The new gameplay features of FIFA 22 were presented in detail on July 20, 2021, during the EA Play Spotlight. We at MeinMMO spoke with Sam Rivera from EA Sports. The gameplay producer explains how the new features are supposed to affect the game.
The major innovation in FIFA 22: The big buzzword in FIFA 22 is “HyperMotion” – at least on the new consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. This is a new technology that brings over 4,000 new animations into the game, enables new movements, and aims to bring the entire game closer to real football.
Thanks to the new consoles, it is now also possible to integrate longer, realistic animations into the game without sacrificing gameplay responsiveness, explains gameplay producer Rivera: “In the past, we tried to keep the animations short.”
Now, fluid, long movements of the players are possible, but can be interrupted when needed.
The “HyperMotion” aspects of the game are exclusive to the two new consoles and Stadia. The PC, PS4, and Xbox One, on the other hand, have to do without them – but they will not go without innovations, emphasizes Rivera: “When we designed the features, we also focused on impactful innovations for Gen 4. And they are significant: Like the redesign of the goalkeeper, how the ball moves. The sprint mechanics, the tactics – they are all part of Gen 4.”
We got to experience how that feels in our first FIFA 22 test.
Sprinting should no longer be overpowering in FIFA 22
Especially the topic of “sprint mechanics” should be an important keyword for many players. After all, it has often been said in the past that the fastest players provided a significant advantage. Rivera notes that FIFA 22 takes a closer look at this.
“There are some changes we made in FIFA 22. In general, we try to ensure that pace is not the most important factor in the game. We want to be more similar to real football. Pace is important, but it’s not everything.”
Sam Rivera in an interview
Rivera refers to the Euro match between England and Italy as an example. There, the Italian defense kept the English offense in check, even though defenders Chiellini and Bonucci are not necessarily considered the fastest defensive players.
With the “Explosive Sprint”, FIFA 22 introduces a new sprint mechanic that should give players an advantage in the first few meters. Nevertheless, FIFA 22 aims to find a balance: “There are adjustments to how fast players move. Responsive, explosive, without being too fast.” Especially with HyperMotion, players must “relearn how pace works in FIFA 22.”
FIFA 22 should feel fairer
A longstanding problem for the FIFA community is that games do not always feel “fair”. In the sense that something happens that is different from what one would normally expect from the game in certain situations. This is a problem that Rivera and his team want to address more closely in FIFA 22.
“I play a lot and sometimes I see the situation: Maybe that wasn’t the best outcome from a situation,” Rivera says. This can lead to situations that feel random: “That’s not what we want. We want the game to feel fair.”
Rivera understands that players can become frustrated when such problems occur: “It can be frustrating when you think you did everything right and you don’t get the result you expect.” Rivera points to throw-ins, which may seem like a simple situation – and then end up with the opponent.
FIFA 22 is supposed to improve in this area: “We are doing a lot in this area,” Rivera says: “There should be more consistent action sequences that can be learned so that you can master things. This way, we also want to achieve more fairness.”
What should I, as a player, focus on first in FIFA 22?
A tip for getting started: With all the new features, it could be difficult for players to get used to the new FIFA 22. According to Rivera, one should first focus on tactics and positioning once the game is released.
“Finding spaces is something entirely different. When you play a lot of FIFA 21, you get used to, ‘okay, that’s the way to build up the game and create chances’,’ Rivera says: “In FIFA 22, everything is a little different, because everything is zonal, there is less man marking. So you might have to use the wings more. But that doesn’t mean you can only cross and score. More variety!”
More variety in attacking patterns – that should be something that many players will appreciate. However, how it ultimately feels remains to be seen. Since the release of FIFA 22 is still quite a way off on October 1.
