it in here too, but that’s literally it. Actually, sorry, you get new menu music, too. Can’t believe we nearly forgot that.
“But hey there, Nintendo Life,” we hear you ask. “What about all this shiny new Volta street football mode EA’s been going on about ever since it announced FIFA 20? All the official trailers were full of Volta this, Volta that, it sounds like a pretty big deal.” Well, we hope the weather is good, because the only way you’ll be getting street football on the Switch is by taking it outside and playing in an alleyway. There is absolutely zero trace of Volta in the Switch version of FIFA, meaning Nintendo fans are completely left out of arguably the biggest addition to this year’s instalment. We long for the glory days when FIFA 97 on the SNES got the new indoor football mode just like its big brothers on PlayStation and Saturn.
“At least Ultimate Team is still in there. That’s the big one, isn’t it?” Well, yes, but it’s identical to the Ultimate Team mode we saw in FIFA 18 and 19 (and don’t forget the one in FIFA 18 was already missing features even back then). The new 'Seasons' service – where you get XP for playing games and clearing various challenges and earn fun new rewards for hitting certain levels, like retro 16-bit footballs and the like – is nowhere to be found here.
Add this to the fact that previous years’ Ultimate Team features are still missing – no Squad Battles, no FUT Champions, no Division Rivals – and it’s little wonder that at the time of writing there are just 15,402 players and items listed on the Switch Ultimate Team transfer market (compared to well over a million on the Xbox One version). When there are no extra modes to help you gain in-game coins and you’re dealing with a transfer market that’s around 70 times smaller than on other systems, it doesn’t matter if Ultimate Team is in there. It’s dead. It’s an empty gesture.
Even the modes that did make it across last year haven’t been updated this time. The brilliant House Rules made friendlies a great laugh in FIFA 19 and EA’s added some even better rule sets in FIFA 20, including a hilarious one called Mystery Ball where each time the ball goes out of play you get different power-ups like superhuman shooting, speed boosts and... sorry, we’re wasting your time here. It isn’t in the Switch version. Neither are any of the other new ones that Xbox One and PS4 owners are currently enjoying.
We could just about grudgingly buy the spin when EA claimed that its next-gen Frostbite engine was needed to handle the story mode, and that’s why the Switch versions of FIFA 18 and 19 didn’t have it (even though the NBA 2K games look similarly impressive and have managed to pull it off on the Switch, thanks very much). But not updating something like House Rules, which already saw a degree of effort when it was added last year, is pure disrespect for the Switch fanbase.
Imagine if EA had decided to say: “Look, this isn’t working for us on Switch. For those who bought FIFA 19, you can buy a £14.99 DLC that upgrades it to the FIFA 20 Legacy Edition and is essentially a data pack updating the squads and kits”. Many would be disappointed – angry, even, at EA’s decision to abandon the Switch while it’s still riding high – but we don’t doubt at least some of FIFA 19’s small but core Switch following would have bought it. To charge £44.99 for what’s essentially a squad update, however, is nothing short of disgusting.
And let’s not forget one very important thing: don’t be under the impression that EA is at least being honest by declaring this a Legacy Edition on the box. As we stated in our FIFA 18 review, we’ve been playing a Legacy Edition ever since the series came to Switch, because the game and all its modes – including Career, which has been unchanged for so long it’s practically buried under a thick layer of dust by now – are mainly based on the Xbox 360 and PS3 Legacy Editions. That makes FIFA 20 on Switch a Legacy Edition of a Legacy Edition, which says it all really.
When EA’s Patrick Söderlund stepped on-stage in Tokyo in early 2017 during Nintendo’s Switch reveal presentation, and declared that he was such a massive Nintendo fan that he and his wife gave their son the middle name Luigi, there was a real hope that the days of the feature-free FIFA 13 on Wii U and the weird cartoony slow-mo FIFA games on Wii were over, and that football-loving Nintendo gamers were finally going to be treated with the respect they deserved. Instead, Switch owners have been short-changed with every version of FIFA the system has received to date, and you can sure as hell bet that Luigi Söderlund is playing the PS4 version instead.
FIFA 20 on Switch is a completely pointless release that nobody should buy. More infuriatingly, it sets EA up for the inevitable decision to cancel the series on Switch altogether in the coming years, at which point it’ll blame poor sales on a lack of interest from the Nintendo fanbase: because it’s obviously our fault we weren’t grateful and gullible enough to buy its quarter-hearted effort without having the common sense to notice we were paying nearly the same amount of money as the fully-featured Xbox One and PS4 versions.
Conclusion
FIFA 20 is a cynical attempt from a publisher to completely cease support for the Switch while still having the gall to suggest it deserves to be rewarded with a near-premium fee for its lack of effort. If you want to pay good money to get insulted, go heckle a big-name comedian instead: at least you'll get a smile out of it. If you don't already own a FIFA game on Switch and aren't bothered about having the latest kits and team rosters, just get last year's version on the cheap.
Comments 128
Funny reading this review directly after the Review Bombing article...
Oy nintendolife! Don’t you go review bombing this game aye!
Just kidding, bad games deserve critism am I right? Or is that right only reserved for professional critics?
Wow, 4 stars above the score I expected to see.
This'll be kicked straight to the bargain bin before long. The price point certainly does not justify the amount of "effort" put into this.
It still baffles me why people buy this every year as even elsewhere it's virtually an identical game year after year, oh and Volta is terrible but good on you for calling them out on their bulls**t. EA are a shocking company and garbage like this has no place in gaming whatsoever
Just pick up last years game, update the roster, and save yourself some money!
And then EA has the sheer audacity to state “we don’t know why we are seen as the bad guy?”
They are either blind, oblivious, stupid or hold us all with such a degree of contempt. Their disappearance will only make the video game world better.
Plus they couldn’t have made “Legacy Edition” on the cover more faded? Guess they hope to swindle a few more people.
These games are the same game every year, why buy these?
@Bondi_Surfer Haha I thought that. Surely it's not review bombing if the game is terrible?
Good old reliable EA! You can always count on them to annoy everyone... They’ve done it so much I’m amazed they still seem to be financially viable...
They must make their money on their proper versions of fifa...
This could get a 1, it will still be one of the biggest sellers of the year. It’s always a huge seller all year long. EA doesn’t need to give big N a decent port, it will be bought up anyhow and wind up as a budget title for $25 by December. It’s just crazy this can get by with a higher price than most AAA games.
EA just needs to kill FIFA on Switch. and stop wasting production money on it. 18, 19, 20 were all not worth the price - everyone just gets the real version for home.
I mean, EA literally only have one series on the Switch. And they manage to mess up that one series.
@Samwise7 well, review bombing is just a mass dump of either very low or very high reviews. Terrible games can get high scoring review bombs as well, just not as often
At least FÉ was good, but I get the feeling that’s an EA game in name only.
I don't even blame them. If so many people want to pay premium for a roster update, more power to EA.
And then there's kids who spend insane amounts on the game. In my newsfeed is currently a story of a 21-year-old who spent 8000 Euros on FIFA. 8000!!! For his Ultimate Team!! Insane!
So yeah... Power to EA. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Simple as that.
Nintendo should just deny EA the rights to publish on the Switch at this point if they're not going to support the system properly. Wouldn't do Nintendo's image any harm.
EA should just get their arses kicked some way. They are such a cheap money grabbing company and they keep getting away with it. Happened with Battlefront 2,happens with FIFA on switch. Sometimes I'd wish there was you could do about this behavior from big time company's.
Fair play for the review. May as well save it for next years game too.
Still have fifa 18, only do the squad updates and player ratings manually to that of fifa 20.
Definitely wouldn't pay full price for it at least. Maybe on sale down to $20 or $30, but a half-ass effort doesn't deserve full MSRP on this one. The sad thing is though the poor critical reception and "legacy" branding will lead to weaker sales and then EA will come out next year and claim "Nintendo fans just don't buy our games" and FIFA 21 in any capacity won't be on Switch.
Sad thing is, it will probably still sell tens of thousands of copies, if not more and EA will makes tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars off of it.
The average consumer isn't going to read a review like this. They are going to see a FIFA game at the store and think "Oh hey, that's the big name for Football/Soccer that we've had for years, and it's got all my favorite teams!" and they will buy it, not knowing just how badly they are getting ripped off.
EA is a scumbag of a company, I'm not even a football fan but I find this sort of thing insulting. If I were a fan I'd be outright angry.
But, I told you so. EA has been doing this for years! Release a strictly inferior product on Nintendo, so that when it doesn't sell as well as on other platforms, they can say "Well obviously Nintendo gamers aren't interested in our games!" They will blame the consumer and make all manner of excuses for why they can't be bothered to deliver a quality product.
@BenAV No, but it could bite them down the line. If EA were to perform some miracle and produce something actually legitimately good and groundbreaking (probably by buying up a competent developer before they murder and strip it) then they could withhold it from Nintendo if there is bad blood.
A bit like what happened between Sega & EA; even though it helped Sega develop some critically acclaimed sports titles.
@ParasolStars Totally agree. Will be very surprised if 2021 wil be on Nintendo.
I don´t know what is worst, the score or the Coutinho joke...
Dear Konami,
Please release PES next year on Switch.
EA need a good kick up the arse
Just one minor point of clarification concerning the comments at the end of the review - EA has no choice but to release FIFA onto the Switch and to continue to do so. EA is contractually obligated to do so - as part of the contract they were granted by FIFA they have to release the series onto every 'main' console. That's why they are putting in the bare minimum as they would be in breach of contract if they failed to release entries on Switch.
Really annoying that EA doesn't give the Switch version parity of advertising with the PS4 / Xbox versions, otherwise I suspect the UK sales would be much better even with the paired down version if it was explained more widely to people they could play FIFA on the go.
Well deserved!
Although 2k gets a lot of hate for micro transactions in nba 2k series, at least their switch port of nba 2k20 is excellent and identical to the PS4/Xbox one versions (minus some graphics quality)
EA should be ashamed of themselves. Not only will they not port over Madden but the one sports franchise they have on the Switch they can’t even be bothered with. EA deserves all the hate they are getting, with this and games like Anthem.
Wow haha.... ..."you just bought 2019 again..." Most of this article can be said for just about every yearly ea sports game.
Please Nintendo stop working with EA
@YeshaYahu5417 People say that a lot but it isn't true. EA does at least usually put some effort into its yearly games, be that through new modes or what have you.
There's no need for a review. This is not a new game, just a roster update.
(This is not a Switch-related insult, though, these "Legacy Edition" roster updates for full price are painfully common in EA Land..)
It's a shame, though. The Switch version of FUT online was the least infected of the built-in cheating system that had been plaguing the other console versions for years.
Well, goodbye fun, goodbye FIFA!
I'm not buying those other versions because the cheating there is ridiculous - and I'm certainly not gonna pay that much for a roster update on Switch.
It's too bad. This was the only fun version of FIFA left and EA killed that, too...
It's time for Nintendo to cover the clear gap in sports titles that will be the story of the Switch. Strikers, Sluggers, 3 on 3... revive them all and do an end around on the lootbox trafficking publishers who are perfectly content to coast on a name. Help Spike get the sublime Fire Pro on the Switch and all of the nonsense like this can comfortably be ignored.
@Daniel36 Power to EA? Hell, no!
Death, bankruptcy or a class 1 law suit for fraud: yes, but power? Never in a million years. They are the cancer of the gaming industry, and they're in serious need of some severe radiation therapy...
Hahahaha, is that supposed to be Scott Brown? The Bhoys deserve more than that!
Another day, another EA swindling.
@scully1888 It’s good to see you still using the Old Firm as an example in the photos, that felt like a staple every year in ONM, seeing if Samaras or Nacho Novo had the uglier mug.
Oh how the mighty have fallen. Remember when EA was super supportive during the GameCube/Wii days? Now we have terrible ports of Fifa on the Switch. I honestly don’t care if EA stops supporting the Switch. If EA wants to do lazy games, then I see absolutely no point supporting the console. That’s okay, EA sucks anyways. Don’t want they’re garbage games on the Switch besides NHL.
In an ideal world EA would be struggling to put out any game on any system thanks to their scummy business tactics. Especially FIFA, it's laughable at thus point.
If only money wasn't the main point of literally everything, maybe ethics would have a chance to have a say in this sh*tshow.
FIFA 19 is 79.99 on Canadian Eshop. FIFA 20 is 64.99. That is a reason to buy it. If you already own 18 or 19 you may not have a reason to buy 20 but if you just got a switch then this is the best soccer game you can get. Even if it's just a roster update. That says just as much about the switch as it does EA.
I have a feeling that this game was intentionally made to bomb so EA could have an excuse not to support the Switch anymore. I think EA realized that the Switch's audience isn't as willing to shill hundreds of dollars on FIFA points and their digital gambling than other playerbases. I'd argue that a lack of EA games on Nintendo systems would actually be a welcome thing, since most of EA's recent internal output consists of slot machines themed around sports and beloved franchises/studios that have been driven into the ground.
"If you don't already own a FIFA game on Switch and aren't bothered about having the latest kits and team rosters, just get last year's version on the cheap." Except that as ridiculously priced as FIFA 20 is, FIFA 19 is even more expensive at $60 on the eshop. Like seriously?? I did not get FIFA 19 and would like a FIFA game...no, sorry a proper football game (and Konami is too stupid to take advantage of the I'll feeling everyone has towards EA and their practices and release PES on Switch) so I just might get this
EA needs to go bankrupt and the ips needs to be handle by developers that actually care cause all EA cares about is lootbox microtransactions/special mechanics bs.
By the way this is the only version of FIFA that you can play portable. That's worth something as well.
STOP buying EA games Nintendo owners.
4/10?!!? Come on author, you wrote this like a 1/10, which it does deserve. Let's be real here...
EA needs to GTFO the Switch if they are going to half ass things consistently.
Nintendo should vet the huge developers more for stuff like this.
The guy on the cover looks like he's flipping me off.
I bought this on launch day, I have only played friendly matches as some of the reviews i've read say the career mode is a shambles. From my experience playing I find the play quite slow as the players try and turn with the ball and the passing is terrible. I won't begin a career until it's patched.
The most accurate review I read about a FIFA game. And people have responded in the best way to this garbage: it’s not even on the top 30 of best selling on the Eshop.
EA has never made a good football game. Their gamelay is floaty and scripted. I'd rather play a ISS game on N64 or a PES game on PS2 made by Konami that actually reward skill with precise controls than any EA game.
@BarefootBowser I've played football games across most generations but never had any desire to buy the next one every year, even on the Megadrive I stopped at FIFA 95. After that I played probably 1 or 2 per console generation and even then it didn't seem like much changed game to game. For me it's the equivalent of buying BOTW again with link in a different colour costume and all the towns names have changed and Link runs a bit quicker. I've got Gamepass on the Xbox for my stepson so I've played a few of the NHL games but I couldn't tell you which one was which without looking at the title screen and as far as FIFA 20 goes, I played the demo of both that and PES and the latter felt far better to play
@FX102A I mean it's not like they'd be bringing it to Nintendo's systems anyway. They'd rather just give us more dodgy FIFA ports instead.
@glaemay I still play ISS 98 to this day and Sega Worldwide Soccer 98 on the Saturn, FIFA 98 on the other hand was garbage 😂
fifa bad. I wanna stay fat forever
@sixrings
"Even if it's just a roster update. That says just as much about the switch as it does EA."
DQXI and Ori both released on the same day as this and both have added more content for the Switch version, than this "sequel" did to FIFA 19.
And if you're talking sales-wise, let's just say it takes money to make money.
So all the gaming publications should just post a link to the FIFA 19 review with a note that you will do a true review once EA can be bothered to release a new game, and refuse to give it a score.
4/10 seems generous.
Shame as 19 was good fun. Not as good as PES 19 but a solid game of football (preferable to the XB1 version anyway. Also £18 at Base.com. This non-update wastes that potential and is an insult really.
@BarefootBowser I think a little bit of both come into play here. There's really no excuse for anyone to not know what they're getting into when buying an effort like this (and that goes for the issue of microtransactions as well)
Saying that doesn't exempt EA or any company to be called out for the shady, half-assed practices. But at the same time, chances are they feel it can pull this BS because there are people who will continuously buy these games annually. Its the same reason I find the criticism against COD or for an example outside of gaming, Apple and the lack of innovation with the iPhone. There is no incentive to do differently when you know people are going to eat it up. So there is blame on both ends
Electronic Arse.
Thank you.
In the UK the switch version of FIFA20 sold only 1% of physical sales
I am proud of you Nintendo players in the UK
I picked up FIFA 19 on Switch 2 weeks ago for £13 and its decent for what I paid, the previous FIFA I owned was 17 on PS4, which is still far and away better than the Switch iteration. They did the exact same thing on the VITA only releasing legacy editions, of an already crap version. I remember FIFA 07 on DS, despite it being on a handheld console, the game felt way more fleshed out, there were even features on the game that they took away from home console games, like simming a match and being able to jump in midway.
And this is why I can't stand that Konami is ignoring the switch as well, while this is their biggest chance to defeat Fifa. Somehow it feels as a perfect match: pes on switch.
Wow, I hope this game sells like crap
EA is run by people who don't play games. They are business-minded executives who's only concern is profit. Game companies that made great games are people who enjoy playing them, you can tell their working culture from the quality of their games.
@BarefootBowser I don't pretend to represent everyone and I have no doubt that there are subtle differences between the games but they clearly aren't making brand new games every year. I can also see that there is no reason other than financial gain that these aren't just yearly updates and patches. Perhaps a season pass style model for continuous players would make more sense in this day and age? They could charge almost as much money but without having the distribution costs for what becomes a worthless disc after a year and players could even get more regular updates throughout the season
Not going to lie, the switch cover looks like a naughty games for boys that like boys.
EA can stay off the Switch for the rest of it's lifespan as far as I'm concerned. Getting real sick and tired of these gimped sports titles they're shoveling when they have plenty of other titles they can put on the hybrid, but refuse to even try.
Guess proper optimizing is too taxing for them.
it is too bad that there is no second party from Nintendo that just make sports game like they had on the Gamecube. They had more variety to choose from.
@BarefootBowser I don't disagree with you that EA or any other company should operate on more good faith and goodwill towards customers. I don't deny their actions are scummy. I don't deny that they probably do research to actively seek out ways to bamboozle customers.
And while I am not placing complete blame on customers, I find it a bit disingenuous to absolve a customer from their responsibility in these kinds of situations when (unless otherwise noted) all the resources to know what to expect from EA are available.
Typical EA.
Though when you think about it , we seem to have played most of the games on the switch somewhere before lol
Lazy EA being lazy EA...
If the Witcher 3 can be ported to switch there’s no reason (technically) why the proper FIFA from PS4 can’t be. Problem is people keep buying these games so they have no reason to put any effort in.
As a side note it seems they’ve even made a mess of the PS4/Xbone version too!
@carlos82 I agree about your general sentiment towards Fifa being a cash cow and EA being ... well, EA.
Can you elaborate on Volta though? I tend to buy one Fifa per gen, usually early on, because occasionally, it is good local-play fun: No less, no more.
I can't deny though, that I quite liked Fifa Street at times and really loved NBA Street back on the PS2 (or NBA Jam for that matter). I know Volta is not as over-the-top, flashy, trick-heavy as Street, but from what I've seen it looks quite enjoyable: not super arcade'y, but alot more 'straight-to-the-point' than regular Fifa.
It's the only thing I find interesting about Fifa 20, and if it is any good, I might pick it up as soon as there are some decent $40'ish digital sales ... if I am still in the mood for it that is.
PS: I miss "EA Sports Big" tbh. There were some good games being made under that level and NBA Street was one of them, one that definitely deserves a comeback. Not keen on giving my cash to hive-of-scum-and-villainy like EA, but if the product is good ...
Why can‘t gaming sites just stop reporting news about bad, abusive predatory publishers alltogether? Yeah - you want all the clicks, but maybe not talking about EA at all and overly monetarized games and other evil publishers at all would help start a change for the better.
@Ralek85 I think they've tried to catch that FIFA Street vibe but failed spectacularly. FIFA Street being a standalone game meant that it could be built from the ground up to be that arcade style experience, where as this is built using an engine designed for a more sim style product. This results in a game that doesn't really satisfy either need as it doesn't really go far enough as an arcade style game
This is the same company that had an NHL hockey game so bad, people were rejecting and review-bombing it when they gave it away free as an XBox Games with Gold. You know your product sucks when people refuse it for free.....
This is shameful, and all at EA should be incredibly disappointed in themselves.
Booo, hisss...
It's not looking good for DPaintVI..
If Nintendo would have made this exact game, reviewer would have given it a 7, lol.
The game itself is still the best football game on a handheld.
The major issue is that it’s simply no different from FIFA 19. Okay so that’s not strictly true. There are a few animation tweaks and when you score the graphic of the player name rolls in quite nicely. I know, I’m trying hard here to find the positives.
Playing the game without having played the others it’s fine. It’s a good game of footy. It’s realistic enough but still far too far behind its older cousins. Maybe 2K20 should release a footy sim for Switch. It couldn’t do any harm and they have manage to get NBA running on Switch fine. Yes there are a few concessions but as Switch owners we don’t care too much about that. As long as the full game and basic essence is there we can be happy with that.
EA have become one of the laziest programmers around. It’s no wonder that they are a loathed company in the US and lay off staff on a seemingly weekly basis. And it’s no wonder. Even with FIFA 20 on PS4 and Xbox, the games isn’t that different. Sure Volta is a hoot for an hour but it’s not a game changer. FIFA stopped being a game changer a few years ago. It’s easy to lay off staff when there is nothing for them to do. Just re booting FIFA has made the franchise become tired and just look EA become lazy.
There is another issue though - EA have disregarded Nintendo fans for so long that when they do bring out a decent game it gets pretty much ignored. Even if they had brought out a full version this year it would not have sold well because Nintendo gamers just don’t trust nor want to line the pockets of a lazy greedy publisher that EA have become.
What would be good is if we could see PES on switch: - there is zero excuse for Switch not having a top quality football sim. It can handle it and it only needs a developer with an extra half an hour on its hands than EA seems to have.
Don’t get me wrong- this is NOT a bad football game. Is just it isn’t any different and the price tag is utterly ridiculous.
But let’s not also kid ourselves that FIFA 20 is somehow incredibly amazing on other platforms. It isn’t. It’s just a rehash with Volta added on.
I've got Fifa 18 for the Switch I picked up new a while ago for less than £20. Still decent for a casual Fifa player like me who enjoys the occasional match on a train.
I'm not a football fan, I just came by to say that EA sucks.
You guys should of “cut and paste” last years review.
People REALLY need to stop giving EA money. We need to start making this company sweat a little, then maybe things will change.
@Mchi5 pretty sure they would release a watered down version of madden as well.
@derdennis It's nothing to do with "wanting all the clicks". If reviewers just pretended this game doesn't exist, it would still exist anyway. Some people might take a chance on it. We need to call out garbage like this so people know to stay away from it, instead of just burying our heads in the sand and being arrogant enough to assume that readers won't buy it if we haven't acknowledged it.
A 4/10 too? Why are reviewers being so generous? This game shouldn’t get a score any higher than 2/10 and that’s probably still being generous.
I’ve heard that the only reason they bother putting FIFA on Switch at all is because of a licensing deal, they have to put on every major console or risk losing the licence. Whether that’s true or not, who knows?
Why does it look so bad? I mean, FIFA on GameCube looked better. WTF is this?
Lazy money at the end of the day, which they are sure to catch a lot of people out on, especially with parents and younger Switch owners, who may have it as their only console. Nintendo systems have never been EA's target market - Soderlund can claim he's the biggest Nintendo fan in the world but it doesn't excuse the company from employing scummy business practices to make a quick buck.
No Volta on Switch? What a tremendously wasted opportunity. Just imagine, you're playing Street Football with some friends and after a while you bring on your Switch with FIFA 20 and then everybody beings playing Volta in tabletop mode, now that's being in the game!
I remember when early this year EA was working on the Frostbite engine for Switch. Well, what happened? Is this Legacy Edition just an interval for a true experience on Switch? Or are they in-talks with Nintendo/waiting for the next-gen Switch to be announced so they can finally begin true support? Why can't EA see the true potential of the current Switch?
"Where it goes in the future, we don't know" they said...
That said, the lighting looks like an improvement compared to last year's FIFA 19 on Switch.
Weird to see such a low score for this after such a high score for the latest NBA2K, even though both are known for engaging in similar skullduggery. I guess adding in questionable features like gambling for kids is better than adding nothing at all... in these reviewers' eyes.
It's really sad to see what EA has become...
Was EA's stamp on the thing not a clue? do you guys need to have your money wasted another 20 iterations before you use your brains?! though to be fair, it every new sports game IS just a slight texture update and a roster update and very little else. expecting improvements on an already stagnant series IS a bit insane. BUT ITS EA!!! at this point those who EA manage to still swindle deserve it...
Humble feedback on grammar:
"At its core it's still a solid enough game"
@StevenG You should try asking that to the millions of FIFA buyers.
@EvaEeveeFan I'm pretty sure EA's nearly word for word publicly stated that in the past.... (seriously.)
@BarefootBowser Well said man, this is exactly it.
@Dog Just because lots of people do something doesn't make it good. Snow and Bud are the words most popular beers. Both of them terrible rice water, nothing like beer. I suspect a lot of overlap between buyers of these two bad products.
sooooooooo honourable that you still gave a 4 fricking star! I would have slapped a 2 star on it, 1 star for that game works at least and 1 star that you still can play football on it and that's it.
EA screwing people over? Nothing new...
Funny how some people like to spin it like it's the Nintendo's fault/because of the Switch's hardware. If that's the case, how come 2K can make competent versions of the NBA games on Switch? Not to mention these big open world games like Skyrim, Witcher 3 and Dragons Dogma looking good on Switch.
This is definitely on EA, quit pretending otherwise. 🙄
I can't it right now, but I saw a hilarious picture where EA had forgotten to change the year of the game in the stands and it still had last year's number on it.
That Coutinho joke is so bad, and I love it.
It boggles my mind how EA can do FIFA on the Switch 3 years straight and NOT do an NHL, Madden or even a Need for Speed game!! It’s just Unreal and nonsensical!!
EA Sports - We steal money!
@bolt05 They can win by making a quality port. Pretty simple actually. 2k has proven quality sports game ports are very doable.
FIFA sucks on all systems. The last FIFA game that actually impressed me was on the 3DO.
Unfortunately Konami doesn't care to bring any version of PES to the Switch and theres not really any other good options; so crappy FIFA is all there is.
Well what did you expect @Nintendolife, it was painfully obvious from the start (FIFA 2018) that EA didn't really care and wouldn't put too much effort or ressources (aka money) into the Switch version.
It's EA after all. Don't expect anything else than a quick cash grab for maximum profit from them.
Somebody show Trip Hawkins this review, it will really burry em.
@KryptoniteKrunch Yeah the old "but but but power!!??!?!!" crowd. Absolute crap. EA don't bother because they know they have a harder time ripping off people on Nintendo systems.
@scully1888 You are right. It just annoys me that so many review sites and magazines often don‘t even mention when games are frustrating and unplayable without doing additional microtransactions. Most reviewsites and alike are to afraid to loose a publishers goodwill that they don‘t point out the evil stuff. Take each years VideoGameAwards for example... celebrating predatory games and evil publishers without considering when games are designed to force you into continuous spendings and so on. Just to not upset the publishers. I am so sick of this :/
I like to play football games and I bought both FIFA18 and FIFA19 on the Switch and felt the core gameplay was alright. Put in a few hundred hours in them and had some fun, even with the poorly featured UT (without spending money), but I'm not getting FIFA20! Had they just put in a tiny, tiny effort and added Volta, I would have bought it, but this legacy bulls*** stinks! A FIFA Street game for the Switch would be perfect, but I know I'm just dreaming
I've largely checked out of anything the big western AAA developers make anymore...just don't care about annualized samey series that sell you a $60 starter kit, and then sell you every scrap of additional content at a premium or behind gambling mechanics.
And for what? So you can have a slightly customized experience of the same derivative game with little innovation?
Didn't expect much from this on Switch but a lot are complaining about de PS4/XB1 versions too.
People are recommending PES now because nothing has really changed much overal, no matter what engine and i think people just are kinda done with EA and there schemes, lol.
I stay with FIFA19. Bayern Munchen and Belgium national team <3
E: 19 version bought for 67% sale.
I played on Fifa game on my a Switch of mine but I’m going to that I am only interested in Inazuma Eleven Ares. I know it got delayed to Spring 2020 but I am not play FIFA because Real Madrid is basically on every cover. I don’t ever support that team but that’s just me.
@carlos82
I see, so basically, it's kinda the 'worst of both worlds' then? Less strategic and deep than actual Fifa, but not as arcade'y, easy-to-pick up and diverting like the Street games ...
Darn shame, I mean, I did not really expect Street, obviously, but at least something that made some allowances for Street fans looking for a bit of fix (while EA drags their feet on bringing 'Big' back in some form or another).
Well, maybe we will get a new Mario Soccer eventually ... :-/
Apparently there's a bit of anger over the other versions too and that career mode is bugged in the same way FIFA 19 was. With AI teams fielding bad players over good ones.
I think between this Switch legacy nonsense and the lack of QA in general stinks of complacency. FIFA the videogame sells well because of FIFA the organisation, not because of EA.
I think the guaranteed success has caused EA to take it for granted.
This really should of been DLC, with a downloadable box art for the physical collectors. It is insane to sell an already existing game for $70. EA, you used to make excellent games, but now you are rereleasing games for the price of a brand new game. You’d think companies would learn after Olympic Hockey 98...
Because of this rubbish Legacy edition I have refused to buy the PS4 version as well this year. Not supporting a company that makes zero effort for their customers. (Now where’s PES?!)
I have stopped buying ea games during the original xbox days - but the company still exists. Hmmm....
@Samwise7 It's a double standard to believe that, Samwise7.
Annual money spinner, where they only change the cover and the number in the title, turns out to be garbage ?
Egads, before you know it you wil tell me the sky is blue !
Course it sold by the bucket loads, as it always does cause that roster update is important.
This is my first FIFA on a Nintendo console! The game is not bad but EA did not put any efforts on the game! I understand that Volta is not included in the Switch version but they could at least add Club Pro !! U still have lots of fun with career mode
@ElPadrino79 hey, do you feel the AI is a bit lame? especially when they're attacking, holding the ball too long. So easy to steal the ball from them
@Ditodong true ! Also the AI makes substitution every game at the same time
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