E3 2018: Interview with Andrei Lazarescu, producer of FIFA 19 on Switch

At EA Play, I had the chance to sit down with Andrei Lazarescu, the Producer of the Switch FIFA games, as well the Producer of the World Cup content and ask him about FIFA on Switch, both 18 and 19, as well as the World Cup content.

Vooks: So starting off with the World Cup content, how did that decision come about, to release it as part of FIFA 18 and not as a standalone package.

Andrei Lazarescu: So, we talked a lot about it, but we decided, in the end, to actually add the entire World Cup game within FIFA 18, because the main reason for it, as we wanted to celebrate the World Cup with our existing players, as well as new players coming into FIFA, just because it’s the world cup.

We did not want to separate the community in two, we wanted to bring it together and for them to enjoy World Cup and all the other modes that we have, Journey*, Ultimate Team, Career Mode, Online etc.

So that was the gist of the rationale behind the decision, but we also did not want to undermine the experience in anyway, so everything that you see in the game, four years ago, would have been a separate game. Which is great, as people are now getting it for free, on PS4, Xbox, PC and Switch at the same time, when it released on May 29^th. We are also launching an update this week, to bring more players in, since the final squads have been announced.

*Journey is not available on the Switch version of FIFA 18 or FIFA 19

V: Excellent, so moving onto FIFA 19, there was an interview that stated the engine would be more refined and better graphics…

AL: I don’t know which interview (laughs), but I will trust you.

V: It was a one-line comment about the game, it was our first confirmation that the game was coming to Switch. So, from last year to this year, what has been the biggest change or biggest improvement?

AL: We are doing a lot of things, everything that we are unveiling here today and over the week at EA Play and E3, is just the first step in a series of announcements, but I am going to try and summarise the things we are talking about today.

One is Champions League, which is not only coming to Switch, but also PS4, Xbox One and PC, we worked really hard to, for it to be an integral part of the game, and not just be a licence. So we are creating a standalone tournament, that is representative of the authentic tournament in the real world, which you can also customise, so that’s one.

We’re featuring Champions League, Europa League and UEFA League in career mode and we are also be featuring Champions League live content, in Ultimate Team. So that’s the depth part, then there is the presentation part, is done by a series of things, because we really looked at different visual and audio elements, to make players feel as if they are there as if they actually in a Champions League match. There is a new commentary team, Derek Rae, and Lee Dixon, which brings a very different vibe to the Champions League, to the rest of the game. There is also a lot of authentic elements, such as key badged, balls, trophies, stadiums, archways etc, that we added into the game, plus we worked a lot of the lighting and different rendering improvements, to capture that dramatic feel, of a Champions League night, so that’s Champions League.

But then there are two other things that, I like to point out, last year was, as you mentioned the first time Fifa was on Switch, we wanted this year to actually elevate the in game experience, to a different level, to be able to diversify it more, to be able to give players more control, more precision in actual gameplay. So, three things we have done with it, one is something we call adaptive personality, for which we implement a deep set of tactics, in the AI system, what that does is match the real life tactics of the different teams that you are playing against. So Barcelona will play how they do in the real world, Manchester City will put a lot of pressure on you from the get go. There are many different tactics pertaining to the style of each team, that within 60 seconds of gameplay, I don’t know if you have had a chance to play…

V: I had the chance to play a full match, then extra time, then a kick-off, with all eleven players…

AL: Did you notice the difference in how the AI was playing?

V: I noticed that they seemed to be a little more aggressive…

AL: Yeah, so it also adapts to how you play, because for example, if you are leading and time is starting to run out, they are going to start adding more and more pressure, they are going to try and get that equaliser. That’s really it, because it makes the AI feel more human and it makes each match you play different than the previous ones. In FIFA 18, everything was pretty flat and uniform.

Also, in terms of player personality, which I mentioned, it pertains to the unique style of different iconic players, so Messi, for example, likes to get the ball to his feet and dribble a lot, you’ll see him trying to do that. Rolando likes to go wide then come in, either with a cross or a dribbling shot, you will see that happening as well, so that’s the first part.

The second part is the shooting system, which is entirely overhauled this year, so finesse shots, straight shots, everything has been rebalanced, re-tuned and redone, so that you have more precision and you are able to control the shot better at different times. We are also adding something we call, Time Finishing, this is probably something you didn’t necessarily see, if you double press shot and if you time the second press exactly at the right moment, you are going to be able to have a higher chance of power and accuracy, and obviously a higher chance to actually score. Now the mechanic is an extra layer on top of the normal shooting and its something to look at as it has high risk, high reward, because if you miss that timing, you are going to have more chances to miss the shot, either it is just a very poor shot or wide. So that adds a very interesting layer of skill and strategy to the game.

Oh, and online friendlies, we are adding that as well, which is a big addition, we basically built our own invite system, it was not there last year, unfortunately, but we built an invite system and now you’re going to be able to play your friends online wherever you are. At home or on the go, if you activate the hotspot on your phone.

And thirdly, in terms of broadcasting and presentation, regardless of whatever league you played, everything pretty much looked and felt the same. This year, we are adding authentic broadcast elements from each league, that will be 100% matched to real life. Oh, and online friendlies, we are adding that as well, which is a big addition, we basically built our own invite system, it was not there last year, unfortunately, but we built an invite system and now you’re going to be able to play your friends online wherever you are. At home or on the go, if you activate the hotspot on your phone.

V: So, basically, FIFA 19 is just FIFA 18 plussed up a heck of a lot.

AL: Yeah, it’s an evolution.

V: Adding a lot of features that people wanted and such.

AL: Yes.

V: With FIFA 18, how did the team respond, because I saw at one point, it outsold the PlayStation 4 version in France…

AL: (laughs) So without the ability to actually to talk about sales or financial figures, the game did really well. We heard a ton of feedback from players, we know first hand that they are engaging a lot of the content, they are loving the portability, the depth in modes, they are loving Ultimate Team, that is the most popular mode on Switch and they want more.

For example with World Cup, we have definitely seen, one a raised engagement from players that are maybe already waiting for 19, but are enjoying the new content, which has a lot of depth to it. We are also seeing a lot of new players coming into the game, which is great because it sets a really good foundational for 19, they are going to think, this is cool, let’s see what 19 is about.

So all in all, I think the team felt really proud about that and World Cup and 19 and everything that I spoke about, and things we are still yet to announce, I think is a testament to our continued investment and belief in the platform and the players of course.

V: A lot of players on Switch, like to know how the game players, its technical performance, because games run differently in portable mode, how does 19 run performance wise on Switch?

AL: So, a really good question, really good insight. So last year, we deliberately chose to build a custom engine, because we believed, it was a pretty easy decision that we were going to build a game that caters the speed to the platform and to how the players use the platform and what they want from that experience. That was a flawless 60 frames per second experience, that caters to any resolution, any possible way that you could play with the Switch. So, we are sticking to that, we are continuing to do so, everything that you see here is 60fps, 720p in handheld mode and 1080p on the TV.

So, there is nothing that we are letting go of, in terms of all those technical things.

So, we are sticking to that, we are continuing to do so, everything that you see here is 60fps, 720p in handheld mode and 1080p on the TV.

V: Cool, so wrapping it up, is there any particular feature or addition to FIFA 19 that you are most proud of?

AL: Oh, I wouldn’t call just one of, because I would not do justice to the rest. I would say that 19 is a really big evolutionary step, compared to 18, which allowed us to form the base to build upon and I think Champions League, Online Friendlies and FUT (Fifa Ultimate Team) Friendlies, because you are going to be able to player friendlies in FUT as well, plus the innovations in gameplay and broadcasting, rendering all are one step further in that definitive on the go FIFA experience on Switch.

V: Thank you very much for your time.

AL: My pleasure, I hope you have the chance to play some more.