We were firmly expecting a release of the demo for FIFA 21 this week, but EA has announced that there will be no demo version released this year.
The demo tradition of FIFA is over, as there will be no trial version of the latest FIFA installment this year.
What happened? EA Sports announced via Twitter that they will not be releasing a demo for FIFA 21 this year. The developer wants to focus on developing the full version:
We will not be releasing a demo for FIFA 21. Instead, our development team is focused on delivering the best possible gaming experience on Current & Next Gen consoles. We look forward to the launch for EA PLAY members in 10 days & to the release on October 9.
Why is this a big deal? The demos for FIFA games have been a longstanding tradition. Almost every year a demo version has been released before the launch of a new FIFA installment.
In this demo, players could conduct offline matches with a handful of clubs and try out the new features. This year, players were also looking forward to the demo:
How can you still play FIFA 21 earlier?
When is FIFA 21 coming out? The official release of FIFA 21 is on October 9. However, players who get a special edition can start as early as October 6.
With EA Play you are among the first: If you are a member of EA Play, you can play FIFA 21 earlier, starting on October 1. This gives EA Play members a whole 8 days before the release to get a head start and build their Ultimate Team.
However, the playtime is limited to 10 hours. All progress will be transferred to the full version. EA Play is available on PS4, Xbox One, Origin, and Steam.
And those who have the premium service EA Play Pro can even access FIFA 21 from October 1 without the 10-hour limitation. However, EA Play Pro is currently only available through Origin and thus not an option for console players. Many players reacted skeptically to the absence of a FIFA 21 demo.
