FIFA 16

Gameplay

The game includes 78 stadiums, 50 of which are real-world venues. Fratton Park, home of Portsmouth, was added as a tribute to Simon Humber, the creative director of the FIFA series who died of cancer in 2015. A new Training Mode in Career Mode allows players to develop footballers without playing them, using skill games first introduced in EA Sports' 2014 World Cup game. The player can set a specific focus attribute for development, which also increases the footballer's transfer value.

FIFA Ultimate Team received interface improvements to pack management, the transfer market, squad chemistry, consumables, and player swapping. Substantial gameplay updates include FIFA Ultimate Team Draft, where players choose from five random players per position and compete in a tournament format. For Xbox players, Ultimate Team Legends expanded to include iconic names such as George Best, Ryan Giggs, Deco, Vítor Baía, and Alessandro Nesta.

New friendly enhancements allow players to pick a friendly tournament before a season starts, with rewards in the form of a transfer budget boost and unlimited substitutions permitted. Other features include two-year loans, realistic transfer budget enhancements, and improved player values. PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC versions have a licensed presentation package for the Bundesliga, new weather and kick-off time variations, and the use of vanishing spray during certain matches.

Downloadable content is available using a point system. Commentary is provided by Martin Tyler and Alan Smith, with Alan McInally for in-game score updates, Geoff Shreeves for injury reports, and Mike West for classified results. Spanish and French commentary is also available. Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend do not appear in this game but return in FIFA 17.

Development and release

To capture female player motions, designers used motion capture of American forwards Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux, American midfielder Megan Rapinoe, and Australian defender Steph Catley. FIFA 16 was announced on 28 May 2015, and the inclusion of women players received positive critical response from IGN. The official trailer released on 28 May featured live and in-game footage of players including Morgan, Leroux, Rapinoe, Abby Wambach, Hope Solo, Spain's Verónica Boquete, England's Eniola Aluko and Steph Houghton, Germany's Célia Šašić, Canada's Christine Sinclair, and Sweden's Kosovare Asllani. The game was released worldwide in September 2015 for PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Android, and iOS.

A representative confirmed that no PlayStation Vita or Nintendo 3DS version was in development, making this the first edition since 2000 not released on Nintendo platforms. In September 2015, following a warning from the National Collegiate Athletic Association, 13 women's players attending or likely to attend an NCAA member institution were removed from the game. The NCAA argued their inclusion would forfeit eligibility for NCAA competition, as NCAA rules restrict monetary compensation to student-athletes.

EA complied but stated they had licensed likenesses through national governing bodies under standard protocol and that no student-athletes were individually compensated. The official soundtrack was released on 10 September 2015 and is available on Spotify. This is the first edition to include rosters for New York City FC and Orlando City SC in their respective league and conferences. In February 2016, British child protection charities lobbied for the removal of convicted child sex offender Adam Johnson from the game; EA removed him from several modes and worked on technical issues preventing full removal.

Reception

ESPN writer James Tyler gave a positive review, noting increased realism in defending and passing tactics, and suggested a mode playing as a team owner could improve the series. The Independent's Andrew Griffin was pleased with additions but theorized they would not be revolutionary enough to challenge PES 2016. Ben Wilson of The Guardian noted the difference in tactics required when playing as women and awarded five stars, concluding it was difficult to choose between FIFA 16 and PES 2016.

IGN praised the addition of women's football and FUT Draft but compared the game unfavorably with PES 2016, stating EA Sports has work to do for FIFA to regain its title. Metro also compared it unfavorably with PES 2016, calling it one of the best and most immersive editions but lacking balance between authenticity and fun. GameSpot gave a more positive review, stating that while the game can be stubborn and stifling, it feels gloriously new and learning fresh strategies is an almost-forgotten pleasure.