FIFA 21 is playable now! The excitement around next-gen is definitely building too with Pre-Orders open.
Here's what we know about the game arriving on PlayStation, and the difference between PS4 and PS5.
Latest News - EA Play Live
FIFA 21 is now available on EA Play, although members of the subscription service will only get 10 hours of gameplay.
READ MORE: FIFA 21 ICONs – All confirmed ratings!
With the game out, Ultimate Team is already underway with loads of objectives to complete.
Check out the full Season 1 Objectives here.
Release Dates
FIFA 21 will arrive on PS4 on Friday, 9 October - and now we know the release date for PS5.
Fans will have just over a month of FIFA 21 on the PS4 before the PS5 arrives on 12/19 November.
Free Upgrade to Next Gen - Dual Entitlement
Those that buy FIFA 21 on PS4 can get a free upgrade to PS5 when Sony’s new hardware arrives.
BIG NEWS- You'll get a free upgrade to next gen consoles if you purchase FIFA 21 on PS4 or Xbox One before FIFA 22 comes along
That means there’s no need to pay for the game twice!
READ MORE: Everything we know about the FIFA 21 Demo
In addition, you’ll be able to carry over your FUT and VOLTA progress from one console to the next!
Pre-order
The ultimate way to ensure you get in on the action early on PS4 would be to pre-order - we've got you covered!
Head to our guide on all the game editions and pre-order options you'll need to be at the front of the pack on release!
Next-Gen FIFA 21 Game Features Confirmed
Following EA Play, EA has announced a series of Next-Gen game features for FIFA 21!
Key features on Next-Gen consoles include:
Gameplay
- Blazing fast load times – get to kick-off in seconds
- Controller haptics (PS5 only) – feel every shot, kick, pass, and tackle in your hands
Graphics and Visuals
- Deferred Lighting and Rendering – a new lighting system creates more detail in every part of the stadium
- Re-imagined player bodies – next-gen technology takes players to a whole new level of realism
NEXT LEVEL: EA has confirmed several new features for Next-Gen
Player Animations
- Enhanced animation technology – new animations create ultra-responsive and realistic player movement
- Off-ball humanisation – from adjusting shin pads to screaming for passes, feel all the emotion of football at the highest level
READ MORE: FIFA 21 EA PLAY – everything you need to know
Next Level Atmospheres
- Gameday immersion – contextual player, bench, and fan reactions let you feel the explosive passion of a last-minute winner
Graphics
Better graphics is one of PS5’s biggest selling points.
The brand-new ray tracing system will improve the realism of
the crowds, stadiums, players and even the grass on the pitch itself.
All these fine details will be available on PS5 with its new 8k supported gameplay making for incredibly realistic graphics as shown below.
This is not to say the graphics on PS4 won’t improve,
however with the greater power and capabilities of the PS5 it should be taken
to a whole other level on the Next Gen console.
Audio
Audio can often be overlooked, however PS5 have promised
‘increased immersion’ sounds to cover every angle.
SCENES! New graphics and audio could make stadium noise incredible.
For the best results, a headset is always recommended with the sound coming from above, below, and of course left and right.
How much difference this will make to FIFA 21 remains to be
seen, but it could make for an insane experience in a packed stadium.
READ MORE: How to pre-order FIFA 21
On PS4, expect the audio to remain consistent with past editions
of FIFA as they continue to improve the realism of the crowd chants.
Gameplay
The most important part of any FIFA game.
The gameplay is the most talked about aspect of FIFA, with certain elements of the game featuring heavily in complaints from the EA community.
READ MORE: What will FIFA 21 look like on PS5?
In recent memory, front post corners and back post crosses
have been almost impossible to stop. Changes to areas like this should be made
on both PS4 and PS5.
However, the PS5 does hold an advantage when it comes to
speed and smoothness so expect shorter loading times and fewer glitches.
Cross-Platform
So far, FIFA games have not been compatible with cross-platform play, however this could change for FIFA 21.
The first cross-platform EA game, Need for Speed Heat, has been announced. Could this pave the way for FIFA too?
CROSS-PLATFORM! Games such as Fortnite have enabled cross-platform play, could we see it on FIFA 21?
The release of the Next Gen consoles will mean that FIFA 21 is spread across four different platforms.
READ MORE: Everything we know about the FIFA 21 Demo
To combat the problem of four different platforms, EA could allow PS4 and PS5 players to play against each other, with the Xbox consoles doing the same.