FIFA 18 Switch: Watch a full match running on Nintendo’s hot hybrid

The Nintendo Switch is the hot gaming device right now, and publishers are finding that the hybrid home/handheld console’s owners are hungry for software. Electronic Arts may capitalize on this with the release of FIFA 18 tomorrow, which brings a full version of the soccer sim to both televisions and the Switch’s portable screen.

FIFA 18 on Switch has most of the features, teams, and players as its PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One counterparts, but it is running on older tech. EA Sports switched FIFA over to DICE’s Frostbite engine a few years ago. That’s the same toolkit that powers Star Wars: Battlefront and the Battlefield series. That upgrade enables EA to get photorealistic visuals and physics out of its long-running sports franchise. Switch, however, is running code similar to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. After playing it, I can say that you’ll notice the reduced graphics when you’re playing on a television in 1080p. You’ll also notice the lack of The Journey, FIFA’s single-player campaign — although FIFA Ultimate Team is here.