FIFA 19's new AI on Switch plays "more like humans"

FIFA's lead gameplay producer Samuel Rivera is someone we've talked to a lot in the past about all things FIFA, and when we caught up with him recently we had to ask about the Switch version specifically, which seems to have had a lot of thought put into it since the series debut on the console last year.

"There's two big things [with the Switch version] going on," explains Rivera when asked about new features on Switch besides the improved graphics. "The first one is, and most important, because a lot of our players play Switch against the AI, we wanted to completely redo that experience to something that is more fun. So we rewrote how we do AI in Switch and now they play more like humans, more like how I would play, 'I make my mind, I create, I need to do this' and then I go and execute it, not just reacting every single frame. So basically you feel like human and it's also a more tactical approach - they make their tactics and they try to score based on those tactics like real teams. So when you play against the AI in Switch it's just more fun and different".

"The other thing that is very important is just in terms of shooting there's this Timed Finishing mechanic we have in regular FIFA in consoles. We also have it in Switch, and basically is the ability to make your shot more accurate and more powerful if you execute correctly a mechanic which is double-tapping the shoot button when the player is about to contact the ball. Then you will have a very good shot if you do it properly - if not, it's a very bad shot".

On top of that there are "a lot of new shooting animations we're adding," even if it's not every single animation and flick as seen in the other versions. "But when you play it you will feel right away the experience in Switch is improved," Rivera reassures us.

Did you like last year's version of the game on Switch?