Gamespot AU interview with FIFA Producer Dave Rutter

[therizing02]

I've edited out a lot of the info that we already know (tactics, Player weight, blah, blah, blah)

I thought it was interesting that he states that there will be an exclusive game mode for the PS3.


GameSpot AU: First of all, can you confirm whether Australia's A-League is back in the game?
David Rutter: Yes, Australia's A-League is in FIFA 09. It debuted in FIFA 08 because Australia is an important football nation and one of the hallmarks of our franchise is our authenticity.

GS AU: How many different national leagues/nations have you got planned for this year's game? Any significant additions?
DR: We have 30 leagues and around 40 national teams in the game this year, including the Australian national side which is fully licensed with correct kits, badges, and player names.

GS AU: What about online? Last year you introduced 5-on-5--will we see that again? Or perhaps an improvement on that?
DR: One of the features we are going to be talking more about later this month is Be a Pro: Online Team Play. Check back with me later this month and I'll be able to discuss our online features in detail.

GS AU: FIFA is obviously EA's sim franchise, with the arcade soccer left to Street. Do you ever worry that the realism in ball physics and tactics will become too much for gamers? How do you balance that realism in FIFA titles while still being a fun game to play?
DR: We spend a lot of time playing the game to make sure the realistic animations, ball physics, [and] intelligence of the players doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the game. At the end of the day FIFA is a football video game so we need to make sure we balance off what looks great, feels great, and sounds great with what is fun to play. By focusing on making 250 improvements to core gameplay this is all about creating a realistic, authentic, and playable game but we've also added some options to make sure football fans coming to the franchise for the first time will pick up a controller and have a lot of fun.

GS AU: Will there be any differences between the PS3 and 360 versions of the game? Which one was easier to work on?
DR: There will not be any differences in the way the game plays on PS3 and Xbox 360. They will be identical-playing games. However, PS3 will have a game mode exclusive to that system which we'll talk about later in the year.
We have an extremely talented group of individuals who work on each platform and there are challenges to overcome on any platform to make sure the people who purchase the game have the best experience possible. So I wouldn't say that one console is easier to work on, I would just say they are different.
GS AU: David Rutter, thanks for your time.