Will FIFA 21 be on Nintendo Switch?

The world’s biggest-selling football game franchise is back with its latest instalment. FIFA 21 will be hitting current-generation systems this October (slightly delayed from its usual September release slot). It will then launch on next-gen consoles later in the year.

And yes, that October line-up includes the Nintendo Switch. 

However, that’s where the good news ends for Switch-based FIFA fans. Yep, the dreaded ‘Legacy Edition’ label is rearing its ugly head again.

After the disappointment of FIFA 20, Switch players will be gutted to hear they won’t be getting a brand-new full game this time around, either.

The initial release of FIFA 21 will reach the Switch on 9 October. But unlike its PS4 and Xbox One cousins, the Switch version of FIFA 21 will be another ‘Legacy Edition’. So, much like last year’s FIFA 20, it’ll essentially be another update of the 2019 game.

READ MORE: How next-gen hardware will enhance FIFA 21

FIFA 21 on Switch: why another Legacy Edition?

According to EA, the Switch version of FIFA 21 will feature the latest kits and squad updates for the upcoming season, as well as “updated presentation” – meaning the in-game menus and broadcast overlays have been given a polish.

But, crucially, there will be “no new game modes or gameplay innovations”.

This means that the popular Volta mode introduced in FIFA 20 on other platforms will be absent. Nor will there be a story mode. In fact, there won’t be any significant gameplay changes introduced post-FIFA 18.

Unfortunately, the reason for this is hardware limitations. EA uses its Frostbite engine for the FIFA games, which has powered the PS4 and Xbox One versions’ recent gameplay innovations.

But Frostbite doesn’t work as well with the Switch console. Therefore, the Switch essentially has its own build of FIFA, which has just been updated for the past couple of years with new data. 

The biggest criticism of the past couple of FIFA releases on the Switch is that they are priced the same as a full new game, despite being seen by many as a pale imitation of the other consoles’ releases. If pre-orders are anything to go by, it seems this year’s Legacy Edition will follow the same pattern.

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