FIFA 15 – Bringing Goalkeepers to the Next Generation

EA Sports have promised goalkeeping will be completely rewritten for FIFA 15. The announcement comes alongside a dramatic trailer video displaying new AI and animations attached to the so-called ‘Next Gen Goalkeepers’.

In the announcement post, EA have outlined the key areas of improvement to bring in-game goalkeeping to a more realistic level. Alongside the new animations, the AI boasts improved reactions and better decision making, meaning the goalkeeper will be able to read and react to gameplay and make late adjustments to their movements in order to correct themselves and provide authentic saves.

EA also claim that goalkeepers will be less likely to catch shots in comparison to previous goalkeepers, and instead will use a range of deflections and tipped saves. ‘Keepers will have improved judgement, allowing them to read the flight of a travelling ball better and subsequently react with a bigger variety of actions to swerving or dipping shots.

According to the developers, all of these next gen developments to goalkeepers will also offer the attacking side more opportunity to beat the goalkeeper and ultimately score. With the goalkeeper more mobile, the attacker has a new range of options to beat the ‘keeper – with nutmegs, shots across goal and quick shots all viable options that will leave the goalkeeper with no time to react.

It was recently revealed that the newest FIFA will be implementing all 20 Premier League Stadiums, and you can get your hands on these new developments when the game is released in the UK on September 26th.