You can take to the pitch right now with EA’s expansive ‘FIFA 18’ demo

By Jon Martindale September 12, 2017

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If you’re on the fence about buying EA’s annual flagship soccer title, FIFA 18, at the end of September, you can get a taste of its ball-handling action and the expanded story mode in the newly released demo. Available now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, the demo lets you get a taste for “Kick Off mode,” for quick single- and multiplayer action, and the first chapters of “The Journey: Hunter Returns.”

As much as the FIFA series might be one of a handful of annual sports games that mostly involve roster updates for each refresh, EA does have a few new features it’s keen for everyone to try out in the new demo. This time around, it’s employed a new animation system, which it claims makes gameplay look more fluid and responsive. There are also new “team styles,” which let you use the same tactics that certain teams are well known for.

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Included in the demo are 12 of the most popular soccer clubs from the most premier of leagues — no robots though, unfortunately. They include Manchester United, Real Madrid CF, Juventus F.C., LA Galaxy, and Toronto FC, among others. In Kick Off mode, you can take to four different stadiums from around the world, though the full game will feature 75, including 50 licensed, real-world pitches and grounds.

If you’re more interested in the ongoing story mode, known as “The Journey,” then you can give that a try in the demo, too. Picking up where FIFA 17‘s story left off, “Hunter is back for a second season,” as EA puts it. You’ll be able to play the early parts of his ongoing story as he brushes shoulders with some of the most prominent players in global soccer today, including Antoine Griezmann, Thierry Henry, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The demo was set to release on all platforms on Tuesday, September 12, so should be available to download on your respective platform. However, EA has said that some regions and platforms may gain access a little later than others, so if it isn’t yet downloadable were you are, give it a couple of hours — it won’t be long until you can take to the pitch in the latest FIFA title.

The full FIFA 18 game is set for release on September 29.

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