Even though an official announcement is still pending, it is safe to assume that Electronic Arts will also release a new edition of the successful football simulation FIFA in 2021. If everything goes as usual, FIFA 22 will be available in stores and online in autumn 2021, ready to start the new season.
Will FIFA 22 be cross-generational?
While FIFA 21 was initially still a title for the now old console generation of the Xbox One and PS4, which was only released later as an optimized version for the next-gen consoles, it is expected that the focus will be directly on the PS5 and the Xbox Series X/S this time.
This should make FIFA 22 the first edition to fully exploit the possibilities of the new hardware, as it will be developed directly with a focus on the new Microsoft and Sony consoles. However, it is virtually impossible that the next part will only be available for owners of a new console, if one looks at the history of the series.
Even long after the release of the Xbox One and PS4, their predecessors, the Xbox 360 and PS3, were still equipped with current FIFA versions, even if they gradually became less and less complete versions. Therefore, PS4 and Xbox One will probably still be included by Electronic Arts for some time before the final switch to the new generation.
FIFA 22 on Switch and Stadia?
In addition to the big consoles and of course the PC users, the question always arises as to how things are going for players who use Nintendo Switch or Google's streaming service Stadia.
If you look at the last FIFA releases, the Switch will probably also be supplied with a Legacy Edition for FIFA 22. This usually only includes the new data and kits of the respective season, but leaves out major changes such as the story mode The Journey, as the hardware would probably come to its limits here. However, the Switch recently experienced an interesting development when large AAA titles such as Hitman 3 were released as a cloud version for the Nintendo console.
Here the games are streamed to the Switch in a similar way to Stadia, so that even the weaker hardware of the console is able to display the graphically demanding titles. Whether Electronic Arts is considering the option of a cloud version to finally enable Switch users to experience a fully fledged FIFA experience remains to be seen, but it is certainly a possibility.
When it comes to streaming, you automatically think of Google's gaming platform Stadia. Here it was announced some time ago that a FIFA spin-off will appear on the streaming service. However, there are currently no more detailed information about which version it is.
It would certainly not be surprising if FIFA 22 also appeared on Google Stadia, especially since EA is already represented here several times, for example with the action-adventure Jedi: Fallen Order.
What does FIFA 22 offer?
Of course, only speculation can be made about the exact content of FIFA 22. In addition to the current squads and kits, the well-known large leagues such as the Bundesliga or international competitions such as the Champions League are likely to be back on board.
With the story mode The Journey and the return of street football in Volta, EA held back big innovations in the last editions. Here's hoping FIFA 22 will be just as creative. In terms of graphics, the new part is likely to set new standards with the hardware of the current console generation.
We at Keyfuchs keep you up to date with the latest news on FIFA 22
