In other words, those next-gen features may not be on PC at launch.
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Last week’s FIFA 21 announcement (opens in new tab) focused on the fancy next-gen version of the game, which is to be expected: the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are both releasing this holiday season. But it looks like the PC version will be based on the PS4 and Xbox One version of the game, if EA’s own FIFA 21 FAQ is accurate.
“FIFA 21 on PC will be the same version as released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One,” the FAQ (opens in new tab) reads (via Eurogamer (opens in new tab)). “We’ll have more information on it in the coming weeks.”
Some next-gen features announced last week include “deferred lighting and rendering,” which will apparently result in “ultra-realistic football experiences and player fidelity.” The game was also touted to have improved player animation and “stats-driven player movement,” while support for the DualSense 5’s haptic feedback capabilities was also confirmed.
In other words, the trailer last week was a showcase for the next-gen console version of FIFA 21, not the PC one. The PC version releases on October 6 alongside the PS4 and Xbox One editions, so perhaps a patch will roll out upon arrival of the next-gen version, which has yet to receive a firm release date.
Let’s hope so: it’d be disappointing if some of the advanced features were lacking on PC, even if they were only accessible to users with high-end specs. The PC version of PES was famously stuck in the PS3 and Xbox 360 era for at least two years, with only marginal improvements beyond that (it took until 2018 for the PC edition to lift its game (opens in new tab)). It did the game no favours.
In any case, I’ve reached out to EA for clarification and will update if I hear back.
FIFA 21 release date (opens in new tab): Everything we know