Netflix’s FIFA game reboots the franchise during World CUp

Ahead of its official reveal, Polygon went hands-on with the Launch Edition of FIFA World Cup and learned about Netflix’s long-term plans for the game. The goal is to create a pick-up-and-play live-service game that stays true to the sport while eliminating much of the friction associated with modern gaming. All it takes is a Netflix account and a few button taps to start playing.

The project is developed by Delphi Interactive, a team that has become very relevant in recent weeks. Delphi was the driving force behind 007 First Light, building the original pitch and securing the rights to the IP before roping developer IO Interactive in for development. Delphi pulled off the same trick for the FIFA IP after the organization ended its 30-year partnership with EA in 2022. The winning pitch was for a more approachable, but still authentic, soccer game that could engage the sport’s enormous fanbase. Netflix was the final piece of the puzzle, solving how that game would actually reach those fans.

When FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition drops, Netflix subscribers will be able to stream it through the cloud via the Netflix app. It will launch with three core modes: Kick-off houses quick matches, Tournament lets you guide a team through the World Cup, and Penalty Shootout is a casual minigame. It features all 48 FIFA teams with up to date rosters, and players can upgrade players with coins earned by playing matches and completing daily challenges. It’s all fairly streamlined, and it has no microtransactions.

There are no surprises as far as the soccer play goes. It sticks to regulation FIFA rules aside from the shorter matches. The big difference is how players control the action. You play with a smart phone, which is split into two controls: there’s a joystick that controls movement on the left side of the screen and a touch pad that does everything else on the right. Holding the trackpad allows your play to sprint, passing is controlled via tap, and you shape your shots on goal by swiping. Defense has its own controls using the same gestures, though the position can also be played just by holding down the touchpad and letting the computer take the wheel.

There are additional maneuvers to master, but the fundamentals are intuitive. In my first match, I was able to weave the ball between players and launch into a tricky shot on goal from the corner right away. That’s the sort of experience Netflix is hoping those who have never played a game will be able to access with natural touch controls. It’s the elusive dream of Wii Sports’ approachability, but for soccer.

Image: Netflix

FIFA World Cup is a big deal for both Netflix and FIFA, both of which are prepared to go all-in. Netflix says it will operate it as a live-service game, updating rosters on the fly and adding additional content over time. That’s why it’s calling the day one version a Launch Edition, implying that there’s much more to come. Delphi says it’s planning to add in anything from small tweaks to entire game modes depending on what players want to see.

That’s a very different strategy for Netflix, whose gaming ambitions have shapeshifted a few times since the streaming service launched Netflix Games in 2021. We’ve seen casual games based on its original shows, indies from established developers, and ports of prestige games in that time. FIFA World Cup could be its most serious play yet, as Netflix teased that it has some front-and-center marketing planned for it that will integrate with this summer’s World Cup. If Netflix can crack a live-service model and offer a true casual alternative to EA Sports FC, it could be the mainstream hit the company has been chasing for half a decade. It has something tactile and fun on its hands; it just needs to make sure it gets it in front of as many eyes as possible, something Netflix has struggled to pull off with its previous games. The high-profile FIFA branding can’t hurt.

FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition launches exclusively for Netflix on June 11.