FIFA 19

A Major Release and Licensing Shift

FIFA 19 arrived as a significant title in the series, largely due to its acquisition of exclusive licenses for UEFA's premier club tournaments. For the first time, players could compete in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Super Cup within the game. This integration included authentic branding, a new commentary team of Derek Rae and Lee Dixon for these matches, and a special remix of the Champions League anthem by composer Hans Zimmer and rapper Vince Staples. This move came after the licenses expired with rival series Pro Evolution Soccer.

The game's launch was affected by events involving its cover star. Cristiano Ronaldo was the global cover athlete for a second consecutive year. Following his unexpected transfer from Real Madrid to Juventus, new cover art was released. Later, in February 2019, Ronaldo was removed entirely from the cover after a woman filed a lawsuit alleging he raped her in 2009. He was replaced by a trio of Neymar, Kevin De Bruyne, and Paulo Dybala.

Core Gameplay Innovations and Presentation

FIFA 19 introduced several technical changes designed to refine on-pitch action. The new Active Touch System changed player control for more responsive first touches. A timed finishing mechanic allowed players to press the shoot button a second time to determine the exact moment of contact for more precise strikes. The 50/50 battles system calculated the likelihood of winning loose balls based on player attributes and positioning. Dynamic Tactics let players configure multiple strategic plans and switch between them in real-time during a match.

These gameplay updates were matched by visual and audio enhancements. New broadcast-style graphics were implemented for the UEFA competitions. A host of new real-world stadiums were added, including the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Molineux Stadium, Craven Cottage, and the Cardiff City Stadium. This brought the total of authentic English Premier League stadiums to all 20 for the first time. However, Barcelona's Camp Nou was absent due to an exclusive deal with Pro Evolution Soccer 2019. Regular commentators Martin Tyler and Alan Smith returned, with Geoff Shreeves as the touchline reporter.

Expanded Roster and League Representation

The game's database saw notable changes and expansions. It became the first FIFA title to include the Chinese Super League. Serie A returned fully licensed after two years of being generically named 'Calcio A'. Conversely, the full Russian Premier League was removed, though clubs like CSKA Moscow, Spartak Moscow, and Lokomotiv Moscow were kept in the game. Clubs like Dinamo Zagreb and Dynamo Kyiv were added.

The Campeonato Brasileiro Série A was featured incompletely with only 15 clubs, as giants like São Paulo, Flamengo, and Corinthians were partners with Konami. The remaining Brazilian clubs had licensed branding but unlicensed players due to a judicial dispute over individual image rights. Boca Juniors appeared as Buenos Aires FC and Colo-Colo as CD Viñazur due to Konami deals. The game featured 55 national teams and 35 licensed leagues in total.

Player representation grew with the addition of 25 new Icons to the Ultimate Team mode, including Rivaldo, Johan Cruyff, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, and George Best. New skill moves like Andrés Iniesta's La Croqueta and goal celebrations such as Mohamed Salah performing a sujud or Roberto Firmino's 'Matador' were also added.

The Final Chapter of The Journey

The story mode, The Journey, concluded with its third installment titled The Journey: Champions. Players followed three protagonists across a branching narrative. Alex Hunter signed for Real Madrid after Cristiano Ronaldo's departure to Juventus, aiming for Champions League glory. His friend Danny Williams also competed in the tournament, and his half-sister Kim Hunter pursued the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup with the USWNT.

The mode featured guest stars like Kevin De Bruyne, Neymar, and Paulo Dybala. New fictional characters were introduced, including Alex's new agent Beatriz Villanova, Danny's estranged brother Terry who played for Paris Saint-Germain, and Kim's rival Melanie Trembley of Canada. The story involved Alex becoming distracted by fame and sponsorships, Danny dealing with conflicts between his agent and friend Ringo, and Kim deciding between a professional career and college.

Narrative choices affected relationships, such as Alex reconciling or becoming rivals with his old friend Toro. The story culminated in both a Champions League final at the Wanda Metropolitano, where Alex's Real Madrid faced Danny's club, and the Women's World Cup final against Canada. The results determined each character's future path.

Post-Launch Support and Historical Legacy

In a notable post-launch update in May 2019, EA released free downloadable content centered on the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. This update added the remaining 10 national teams for the tournament, bringing the total to all participants. Twenty teams had licensed kits and players, with some variations like Italy having correct player names but unlicensed kits. This content could only be played in a special Kick-Off mode scenario that allowed players to compete in the final at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais. This marked the first official video game representation of the Women's World Cup, though a fictionalized version had debuted earlier in Kim Hunter's story mode.

FIFA 19 holds a specific place in gaming history. It is the last FIFA game to be available on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Furthermore, it is the last known game from a major studio to be physically available for the PlayStation 3 worldwide. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, called the Legacy Edition, contained updated kits and squads but none of the new gameplay features.

The online servers for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 versions were shut down on 14 February 2023. Servers for the PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions were shut down on 6 November 2023.