EA Sports has kicked off the FIFA 20 closed beta – and the leaks have begun.
As happens every year, players have been quick to post images and videos of the beta to social media and YouTube, revealing aspects of the game outside of EA’s marketing beats.
FIFA Ultimate Team fans will be interested to see the new pack openings. The video in the tweet below shows a walkout for Real Madrid star Isco, and it’s pretty involved. The cutscene moves forward through a stadium tunnel, with lots of visual effects and snippets of information about what the card is doing their best to ramp up the excitement. We finally get to the end of the tunnel, emerge into the stadium and there – surprise! – Isco walks out and does the worm dance, because why not?
Walkout Isco! #FUT20 #fifa20 #fut #fifa20beta #fifabeta pic.twitter.com/Nkj8aRLGWi
— FIFA 20 BETA LEAKS (@FIFABetaLeaks) August 9, 2019
Observers have already noted this walkout cutscene is a tad over the top, and certainly goes on a bit long. And it kind of makes a mockery of comparing opening loot boxes in FIFA to opening packs of football stickers, doesn’t it?
For comparison’s sake, here’s how a walkout looks versus a rare and non-rare pull:
Difference between a walkout rare and non rare. #fifa20beta #fifa20 #fifabeta pic.twitter.com/7JoUaze9Ir
— FIFA 20 BETA LEAKS (@FIFABetaLeaks) August 9, 2019
Elsewhere, players have had fun with the manager customisation options, which let you make some pretty ridiculous concoctions. Imagine seeing this sort of thing on the sidelines of a Premier League match? Pep Guardiola certainly would not approve.
You can customize the manager however you want ? #FIFA20 #fifa20beta #fifabeta pic.twitter.com/P3lJGmVF80
— FIFA 20 BETA LEAKS (@FIFABetaLeaks) August 9, 2019
Here we have some new player faces, some of which are great, some of which border on the bizarre.
Manchester United game faces #fifa20beta #fifa20 #fifabeta pic.twitter.com/0BPJLQUozo
— FIFA 20 BETA LEAKS (@FIFABetaLeaks) August 9, 2019
Man city players (@11M_Gustavo) #fifa20beta #FIFA20 #fifabeta pic.twitter.com/BnEUcpy9hc
— FIFA 20 BETA LEAKS (@FIFABetaLeaks) August 9, 2019
#FIFA20 #fifabeta20 pic.twitter.com/Wwfl2RICM6
— Flax red (@11M_Gustavo) August 9, 2019
#fifa20beta #FIFA20 pic.twitter.com/JosZVgbb9A
— Flax red (@11M_Gustavo) August 9, 2019
Everton star Richarlison’s pigeon dance is in FIFA 20.
?????????????????? ? #FIFA20 pic.twitter.com/U1pMxMK6Gd
— ???????? (@cumancere819) August 9, 2019
Unfortunately language select is still in the game (this is something you have to select every time you turn FIFA on, for some reason).
Language select still in the game ? Flag doesn’t wave anymore. #fifa20beta #fifabeta #fifa20 pic.twitter.com/6J9wANblY1
— FIFA 20 BETA LEAKS (@FIFABetaLeaks) August 9, 2019
EA Sports is working to take down much of this leaked content, so it may disappear sooner rather than later. And of course we must note that since this is the closed beta, everything revealed is subject to change. For now, though, we’re getting an early look at what FIFA 20 is like – for better and for worse.