‘FIFA 16’ To Include Women’s Soccer For The First Time, EA Sports Scores With Female Fans
Women’s soccer fans were excited to hear the next installment of the FIFA game series, FIFA 16, will include women’s national soccer teams for the first time.
As fans of women’s soccer prepare for this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in just a couple of weeks, the possibility of roleplaying as their favorite player this September for the first time in the history of the EA Sports game was almost as thrilling as scoring a goal, but no one was more excited than the hardworking players themselves.
Very excited that I am officially #INTHEGAME, and will be joining @EASPORTSFIFA in #FIFA16! https://t.co/SONvraCIOi pic.twitter.com/XCy1eLocna
— Sydney Leroux Dwyer (@sydneyleroux) May 28, 2015
We are honored to be #INTHEGAME for #FIFA16. Thank you @EASPORTSFIFA http://t.co/VKsI49ArIx pic.twitter.com/QKlq6NGKMZ
— Abby Wambach (@AbbyWambach) May 28, 2015
In the wake of this week’s FIFA scandal involving corrupt officials, it might just be the positive spin that the Women’s World Cup needed. Unfortunately, not all gamers are supportive of the move by EA Sports. The announcement of women’s soccer players being included in FIFA 16 reminded the world that sexism is still prevalent in the sports arena.
Imagine trying to control the females on FIFA 16, but they don’t move because they’re independent and don’t need a man making decisions…
— Footy Jokes (@Footy_Jokes) May 28, 2015
FIFA 16 career mode: “Your star striker will be out for 9 months due to pregnancy” pic.twitter.com/rUJHg7Iz6R
— Transfer Related (@TransferRelated) May 28, 2015
Surely male gamers should be pleased #FIFA16 has female teams? It’ll massively increase their chances of scoring with a woman.
— Tiernan Douieb (@TiernanDouieb) May 28, 2015
Regardless of the negativity generated by some naysayers, for the most part, EA Sports is being commended for the change to FIFA 16 and their representation of female athletes, including the FIFA GM and VP David Rutter, who says, “Finally my kids will stop going on at me, and nagging me about why they can’t play with women players. My youngest is a fantastic soccer player and she loves it. It doesn’t really compute that there wouldn’t be women in the game.”
EA Sports acknowledges that the inclusion of women’s soccer players in FIFA 16 was due to the increase in interest generated by the FIFA Women’s World Cup next month. Executives assure us that this isn’t just female faces slapped onto male soccer players’ bodies, either. In wanting to celebrate the female soccer player, FIFA 16 execs brought in U.S. players Megan Rapinoe, Abby Wambach, and Syndey LeRoux among others to contribute to FIFA 16 by suiting up in CGI wear to help build the locomotion for the game.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off in Canada on June 6. FIFA 16 hits shelves in late September.
Do you think FIFA 16 made the right move by finally including women’s soccer? Tell us what you think!
[Image courtesy of Huffington Post]
