EA Sports will release the official game of the 2014 FIFA World Cup for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on April 15th. There are no PC, Xbox One or PlayStation 4 versions of the game in development.
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil will feature an updated version of the Impact Engine used in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of FIFA 14. Improvements to dribbling, increased accuracy in passing and a more forgiving fist-touch mechanic are among improvements to the on-pitch action detailed to GameSpot by producer Matthew Prior.
The game will also feature a host of new and returning modes including;
Road to the FIFA World Cup - Choose from 203 national teams and play through regional qualification, all the way to the World Cup Final.
Story of Qualifying - Play through over 60 real world scenarios from the qualifying stages of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, each featuring unique commentary.
Story of Finals - Updated within an hour of the end of each game, this mode allows you to replay every game in the tournament, each with unique challenges based on the day's events.
Road to Rio de Janeiro - A bespoke online tournament held across the twelve host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Captain Your Country - Progress your custom player from a bench warmer to captain of his country.
Online FIFA World Cup - Play through the 2014 FIFA World Cup against competitors online.
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil will feature the usual array of nation-specific fans sporting banners, flags, and seat cards in the stadiums. However a new addition sees the broadcast highlight fans watching the game back home. For instance, if England score the game will cut to fans celebrating in Trafalgar Square, while German fans will scream and shout outside Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
19 international managers will have their likenesses in the game, including Roy Hodgson, Joachim Löw and Luiz Felipe Scolari. Even the subsequently sacked Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni will appear during Irish qualification matches.
English speaking players can also enjoy over 50 hours of pre-recorded radio chat courtesy of EA Sports Talk Radio. These radio shows, hosted by broadcasters Andy Goldstein and Ian Darke, or Michael Davies and Roger Bennett of 'Men in Blazers' fame, will play in the menus during various offline modes.
Notable omissions from the next-gen versions of FIFA 14 are also in 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, but unranked online friendlies, and local co-op for up to 32 players are available. Latin American commentators Mario Kempes and Fernando Palomo will also be back.
Other subtle additions to gameplay include the ability to to instruct team-mates to make runs, or crowd around the goalkeeper during set pieces. Goalies can now make Grobbelaar-esque knee wobbles and point in specific corners during penalty kicks, while defenders can leap over the back of strikers to clear headed balls.
When questioned about the lack of Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions, Producer Matthew Prior told GameSpot that due to the international appeal of the game, they expect the vast majority of fans to be playing on current-gen systems. Emerging markets, such as host nation Brazil, had prohibitively low next-gen adoption rates
