With FIFA's annual cycle of releases, it doesn't take much to figure out the FIFA 22 release date. Yes, FIFA is most definitely headed towards the next installment. FIFA 21 is just a few months old, but that also means FIFA 22 is just a few months away. Time for assumptions and speculations!
We don't expect anything official regarding the FIFA 22 release date or gameplay to be confirmed before June at the earliest, but we can be pretty damn certain about the game's release date nonetheless.
June 4 Update
EA Job Ad Mentions Online Career Mode
We're scared to get excited, but it's difficult not to. EA have placed a software engineer job ad that isn't anything extraordinary, except for three specific words: online career mode.
EA job advert says they're hiring Online Software Engineers to work on a FIFA "online career mode" New feature in FIFA 22? pic.twitter.com/1fgUXaI63Z
— FIFA 21 News (@UltimateTeamUK) June 3, 2021
Needless to say, fans of career mode, as much as they've struggled, are over the moon from the prospect of EA focusing on that aspect of the game. An online multiplayer variation sounds enticing no doubt, however with the game four months away, we simply can't see this concept finding its way into FIFA 22.
Although the yearly FIFA schedule is much different from that of more traditional titles, developing such a game-changing idea in a couple of months just feels a bit too much.
June 2 Update
FIFA 22: What We Know So Far
FIFA developer Electronic Arts will not be at E3 this year. Instead, they will hold a press conference between E3 (June 12-15) and Gamescom (August 25-29), where EA will provide us with fresh information about their games, including FIFA 22.
EA Play will take place on July 22, 2021. The first trailer for FIFA 22 will be shown there. However, actual gameplay isn't likely to be seen until about a month before release. If it goes like last year, EA Game Changer (among others big FIFA YouTubers) will be the first to show content from the new game.
In other news, FIFA 22 will be without yet another Italian Serie A license. Atalanta is the third club - after Juventus and Roma, to have a made-up name and crest in EA's game.
FIFA 22 Leaks & Rumors
According to rumors, FIFA 22 will continue to run on the Frostbite engine, only an updated version - from 3.0 to 4.0.
In a serious gaff, leaked documents told the FIFA community what it already knows: EA prioritizes FUT over anything else in the game. For what it's worth, a lot of changes are expected to come in the online mode.
Upcoming FUT Changes
- New Weekend League Rewards system: You will now get certain players as rewards. The higher the rank, the better the player.
- Weekend League will have less than 30 games from now on.
- FUT Champs and Rivals will have a so-called 'two-tier' system, for which you will have to qualify each week through the Weekend League. You will have to win 3 out of 5 matches to qualify. You will be able to participate 3 times in the qualification each week.
FIFA 22 Editions, Bonuses & Prices
FIFA 22 will probably be released in three editions, which will differ in the offered content.
FIFA 22 Standard Edition
The FIFA 22 Standard Edition will probably have a price of €60-70 and won't contain any special bonuses.
FIFA 22 Champions Edition
The Champions Edition will cost €80-90. Additional FUT packs for FIFA Ultimate Team (rare gold packs), rental cards and a 3-day Early Access are the usual bonuses here.
FIFA 22 Ultimate Edition
The FIFA 22 Ultimate Edition is likely to land in the €120 range. Compared to the Champions Edition, there will be more FUT packs, special edition FUT kits and stadium items, career mode talents and maybe even a bit more in-game content. Plus early access, of course.
FIFA 22 EA Play Launch
EA Play subscribers should be the first to get a taste of FIFA 22. If tradition is kept, a beta version should be made available for a few hours about two weeks prior to the release date.
FIFA 22 News & Updates
Perhaps the most exciting FIFA 22 news as of February 2021 is that Champions League will continue to be a FIFA exclusive for another year. EA secured the exclusive UEFA rights just a few days ago, so the European continental competitions experience will remain intact for at least another season.
Other than that, there's not much to do other than to speculate. For example, EA will almost certainly jump on the $70 bandwagon. We can't guarantee a better game, but a higher price? Absolutely. That $70 price tag is for the base version of the game. Special editions are sure to eclipse triple-digit numbers.
What Platforms Will FIFA 22 Be Released On?
It's certain that FIFA 22 will be released on the PS5, the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series and the PC. The next-gen consoles are going to be less than a year old by the time FIFA 22 launches, so the PS4 and Xbox One will most likely also get FIFA 22 – or at least a compatible version. We're not as confident for the Nintendo Switch, but we can't completely rule out a light FIFA 22 version yet.
- READ MORE: FIFA 21 85+ Double Upgrade SBC Solution
FIFA 22 Release Date
So we're consorting our magic crystal ball for this with a daring prediction: We expect the FIFA 22 release date to be October 5. As usual, everything in the region of late September-early October is plausible, but you gotta point your finger somewhere
As for who will be the FIFA 22 cover star – well, there are going to be two or three different editions (thank god EA is not like Ubisoft in that regard) and a cover star is always a hard guess. If we go by performance, Robert Lewandowski deserves the shine more than any other player, but he's not the most marketable prospect. Bruno Fernandes maybe? Capitalize on Manchester United's relative success? We'll see.
READ MORE:
- 54-Year Old Kazuyoshi Miura Will Be Back in FIFA 22
- FIFA 21: PS5 vs PS4 – The Most Important Next-Gen Innovations
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