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EA Will Determine Full Nintendo Switch Support On FIFA 18 Sales

UK gaming publication EDGE magazine recently caught up with Electronic Arts Worldwide Studios executive vice president Patrick Söderlund. The magazine talked with him at length about Nintendo’s latest video game platform the Nintendo Switch and tried to find out whether the company has more games planned for the system. Söderlund says he would love to bring other titles in their portfolio to the platform and they are working on a couple, but they want to see how FIFA 18 does. Here’s what he had to say:

“I’ve made people repeatedly, publicly aware that I’m a gigantic Nintendo fanboy. Nintendo was what got me into this industry in the first place. I take my Switch with me everywhere,” Söderlund enthused to EDGE in their October issue, when asked why EA seems more wary of new technology that it isn’t sure about.

“What I will say is, we will appear on any platform where there are consumers, and players. We believe that we want to be a part of the Switch, and help Nintendo grow that installed base; that’s why you’ll see FIFA, which by the way is really good this year. It’s a full-fledged FIFA game, for the first time to be honest, on a portable device.

“But at the same time we have to look at it from a resource standpoint and, at some point, the numbers become a factor. So for us it’s about supporting the platform, building technology for the platform, testing it out with big things like FIFA – and maybe a couple of others, we’ll see – and if they go well, I see no reason why we shouldn’t have as much of our portfolio on that platform as possible. I hope we get there, that would be my personal ambition.”

Source

74 thoughts on “EA Will Determine Full Nintendo Switch Support On FIFA 18 Sales”

    1. Well I mean you can’t really be mad if they don’t support the system because nobody bought the games. It’s a business at the end of the day. I do think they should put out another game as a tester besides FIFA that’s a sports game that many Nintendo fans might not really play.

      1. A football game sells everywhere, and the Nintendo Switch is a mass product.
        They should be wary with ports though, Straight ports, maybe delayed, with same content as the others can actually sold poorer than on other platforms. Though th hybrid aspect can actually matter.

    2. Only U.K. Really like FIFA so it wouldn’t sell well in the us here anyway each region has an all time sport
      U.S= football and basket
      Canada=hockey
      U.K.= soccer
      You get the gist
      There are people who do like FIFA in us but not that many
      When I heard this coming to the switch I knew this wasn’t gonna end well

    1. Your Grace, I am concerned that EA will take the path of the Wii U. Release meaningless, feature-bare, old weapons to the cattle, boycott the eShop, and then throw their claws up when, obviously, no one buys them.

  1. Glad I’m already getting this game!

    I’m hoping to get as many games first for the Switch before other platforms.

    Hopefully people will stop seeing Nintendo as console that is only for certain games and rather as an actual competitor and option for people to consider.

  2. Hopefully they start making people aware of the Switch version a bit more. Whenever I see something about FIFA on the internet, it’s all about Playstation, Xbox and PC, without a single mention of the Switch version, as if it doesn’t even exist. Makes me a bit worried about the sales.. Especially in Europe I bet a lot of people would love to take FIFA with them on the go.

  3. Why would anyone that owns a ps4 or xbox buy FIFA on the switch though , its not the real version of the game as far as I have heared some months ago , and even if It was for me personally my ps4 has superior graphics anyway, better online system and controller I suppose.

      1. Can I say something? This whole mindframe of “the SWITCH isn’t as powerful as XBOX or SONY” is really funny.

        You see, IM A GAMER WHO LOVES A LIBRARY OF GREAT ORIGINAL GAMES. Not a bunch of 4k high resolution redundancy.

        Those are actually the real ports in my opinion. How much longer are we gonna have yet another WW2 COD? Or the same style ASSASSINS CREED, Far Cry, or another hot FPS where the dev team decides to not bother making a engaging single player experience?

        1. Ridley X3 {Greatness Awaits at Sony PlayStation 4. Awaiting Greatness on Nintendo Switch; just need cloud storage, add external HDD support, & make that stupid Nintendo Switch Online App on smartphones optional.}

          Assassin’s Creed Origins is making a lot of changes to the gameplay, so it won’t be the same style as past games as you think it will. God of War IV seems to be vastly different from past games, too. Nintendo aren’t the only ones changing things with some of their franchises.

    1. Not everyone is into graphics. I use to buy Madden and all systems and PC but always played Nintendo’s version the most whether it was the better graphically or not. it has plays better for me. Xbox and PS version seem slow in movement.

      1. The movement may seem slower but the home console versions of madden have pretty much always been better. When it comes to graphics majority of madden or any sports games players care about the graphics a perfect example is nba live people straight shit on the game because of the graphics.

        1. This is why I buy games that I like instead of a certain aspect of a game. Even after all the talk of issues. I still bought Troll and I. As long as I can enjoy it then I’m good. I’m sure that game look better on PC and other platforms.

  4. I think there is a huge difference to the Switch’s install base, compared to Wii U. It is already showing signs of a really healthy platform, based on sales on current games. That’s probably cause of a lot of adults with disposable income bought the system and I can see it only getting stronger. I will definitely buy Fifa, it is going to be great playing it on the go and no matter what you think of EA or any other company, their support only helps Nintendo get even stronger.

  5. Ridley X3 {Greatness Awaits at Sony PlayStation 4. Awaiting Greatness on Nintendo Switch; just need cloud storage, add external HDD support, & make that stupid Nintendo Switch Online App on smartphones optional.}

    Fan or not, he’s in charge of a business & the business has to make sure it will be profitable for them to support the Switch. If Fifa on Switch sells like shit, they won’t support the system with other games.

    Although, I agree with the sentiment that they should put another game on the Switch that isn’t a sports game for people that aren’t interested in sports games.

  6. Pingback: EA จะทำเกมลง Nintendo Switch เพิ่มหาก FIFA 18 บน Switch ขายดี | เว็บแบไต๋

  7. I am very fed up of the constant blackmail from every publisher about games on Nintendo Switch. That being said I will be buying FIFA on Switch (my first EA game in about a decade) because I do fancy the idea of a fully-fledged football game on a portable device. I think it will sell reasonably well, but again, just enough with the blackmail!

    1. It is not blackmail. His is being interviewed and was asked a question and he answered it. I’m no EA fan and will not be buying FIFA but will buy Take Two’s NBA 2K18

  8. Two companies who are beginning to border on irrelevancy within the industry, churn out a remake of a 9 year old game, which was a remake of a nearly 30 year old game, and then a purposely gimped port of a Soccer game because they can’t be bothered to spend money on a 1:1 port of it, as measuring sticks for the Switch.

    Anybody willing to place bets that FIFA sells well, and EA puts out another cheap port to test the Switch further, like Capcom is doing with a remake of two older RE games? Screw these guys. The evidence is overwhelming that Switch will have a sizable user base, and that third party games are selling well across the board already.

    1. FIFA is not gimped at all. I don’t know why people are spreading misinformation. Capcom has made 1 game for the Switch and are making 2 more with Monster Hunter XX and Resident Evil Revelations 1 & 2. I don’t know why people are surprised about this. FIFA is a mainstream game. If a mainstream game cannot sell then EA is right to show no more support. They are putting their most profitable and most bought franchise on the Switch.

  9. Imagine just for a second;

    Capcom: We will test the install base of the PS4 with The World Warrior HD for $69.99. If it sells well, we will support the system.

    EA: We will support the PS4 with a port of Tennis 2k17, even though there may not be a market for that on the system. Better hope it sells well!

    Activision: Titanfall 5 announced for XBox, Nintendo, PC, Mobile devices and Calculators. We have nothing to announce as far as a PS4 version.

  10. Yeah. I’m not buying a foorball game. Not my thing. I’m all for Ea’s support–but their games do not interest me. Especially since they desecrated Star Wars Battlefront.

  11. Okey, so if like 99% of Switch-owners(yeah, not likely ofc) do want Star Wars-games, you’re not going to make them for Switch because Fifa, a game which have nothing to do with Star Wars, probably won’t sell that well?

    Why does developers say this? It’s so stupid. They’re trying to push people, who wants other franchises , into buying games they really don’t want to?
    Like Capcom and Street Fighter. No words about Monster Hunter, even though they know that it’s a lit of people wanting it. Instead they’re saying: “Ohh, we’ll see how well SF sells before we decide our Switch support.” just to scare Phoenix Wright and MH fans into buying SF. Stupid asf.

    1. EA is saying if their most profitable and successful franchise cannot make money on the Switch then neither would Star Wars, Madden, Titanfall, and so on. Fifa will sell. It is no doubt. Too many soccer fans.

      1. Well, that kind of black and white. Yeah, of course if EA was going to bet on one series it would always be Fifa, but you can’t adapt that to absolutely every situation. You have to analyse the demographic, trends and statistics. Of course EA will get a lot of datafeed from this game, and I was putting it on the egde with my last post, but my point still stands. What if Fifa is a weak Nintendo franchise, and Mirrors Edge is something that would have a 1/3th buy rate? This is data EA probably won’t get from a football(soccer) game and cut it after that.
        I’m in no position to say it’s a stupid thing to do, but in my personal opinion, I feel that it sounds primitive if it is just that black and white. And it’s usually isn’t with these companies.

        1. This is what they want to use. Right or wrong. Soccer is a big deal to so many people. If a sports game that’s popular won’t sell why would they think a less popular mirrors edge would sell. Go with your most profitable first and go from there. It is like Mario is to Nintendo. When they do have a Mario game to lead of the first year it is usually good for the company. Not everyone want a Mario game but it is a measure of how the user base will respond.

          1. Nah, did show up lol.
            Yeah, we do agree on the safest bet strategy, I would do the same for a first on a new platform. But again: to base solely, again solely, on a football game’s sales for other franchises is not the best way of mapping the Switch segments. I don’t think EA is that stupid or primitive. They’re just making pressure on ever step of the chain. They’re pushing Ninty with this comment to make them market it welt, they push EA-fan(HAH!) to buy this game so they can see other franchises on the Switch. It’s just a silly statement.

              1. Yeah. I do think so. It either shows, in EA’s case, that they haven’t much fate or don’t care at all. Such a thing can hurt the credibility of the game development itself or the companies’ relation between each other — again hurting everyone. I just think they don’t care. They’ve praised the Xbox One X as a more innovative system than Switch under E3(at least to some degree). While the BoneX have it’s qualities, I wouldn’t say it’s more innovative that Switch. It just shows how arrogant/careface EA are against Ninty.
                When Capcom says it, it reeks desperation for pushing more units instead lol :P

  12. I have honestly thought of supporting EA with FIFA, despite having little interest in the game, just because it seems to be an honest attempt. I don’t care for them holding the rest of their library at ransom publicly, and this very behavior turned me off of buying RE: Revelations in hope of getting a MH port from Capcom.

    I want to support third parties (I bought Bomberman and Street Fighter knowing they were a little lazy), but this sort of talk really damages my intent to keep buying in hopes of further support. I get where they are coming from — with the sales they saw on Wii U — but this act is getting old. The Switch is lighting up the charts, let’s see some usual support from these publishers!

  13. Well to be honest, we’ve seen Capcom do this with Ultra Street Fighter II : The Final Challengers and we got TWO Resident Evil games (Yes, they are ports, but the fact that we’re even getting them on the Switch is good).

    So, I wouldn’t be surprised if Fifa 18 sold decently enough for EA to port maybe even Battlefield 4 over to the Switch or even Battlefield 1.

  14. Well I for one would love support from EA. Give me things like Fifa, but also SSX and things like Fifa Street , NBA Street beside that Unravel would be a nice title for Switch even though it’s a bit old.

  15. Pingback: EA определит интерес к своим играм на Nintendo Switch с помощью FIFA 18 — CNN24.RU

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