FC 25 producer talks Lamine Yamal, Fabrizio Romano and big Career Mode changes
Here we go.
Fans of EA Sports FC 24 are already getting excited about the next instalment, FC 25 - and for good reason.
Among the big changes coming for this post-FIFA follow-up is a revamped Career Mode, an area of the game that some fans feel has been overlooked for some time.
Well, no longer, with the women’s game, Icons and even transfer guru Fabrizio Romano coming to the mode when it releases on 27th September 2024.
And who better to chat to about all the changes than Andreas Wilsdorf, associate producer on EA Sports FC 25 and one of the key brains behind Career Mode this year?
We were lucky enough to sit down with Wilsdorf at Gamescom in Cologne, and you can watch the chat in its entirety above - or on our YouTube channel.
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FC 25 producer talks Lamine Yamal, Fabrizio Romano and big Career Mode changes
After some frustration from fans over a perceived lack of progress in Career Mode, this year promises to be a game-changer in terms of the fan-favourite area of the game.
So, why is EA Sports putting a greater focus on it for the 2024/25 season?
Wilsdorf explains: "It was the right moment, the right time. We improved tactics last year, with Tactical Vision, but with FC IQ coming in, it felt like a natural fit [to] rework player roles, even fit coaches into it.
"With Rush coming in, we always knew a bit of a community ask has been to be able to play with the youth players, and when we saw Rush we started thinking about how, for example, in Germany five-versus-five is such a big topic - we were like, this is the perfect opportunity to make youth players actually playable.
"So it just felt like everything was falling in the right place."
One of the most important elements of Career Mode is, of course, the transfer window.
And, after his escapades at Euro 2024 and the fact that he has boundless potential, you'd expect Lamine Yamal to top many managers' transfer wish lists this time out.
The 17-year-old didn’t arrive in FC 24 until the Euros update, so can we expect him to feature from the start this season?
"Yeah, he will be in the game," Wilsdorf confirms. "I think he will be a transfer target for many people."
Another big addition to the mode is the arrival of Fabrizio Romano, who’s set to announce the biggest signings with his trademark, "Here we go."
On bringing in football’s most famous phone-user, Wilsdorf said: "He is someone who is excited about the game.
"We saw the rumours over many years of, will he one day work with us? This year, with us redoing the whole menu, bringing social media into the game, it felt like now was the moment to really try and work together.
"With other media partners we’re starting to bring in, it felt like now’s the moment to really focus on them, and Fabrizio Romano was excited about it, he loves the game, so it was just the perfect fit."
Imagine the satisfaction you'd feel after taking Accrington Stanley to the Premier League and having the transfer guru announce your signing of Kylian Mbappé. Well, now you won’t have to imagine - it’s in the game.
Read more on FC 25:
- FC 25 professional fouls explained- controversial new feature
- FC 25 Ultimate Team- changes confirmed
- FC 25 Pro Clubs- changes confirmed
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