FIFA is one of the most successful and long-running video game series, and FIFA 2020 will no doubt continue that trend. EA Sports has now revealed FIFA 20 for the first time, unveiling the sports title via EA Play for the E3 2019 expo. This time around, street soccer is coming back to FIFA via the new Volta mode.
Although critics often feel as though there is not always enough variation between the annual versions of FIFA, that has not stopped it from being a powerhouse of the industry since its debut in 1993 with FIFA International Soccer. In recent years the series has maintained strong reviews, and is one of the biggest financial successes in EA's roster. However, it has also been heavily criticized for its use of microtransactions, with the high profile nature of its FIFA Ultimate Team mode being one of the reasons behind the ban on loot boxes in certain countries.
Fans of the FIFA series still want to see what EA Sports has next, whether it's minor gameplay tweaks or the introduction of new gameplay modes altogether such as The Journey, the single player narrative mode that was introduced in FIFA 17. As part of EA Play, FIFA 20 has been revealed, with the game showcasing its street soccer Volta game mode as per the trailer below, which launched in the morning of the event.
Street soccer has been something that FIFA fans will have been hoping for with new additions of the game. Classic titles such as FIFA 97 included indoor football with smaller teams as an element, but FIFA Street was the real deal for many players when it came to a more fluid, artistic form of football. It's something that has been sorely lacking from the series for some time; this time it comes with full character customization, and with male and female players duking it out together.
Volta can be played everywhere from a London cage game through to the streets of Amsterdam, and even on a rooftop in Toyko. As such, this should hopefully mean that there's a good amount of variety when it comes to location, which would be a nice change from just looking at the same green pitch constantly. A change-up of game style with a larger emphasis on skills could also mean that FIFA 20 is more difficult to put down.
That said, there are other areas that fans have been desperate for EA Sport to improve. FIFA's Career Mode and Pro Clubs have been languishing for some time, with players disappointed that the company has been putting too much emphasis on the money-spinning Ultimate Team mode instead. Although Volta should provide a distraction, it won't be the only thing that FIFA 20 needs to hit home with.