Today, Electronic Arts announced Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid C.F. as the global cover star of EA SPORTS FIFA 18, launching worldwide September 29, 2017 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 systems.
It’s been an extremely successful couple of years for the Portuguese sensation. Normally, players tend to be past their peak once they hit their 30s. But then again, ‘Normal’ would never be how anyone would ever describe Christiano Ronaldo. Right off the back of winning Portugal’s first European Cup, he goes on to capture the La Liga title and the Champions League with Real Madrid.
However, it isn’t just Ronaldo’s picture that’s worked into the game. To deliver innovation in FIFA 18, Cristiano Ronaldo’s data was recently recorded during a training session at a mobile EA Capture studio in Madrid. Data capture of Ronaldo’s acceleration, run cadence, skills, and shooting technique were all recorded to bring veracity to his likeness and personality in FIFA 18. His data also helped develop important gameplay elements including fluidity, player responsiveness and explosiveness. Fans can learn how Ronaldo fueled FIFA 18 by tuning into EA PLAY on June 11 at 3AM SGT on EA.com.
“The world’s best player has helped fuel the biggest leap forward on the pitch that we’ve ever delivered,” said Aaron McHardy, Senior Producer for EA SPORTS FIFA. “We are extremely excited to partner with Cristiano – working with him we learned a lot about his unique play style and what makes him so special. His passion, energy and global fanbase make him the perfect ambassador for FIFA 18.”
“It is a real pleasure to be on the cover of FIFA 18,” said Cristiano Ronaldo. “It’s a great feeling and I am grateful to have been chosen.”
This year, FIFA is all about ‘Ronaldo’. While Christiano is a phenomenon, the ‘original‘ phenom, Brazil’s Ronaldo Nazário, will be featured on the ICON edition of the game. Pre-Order the ICON edition and get Ronaldo Nazário in your team.
Fans who pre-order the Ronaldo Edition of FIFA 18 on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One or PC will receive three-day early access, up to $60 worth of additional content, including 20 jumbo premium gold packs (1 per week for 20 consecutive weeks), eight special edition FIFA Ultimate Team kits designed by artists on the FIFA 18 soundtrack and a Cristiano Ronaldo loan player for five FUT matches.
FIFA 18 fans can get their hands on the full game before launch day, with Ronaldo Edition and ICON Edition owners getting three-day early access, letting them start playing on Tuesday, September 26, while EA Access and Origin Access members can enjoy up to 10 hours of play time starting Thursday, September 21 as part of the EA Access and Origin Access Play First Trial.
FIFA 18 will be available worldwide on September 29 for, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems.
EA Access and Origin Access members receive a 10 percent discount when they purchase a digital version of FIFA 18 on Xbox Live and Origin.