After the United States had an impressive run in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Americans seemed to have an increasing interest in the sport of soccer.
In August, 110,000 soccer fans filled “The Big House” at the University of Michigan to watch Manchester United take on Real Madrid. Orlando City SC, the newest edition to Major League Soccer, drew crowds of more than 30,000 people to watch parties during the World Cup.
There’s no question that soccer is on the rise in the United States. With the upcoming release of FIFA ’15, soccer fans old and new can get deeper into the game with the countless new features EA Sports has added.
For the first time, FIFA players will show emotion based on the context of the match. The developers have added over 600 new emotional reactions that will cause players to react to events including bad tackles, missed chances, and epic goals.
FIFA ’15 developers have also taken a closer look at the crowd aspect of the game. The improved commentary and addition of crowd chants and behaviors will give users the maximum match day experience. Other features that will keep users engaged include sideline character animations, 10-man goal celebrations, and new bench reactions.
Another significant change that FIFA developers have created is the rewriting of goalkeepers. Developers have added 50 new save animations, last second save reactions, an authentic player model and tips and deflections that are more realistic. FIFA ’15 users will now get a more authentic feel when making a save against their opponent.
One of FIFA ’15’s main aspirations was to make the game more realistic. In order for this to happen, many new picture features have been added. Player faces have more detail than ever before and player kits move realistically. Kits also change with the environment. When it’s raining the kits will become dirty with mud. Kits will also become dirty with grass as the game progresses. Other realistic features include moving corner flags, shaking goal frames, and animated LED ad boards.
One of the unique features of FIFA ’15 is the Match Day Live feature. Powered by Goal.com, the hub keeps fans connected to the latest soccer scores and news from their favorite club or league. This feature keeps fans in the know while using their gaming system and playing FIFA ’15.
With soccer on the rise in the United States, FIFA ‘15’s release could help soccer’s popularity continue to grow in the States. The game’s new features create a more realistic feel that gives users a better representation of what being at a game is like.
FIFA ’15 will be released on Sept. 23 and is available for Xbox One, PS3, PC, Xbox 360 and PS4.