ivan1real has posted up a glut of information on the boards, including a (translated) press release announcing the key features of the PC version.

It’s clear to see that while the game is a big step up from last years game, it’s still not quite in line with the console versions this year. A stepping stone methinks.

Along with the screenshots released yesterday (see previous post), you’ll find the press release, previews and a video interview with lead producer Ian Jarvis by clicking here.

Edit OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Polish site Valhalla has posted some impressive screens of FIFA 11 PC, proving that the game is definitely a massive step up from last year on the format, and is now comparable to the console versions.

Check out all the pics by clicking here. *link updated to one that works!*

Great news for PC FIFA fans, EA have announced that this year they will get a proper nextgen version of FIFA 11! After the jump we have the press release detailing just what to expect from the game.

Massive thanks to Maremas, Supernova and Ivan1real for the heads up!

Program core for next-gen consoles now in EA Sports FIFA11 the PC
Won numerous awards game system will be used in FIFA 11 for PC

Geneva – July 8, 2010 – Electronic Arts Inc. announces that the software kernel, which became the foundation has won universal recognition game series EA SPORTSTM FIFA for entertainment PlayStation ® 3 and Xbox 360 ®, is used in the PC-version of FIFA 11. Optimization of kernel to run on computers that took two years, and now the game system, modes, and visual effects, designed for next-generation gaming consoles will be used in FIFA 11 for PC.

“We have always sought to modernize and develop a series of EA SPORTS FIFA for the PC, and now comes the crucial moment, – said Executive Producer Kaz Makita, – FIFA 11 for PC gaming system gets a high quality, innovative modes and stunning graphics that have made a series of rankings leader in sports games for the PlayStation3 and Xbox 360 and winner of more than 50 awards “Sports Game of the Year”.

Program core EA SPORTS, using a special database and the physical model has been optimized to run on a PC in order to give players the freedom to manage the game, the ability to move freely across the field and carry out complex attacks. Also with it implemented physical interaction between players. In the game FIFA 11 for PC will use an innovative system of the ball in any direction, allowing players to better control the ball as well as a new generation of animation technology, which allows master dribbling – technically skilled players will now be on meeting face to face with a lawyer to apply the virtuosic cross dribble and get past an opponent. In addition, the physical model of the new improved system of data reduction game collision that allows players to lead a more varied, interesting and less predictable struggle for the ball.

Characteristics and modes of PC-version of the game FIFA 11 will be announced shortly.

So what about us Europeans then? In the same statement EA also confirmed they would announce a release date for the rest of world once the World Cup is over.

An educated guess then, taking into account US release dates are midweek, would suggest we will get the game October 1st. That rings more true when you see the header pic, which is a scan taken from the new Gamestation catalogue.

Not long until we find out.

Keep reading for more details!

FIFA Manager 11 is the 10th edition of the franchise, featuring a vast array of all-new features. Hundreds of improvements to the game have been made across the board with a special focus on its core areas. Introduced last year it also includes a separate online mode where up to 8 players can play against each other over the internet.

The manager still has full control over the management of a football club. In the game you are responsible for the line-up, the tactics and the training of your team – as well as for signing the right players, improving the club facilities and the stadium. Special highlights are the FIFA 3D engine, more than 13,000 original player pictures, the player manager mode, the national team manager mode, the Create-a-Club mode and the Match Prognosis Tool.

Line-up and Tactics

The tactics area is completely re-designed and now offers a unique complexity. Target positions for every single player in offensive and defensive play can be set directly on the pitch (even in Full HD). The manager can now also choose between several variations for goal and corner kicks. Various tactic presets and formations can be defined and easily selected before a game with just one mouse click. A new formation assistant guarantees optimal adjustment of the manager’s line-up in case of bans or injuries without permanent efforts of the manager. For beginners the new Tactics Wizard makes life really easy. Before its use every tactical option is explained in detail and the manager can make informed step-by-step decisions.

New Rating, Skill and Morale System

FIFA Manager 11 will use a new system to rate its about 40,000 players and to make the differences between the players more obvious.

Every player gets a playing level for every position, and the skill differences between the positions will become a lot more realistic. Players will be more flexible to learn new positions, and experience becomes more important. The game also introduces a new morale system, which makes it more challenging for the user to keep a high morale for all players, especially in strong teams with a lot of competition between the players.

Transfer Market

For many fans the transfer window in summer has now become more exciting than the actual season.

The realistic implementation of this period, surely the most stressful for any manager, is another focal point in this year’s FIFA Manager. This core feature of every football management simulation now confronts the manager with all the challenges real managers have to face. Players and agents will now tell you what they expect from you ahead of the talks and the AI clubs will become a lot smarter and use all the tactics we know from real-life, e.g. they make offers to players just to weaken the direct competition. Life at a small club also becomes much harder and if there is only a 1-year contract left it’s often only the decision between the money or an unhappy player for one last year. The clubs will now have long-term strategies and will immediately react if a season went not as good as expected.

The media pressure is a central challenge for managers with its regular gossip, talks about offers and contract extensions or news on unsatisfied players. There is even a newspaper archive with all the headlines and articles from the first rumours to the signed contract.

But the manager can also use the very nature of the press to his advantage. He can involve the media at an early stage of negotiations with his favourite players, by praising them or advising them to not extent their contract at their club, all to direct them to his own club later. Much like in reality, it pays off if the manager cares about new signings from a very early stage.

Just Football

FIFA Manager is well-known to simulate all aspects of club management. This year a new mode allows the user to just focus on teams and transfers.

Other features that make the game more accessible are a new Search feature to find clubs, players and league data a lot faster and a new “Links Widget” to quickly jump to the game areas used most often.

Separate World Cup Mode

It is possible to replay the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ directly from the main menu. This is a quick game mode that takes 20 minutes to 2 hours to complete, depending on the manager’s success and love for details.

Community Wishes

FIFA Manager 11 comes along with a series of community driven improvements, e.g. a special presentation of local matches, new cup draws, the possibility to set the clubs for all “Found a Club” leagues, more transfers in last 24 hours before the transfer market closes, thousands of new lines of text in the Live Ticker, new FIFA player faces, youth player contract negotiations, and many other advances in practically all areas of the game.

New pre-matchday screens give the manager additional information on the next opponent, important other matches, historic results and on the cities and stadiums.

Extended Online Mode

FIFA Manager 11 also includes an extended Online Mode which has been successfully introduced last year. Amongst other features, a new action-card system has been implemented, allowing even more direct influence on the match action.

Other new features are a draft for youth players, new auction types and regular sponsor missions, which let the managers compete for bonus payments.

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Microsoft XP SP3 (Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98/ME, Windows 2000 and Microsoft Windows NT are not supported), Microsoft Windows Vista™, Microsoft Windows 7
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 2.4 GHz or equivalent
RAM: 1 GB
Video Card: ATI Radeon 9500 Pro 128MB or greater, NVIDIA GeForce 6600 256MB or greater, Pixel shader 2.0 and above.

8 GB available hard disk space
8x DVD-ROM drive
DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card

With NBA Elite (release dictated by the NBA) listed as October 5th and EA announcing MMA will be released on October 19th, the smart money was on FIFA 11 to be brought forward as EA would not want to release three sports games in one month.

Both Gamestop and Amazon have listed FIFA 11 for a September 28th release but Best Buy still has it down for October 19th.

Nothing has been confirmed by EA thus far.

NEW
Licensed (11)
Amsterdam ArenA
Green Point
Port Elizabeth
Peter Mokaba
Mbombela
Durban
Free State
Ellis Park
Loftus Versfeld
Soccer City
Royal Bafokeng

NEW
Generic (9)
Estadio Presidente G. Lopes
Friður Stadium
Peuan Arena
Pyonghwa Stadium
Udugu Stadium
Salam Stadium
Hasiti Arena
Akaaroa Stadium
Satta Stadium

EXISTING
Licensed (7)
Santiago Bernabéu
Parc des Princes
Stade de Suisse
Estadio Azteca
Olympiastadion
Olimpico
Wembley

EXISTING
Generic (21)
Forest Park Stadium
Union Park Stadium
Euro Park
Stadion Europa
Stade Kokoto
Aloha Park
Estadio De Las Artes
Olimpico Arena
Estadio Del Pueblo
Century Park Arena
Stadion Neder
Estadio Latino
Stadion 23. Maj
El Bombastico
Pratelstvi Arena
Eastpoint Arena
Stadion Olympik
Stadion Hanguk
O Dromo
Arena D’Oro
Court Lane

TOTAL STADIA = 48

For the soundtrack info, check out the latest EA press release over here!

FIFA 10 Sales – The Story So Far (stats courtesy of Edge Online)

NOV 9th (6 weeks) – (FIFA 10 moves up to 2nd, PES 2010 falls to 9th)

EA’s FIFA 10 took second place, ahead of Wii Sports Resort and last week’s bestseller, Football Manager 2010. The highest new entry was EA’s Dragon Age: Origins in fifth. Despite the release of the PS2 and PSP versions of PES 2010, Konami’s football title dropped to ninth.

01) Wii Fit Plus (Nintendo)
02) FIFA 10 (EA)
03) Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo)
04) Football Manager 2010 (Sega)
05) Dragon Age: Origins (EA)
06) Forza Motorsport 3 (Microsoft)
07) Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games (Sega)
08) Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City (Take Two)
09) PES 2010 (Konami)
10) Tekken 6 (Namco)

NOV 16th (7 weeks) – (FIFA 10 drops to 3rd, PES 2010 disappears)

Activision’s Modern Warfare 2 has recorded ‘by far the biggest ever launch of any game’ in the UK, selling 1.78m units in five days and generating £67.4 million, according to GfK Chart-Track. Elsewhere on the chart, Wii Sports Resort climbed one place to second and FIFA 10 dropped one to third. The previous week’s bestseller, Wii Fit Plus, fell three spots to fourth, while Forza Motorsport 3 rounded off the top five.

01) Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Activision)
02) Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo)
03) FIFA 10 (EA)
04) Wii Fit Plus (Nintendo)
05) Forza Motorsport 3 (Microsoft)
06) Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games (Sega)
07) Lego Batman: The Videogame (Warner Bros.)
08) Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo)
09) Pure (Disney)
10) Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City (Take Two)

The guys on the forums are doing an amazing job collecting every URL of every FIFA 10 review known to man. So if you can’t decide whether to put your hand in your pocket or not, check out our review collection.

You’re doing us proud, forumers.

Electronic Arts has said that FIFA 10 has become the fastest-selling sports game of all time, with 1.7 million units sold in its first week.

The game is EA’s biggest European launch to date, with over 10 million online matches played and over 155,000 users online simultaneously during peak periods.

You can read the article in full over here.