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[Nirolak]

I know there were a lot of people asking why in the unveil thread, so here's an answer from EA's CEO.

GamesBeat: I’m curious about small things and big things that come out of this “gamers first” strategy. If you look at adding women to FIFA, what is the gamers first goal there? How do you apply that to trying to decide something like that?

Wilson: That one’s pretty easy. As we start looking at the amount of players in our FIFA world who are girls and women, as we look at the amount of girls playing soccer—particularly in this country, by the way. There are more girls playing soccer than there are guys. We had this huge audience playing our game who didn’t feel they were represented inside the game. We went after that. We’ll continue to do that.

He also responds to the purported backlash:

GamesBeat: That doesn’t feel risky or progressive. It feels like good business. Some people reacted negatively, and you could worry about those people, or you could worry about building new audiences.

Wilson: The negative reaction to women’s teams in FIFA?

GamesBeat: Peter Moore brought that up on Facebook, saying he was sad to see “misogynistic vitriol” around FIFA.

Wilson: Here’s what I’d say. Having gone and read a great deal and had our community teams looking at that, that was such a marginal element of the overall feedback—more power to Peter for taking it on and dealing with that individual, but in all honesty, I think that only made it bigger than it was overall. In reality, the feedback to putting women’s teams in FIFA was almost universally positive.

Source: http://venturebeat.com/2015/06/17/e...ar-wars-battlefront-and-mass-effect/view-all/

 

[Xater]

It's sad this actually needed explanation.

 

[bananafactory]

The fact they even need to explain it says everything about the state of this industry

 

[IdreamofHIME]

Coz they want Fifa to sell in the US.

 

[Baalzebup]

I actually find it sad that they would need any kind of explanation for adding women's teams.

 

[dc89]

This should not require an explanation, what a mess.

 

[CharminUltra]

Makes sense. Now female gamers can also dive into the franchise as well.

 

[delaneya]

There should not need to explain to people why there add girls to the game. Should of been in there long long ago.

 

[Tiberius]

We know they add women to appeal to us female gamers and us market

 

[chrominance]

I would've asked "why not before," but "why now" always seemed obvious to me. Glad to see the massive positive reception.

 

[Dr.Acula]

I can't wait for the women's teams and men's teams crossplay and the firestorm of debate if a women's team beating a men's team should be possible.

 

[Pop-O-Matic]

Really didn't need an explanation beyond "It's 2015, damn it!"

 

[Lucian]

It's sad this actually needed explanation.

First post nails it again.

Why'd the interviewer even ask those questions.?

 

[illmatic22]

Women in video games oh noes!

 

[RobotHaus]

They added women because oddly enough, women are also people. Who would have thought.

 

[Fersis]

There was a backlash?
What a time to be alive =/

 

[Kuro]

I can't wait for the women's teams and men's teams crossplay and the firestorm of debate if a women's team beating a men's team should be possible.

In real life it isn't really possible when you compare professional teams but in a videogame why not. Don't see an issue with that happening in a videogame, its not like FIFA is a perfect simulation to begin with.

 

[injurai]

What guy would truly be upset about playing a soccer game where the entire team is made up of athletic woman?

 

[Kinyou]

Wilson: Here’s what I’d say. Having gone and read a great deal and had our community teams looking at that, that was such a marginal element of the overall feedback—more power to Peter for taking it on and dealing with that individual, but in all honesty, I think that only made it bigger than it was overall. In reality, the feedback to putting women’s teams in FIFA was almost universally positive.

That's nice to hear. In the original thread people paid too much attention to those youtube dislikes

 

[Mory Dunz]

I can't wait for the women's teams and men's teams crossplay and the firestorm of debate if a women's team beating a men's team should be possible.

I'm pretty sure they don't play each other.
They will likely have separate stats and junk.

Coz they want Fifa to sell in the US.

??
Isn't this already true?
Check NPDs

There was a backlash?
What a time to be alive =/

I mean, yeah. Twitter backlashes against everything imo.
Will any of those people not buy FIFA 16? yeah right.
So Not much of a real backlash for me.

 

[Bootador83]

Those are pre-approved questions methinks, that or the interviewer is asking the wrong questions.

There's no backlash against women in Fifa particularly (apart from the odd moron), the backlash is against this being the only feature being touted. For those who already play Fifa, it's a kick in the teeth nothing else is talked about.

Think of your favourite single player game getting a sequel, but instead of talking about what they've added they go on about the new multiplayer mode.

 

[mentallyinept]

It's sad this actually needed explanation.

My first reaction as well.

Hopefully this doesn't get asked next year when they are still there.

 

[Finale Fireworker]

I can't believe this needed to be explained. Utter madness in this world.

 

[Dr.Acula]

In real life it isn't really possible when you compare professional teams but in a videogame why not. Don't see an issue with that happening in a videogame, its not like FIFA is a perfect simulation to begin with.

Of course, I remember playing some hockey game with minor league teams and scrub national teams along side the NHL and there's no way the Japanese national team could beat the Blackhawks in real life.

I just mean there are a lot of people that create controversy out of nothing.

 

[pizzacat]

Okay guys we get it, it doesn't need an explanation.

 

[gai_shain]

Those are pre-approved questions methinks, that or the interviewer is asking the wrong questions.

There's no backlash against women in Fifa particularly (apart from the odd moron), the backlash is against this being the only feature being touted. For those who already play Fifa, it's a kick in the teeth nothing else is talked about.

Think of your favourite single player game getting a sequel, but instead of talking about what they've added they go on about the new multiplayer mode.

I already play fifa and adding women teams to the game is awesome.
Adding women to Fifa is in no way comparable to adding a multiplayer mode

 

[timetokill]

Adding the women's teams makes sense, I can't believe it needed to be defended.

What I'm most curious about is whether they went for realism and made the women slower, etc. How do they stack up against the men's teams?

 

[VariantX]

It's sad this actually needed explanation.

Exactly this. Women play soccer too.

 

[Mory Dunz]

Adding the women's teams makes sense, I can't believe it needed to be defended.

What I'm most curious about is whether they went for realism and made the women slower, etc. How do they stack up against the men's teams?

Pretty sure it'll be separate stats. And they won't play each other.

 

[Griss]

There was negative feedback? Everyone wanted women's teams for years. All comments I saw were positive.

 

[Moozo]

People, this isn't explaining "why there are women in a video game".

It's explaining why they have added what appears to be a minority version of the sport in to the game.

(which I think is good, before you jump on me)

 

[benny_a]

Those are pre-approved questions methinks, that or the interviewer is asking the wrong questions.

There's no backlash against women in Fifa particularly (apart from the odd moron), the backlash is against this being the only feature being touted. For those who already play Fifa, it's a kick in the teeth nothing else is talked about.

Think of your favourite single player game getting a sequel, but instead of talking about what they've added they go on about the new multiplayer mode.

It's not the only thing being touted. They changed the way crosses work, the trainer guide mode that adapts to how well you play to show what kind of options you have and their usual improvements every year:
GK being better, shots physics improved by now computing a full 3D model of the foot vs. the ball instead of pre-computed hit points.

A year ago it would've blown my mind that someone would've even asked that question.

Nowadays it's just par for the course.

Prepare to have your mind blown retroactively then: More than 2 years ago there was a 20 minute audio interview about why they haven't added women teams to FIFA yet with the EA Sports Germany representative at the time.

 

[Mr_Appleby]

A year ago it would've blown my mind that someone would've even asked that question.

Nowadays it's just par for the course.

 

[fedexpeon]

You need an explanation for this?
Because tbh, it should have been part of FIFA a long time ago.
The US Women National team did more to increase soccer awareness than the POS Men team in the last decade within the States.

 

[Bootador83]

I already play fifa and adding women teams to the game is awesome.
Adding women to Fifa is in no way comparable to adding a multiplayer mode

True, a bad analogy.

But until we've seen otherwise from a gameplay perspective, it'd be sensible to assume to women's games use the exact same physics engine etc. (especially from EA) as the mens.

So what's the selling point for the gamer with no interest in the women's game (and there's nothing wrong with that, I exclusive play clubs or seasons with my favourite team - so it's of no difference to me whether women are in the game or not), as it stands it's the same game as last years?

 

[zedge]

It's sad this actually needed explanation.

My thoughts exactly. Smh

 

[Xater]

There was a backlash?
What a time to be alive =/

Oh yea, there was some Twitter bullshit. It was so bad that Peter Moore himself told these people to basically stfu.

 

[thenameDS]

Curious how or if they will have women in Ultimate team. Like how will the stats work, can you mix them with men and so on.

Sorry if they already confirmed or explained this, but I haven't been paying much attention to FIFA 16 this time round.

 

[itsgreen]

The fact they even need to explain it says everything about the state of this industry

I think it is a valid question asking why they put resources into a part of the sport that is less appealing to the majority of people (men or women).

Fact is that most people where FIFA is sold watch only matches of the men.

The answer though is also pretty good: because we want to be more inclusive and to make the women playing identify themselves on the pitch.

Still: doubt this is one of those features that will be played by a whole lot of people.

 

[benny_a]

So what's the selling point for the gamer with no interest in the women's game (and there's nothing wrong with that, I exclusive play clubs or seasons with my favourite team - so it's of no difference to me whether women are in the game or not), as it stands it's the same game as last years?

Them adding women to the game and the body morphology difference between male top athletes and female top athletes meant they had to rework how their rigging and scaling worked.

Now you don't have one base model that is being scaled up or down, but different players have for example different shoulder width which results in more accurate player models across the board. (For those they touch up, of course.)

In any case that is benefit for everyone whose implementation was forced by the introduction of females.

 

[itsgreen]

Oh yea, there was some Twitter bullshit. It was so bad that Peter Moore himself told these people to basically stfu.

Yeah it was pretty sad, "I will not buy this game because women are in it" and such :\

 

[Bootador83]

Still: doubt this is one of those features that won't be played by a whole lot of people.

Will be interesting to see if it gets fully fledged out in the coming years or remains a token 10 team feature (it is 10 right?) while the iron is hot.

 

[Fox318]

Why should they even explain?

They should try and add every team they possibly can regardless of gender or nationality. I'd want to match up against historical teams of legend vs teams of today.

 

[Servbot24]

There was negative feedback on this?? Ugh. This fucking industry.

 

[Storm Raider]

Makes sense. Now female gamers can also dive into the franchise as well.

Could they not play before?

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

I'm confused as to what people have a problem with.

 

[SRTtoZ]

Yep. Its just the way our country is, where they push the boys towards football, baseball, basketball, hockey, pretty much everything over soccer.

 

[Apollo Cree]

Could they not play before?

How many of your friends would play an WNBA game?

 

[nikos]

It's not a matter of needing an explanation for having female teams. I agree that needing an explanation for that would be pretty absurd.

The way I see it, is it's more about the question of why female teams are tacked onto this game. Why not have a standalone female football game altogether?

Sadly, the answer is probably because it wouldn't sell well. It seems as if EA is testing the water to see if any additional sales are to be made based on having female teams in this game, then taking it from there.

 

[gai_shain]

True, a bad analogy.

But until we've seen otherwise from a gameplay perspective, it'd be sensible to assume to women's games use the exact same physics engine etc. (especially from EA) as the mens.

So what's the selling point for the gamer with no interest in the women's game (and there's nothing wrong with that, I exclusive play clubs or seasons with my favourite team - so it's of no difference to me whether women are in the game or not), as it stands it's the same game as last years?

It's not the only thing being touted. They changed the way crosses work, the trainer guide mode that adapts to how well you play to show what kind of options you have and their usual improvements every year:
GK being better, shots physics improved by now computing a full 3D model of the foot vs. the ball instead of pre-computed hit points.

there you go