The wait is almost over for those who were picked to participate in the closed beta testing for “FIFA 16”, as it was just announced that the game is now available for download. Downloading and installing it is pretty straightforward, and even though players will only have access to a limited set of content, it should still be enough to give feedback for the quality of the gameplay and the overall state of polish. We expect to start hearing opinions about the new game very shortly, even if players a limited in what they can share about their experiences.
One thing to note about this beta is that it comes with quite the large download – fans will need to prepare themselves to download nearly 16 GB of data before they can start playing, so those who want to get started as soon as possible should probably leave the game downloading overnight or something along those lines. Especially players with a troubled connection who might need even more time before they’ll be able to join the fun.
Different players will get access to different game modes, picked from a pool of Pro Clubs, Career Mode, Online Seasons and Ultimate Team. It’s not clear how the modes are separated yet and what kind of organization EA have running on the backend to ensure a fair experience for everyone, but so far there have been no complaints about the way the beta is organized.
Some were quick to point out that the stats of all footballers are the same like in “FIFA 15”, but according to EA that’s on purpose – the game hasn’t received its new, updated stats for its players, so the values included in the current release are actually a direct copy from the last game.
In addition, those who’ve had a chance to check out the game at Gamescom earlier this month should find the experience in the current beta more or less similar, as EA stated that the version is mostly the same, with some small updates and improvements here and there.
The beta has been made available on several platforms simultaneously, including both PlayStation consoles as well as the current/last gen Xbox models. All console players should get a good chance to check out the title before its official release and decide for themselves if this is the kind of “FIFA” that they would buy once it comes out.
So far though, there have been no negative comments about the state of the game, and even though commenting on the beta is somewhat limited, we’re still hearing some interesting claims from different places. It looks like EA have really stepped up their production for this title, and we’re going to see a serious competitor to “PES” once the new “FIFA” hits the market. The two games have always had this rivalry running between them, but now with the release of their newest installments, things are likely going to get even more interesting.
Which, in the end, can only be of benefit to fans on both sides, as they are the ones who get to see their favorite games improved when the developers are appropriately motivated. And nothing motivates better than some harsh competition – so the next few months should be interesting for the market of football games. Both titles have slightly different approaches to their gameplay, so they’re still able to stand on their own.