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FIFA 18: We’re not ‘closing the door’ on Frostbite for Nintendo Switch, reveals EA Sports

But this year's game will run on the custom engine - albeit an improved one

By Max Kerr

30th May 2018, 2:07 pm

Updated: 5th June 2018, 11:12 am

Future FIFA games may look significantly better on the Nintendo Switch than FIFA 18, EA Sports has revealed.

Speaking at a World Cup mode event in May, Andrei Lazarescu, Supervising Producer for expansion, told Dream Team that future FIFA games could arrive to Nintendo’s console with vastly improved graphics – thanks to the custom engine.

However, he did not ‘close the door’ on using Frostbite technology in the future.

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FIFA 18 on Switch was met with mixed reviews but played very, very well

“I’m not closing the door on that possibility,” he said. “However we didn’t want to create a dumbed-down version of the frostbite engine.”

As per last year, the next FIFA game is likely to run on a ‘custom engine’ built for specifically Nintendo’s hardware. But gamers can still expect a noticeable boost.

“The intent was never to have a one-off custom engine that were never going to touch again,”Lazarescu explained.

“It was to have that as a baseline and then build from there.”

Lazarescu revealed some of the advancements are already starting to trickle through in the World Cup mode.

FIFA on Switch uses a modified version of the IGNITE engine

New features such as face paint and hats on the crowd help the update ‘seem better than what you’ve been used in the core version’, he said.

“We’ll see more of that in the next years,” he added.

EA Sports announced the long-awaited World Cup mode earlier this month – which went live on May 29.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia download promises to deliver authentic gameplay, teams and stadiums in the single-biggest add-on since FIFA 14.

EA confirmed the update will be arriving on PS4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch. The Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles appear set to miss out on the update.

Cristiano Ronaldo in action for Portugal in the upcoming World Cup mode

Despite concerns a number of teams would be missing from the update, EA announced all 32 nations who qualified for the tournament will feature.

As well as a solo mode, which lets you take a team from the group stage to the final in Moscow, you’re also able to create your own Custom Tournament draw.

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A revised Ultimate Team mode will let you build your dream World Cup team as well as see the introduction of World Cup Icons.

All 12 stadiums from Russia are included in the update – as well as pitch environments, advertisements, dressings, national team banners and high-resolution crowds.

The Luzhniki stadium is just one of the arenas that will arrive in the free update

To ensure the most realistic experience possible, the official World Cup graphic and broadcast package has also been replicated in-game, while Frostbite-driven cinematic scenes keep you immersed long after the final whistle.

Elsewhere, a new chemistry system provides different ways to link your favourite international players.

Instead of clubs and leagues, nationalities and confederations will be key chemistry components to consider when building and organising your squad.

All squads from every qualifying nation will be up-to-date with refreshed ratings, while dynamic World Cup Items will be released to match real-world performance.