The company emphasized that both titles are being “built specifically” for the new handheld system, and that they’re “grounded in what fans enjoy from FC 26 Coins our franchises across platforms.” While this doesn’t confirm 100% feature parity, it does suggest a departure from the barebones ports of the past.
When pressed about visual and gameplay consistency across systems, EA said: “Our goal is always to deliver a consistent player experience across platforms as much as the hardware allows.” That phrase—as much as the hardware allows—is key. It acknowledges the limitations inherent in any system but also suggests that the Switch 2 is powerful enough to warrant meaningful parity.
EA was less forthcoming about other details, such as whether these will be separate SKUs from their PlayStation and Xbox counterparts, or if they will support features like crossplay. All such answers were deferred to a vague “more details later” timeframe.
The Legacy of Legacy Editions
To appreciate the significance of this announcement, it’s essential to understand EA’s past relationship with Nintendo’s platforms—especially the original Switch.
When FIFA launched on the original Switch, it was immediately clear that players weren’t getting the same experience as on more powerful consoles. The Switch versions lacked EA’s proprietary Frostbite engine, career mode enhancements, The Journey narrative campaign, and many Ultimate Team features. Over time, these versions devolved into Legacy Editions—largely identical from year to year, save for updated kits and player transfers.
This practice has long frustrated fans. Paying full price for what amounts to a roster update felt unfair, especially when players on other consoles received richer, evolving experiences. Criticism reached a boiling point when EA publicly admitted that several FIFA Switch entries were Legacy Editions in the fine print of their eShop listings.
The result was predictable: declining sales, poor reviews, and a growing sense that Nintendo users were second-class citizens in EA FC 26 Coins the EA Sports ecosystem.
