FIFA 13 takes the cup on Windows Phone 8 as a Nokia exclusive

By Paul Acevedo
last updated

We’re currently undergoing the second nasty Xbox Windows Phone release drought of the year (though really it’s not so bad if you have joy in your heart). During the first drought back in December and January, Nokia and EA came to the rescue by releasing Xbox games like Flight Control Rocket and iBomber Defense as Nokia exclusives. It didn’t help non-Nokia owners, but at least some of us had new games to play, and eventually those same games should be available to everybody.

Today Nokia and EA once again light one of Xbox Windows Phone’s darkest hours by publishing another highly anticipated exclusive: FIFA 13. Considering that the only other soccer titles available are the buggy Real Soccer and overtly greedy Real Soccer 2013, FIFA 13 should be a breath of fresh air for footy fans. Just keep in mind you’ll need a Windows Phone 8 Nokia device with 1 GB of RAM to play it.

Kick some balls

In my short time with FIFA 13, it seems like an impressive and fully featured game. Like Real Soccer 2013, it features detailed high-polygon players in close up views and less detailed players during actual gameplay. Electronic Arts excels at cinematic presentation, and the visuals and licensed menu music create a very console-like experience in this mobile game.

The controls are actually a bit less intuitive than Real Soccer 2013’s, much to my surprise. This edition of FIFA adds a Skill Move button that players can swipe in different directions to perform various moves. FIFA 13 seems to lean more towards simulation rather than arcade-style play; I’m sure football fans will master the controls before very long.

Win some, lose some

The only bad news about the Windows Phone 8 port of FIFA 13 is that it lacks the iOS version’s online multiplayer. That is truly a shame because Gameloft titles like Asphalt 7 and Modern Combat 4 have proven that Windows Phone 8 (unlike 7) can handle real-time online multiplayer very well. Nor does this version allow In-App Purchases (IAP) or cloud saves.

None of the Nokia exclusive EA games have included online multiplayer or IAPs, so it seems like Nokia and EA arbitrarily decided to exclude those features when negotiating their exclusivity deal. A few games like NBA Jam, Tiger Woods 12, and Monopoly Millionaire have featured local Wi-Fi multiplayer, however. EA could have at least given us that much in FIFA.

That’s the bad news, but here’s the good news! The iOS version of FIFA 13 costs $6.99 while the Windows Phone game rings up at $4.99. Almost every Nokia exclusive EA game sells for two dollars MORE on Windows Phone, making FIFA 13 an unusually good deal.

FIFA 13 – Nokia exclusive – Windows Phone 8 with 1 GB of RAM – 951 MB - $4.99 – Store Link

Almost done

How many more games do Nokia and EA have to go? Of the 20 titles announced back in 2012, only two remain: Dead Space and Bop It. Let’s hope the games keep coming after that. Otherwise the last half of 2013 and beyond could be very dry indeed for Xbox Windows Phone.

Thanks to EasyPeasyJD, Guilherme, and Dario for the tip!

Paul Acevedo
Paul Acevedo

Paul Acevedo is the Games Editor at Windows Central. A lifelong gamer, he has written about videogames for over 15 years and reviewed over 350 games for our site. Follow him on Twitter @PaulRAcevedo. Don’t hate. Appreciate!

120 Comments
  • Awesome, ill download it tonight, awesome finally, Hala Madriid
  • awesome!
  • Same shit again.. Only for 1GB ram phones..
  • Feel the pain of the 7.8 users :)
  • indeed
  • Its because of poor optimization or microsoft's limitations on WP8.
     
    iPod Touch can run this game with 256MB RAM.
  • Optimization. :-/ Why are they like this? If they optimize it, they'll get more money coz of more buyers. Sad...
  • Correction... 
     
    It is poor optimization of the developer's game engine.  They are coming from environments like Android and iOS that have 1gb of RAM minimium in the current generation of devices or more.
     
    When more 'optimized' DirectX engines arrive and developers are not just doing 'loose' ports, you will find that WP can easily run games in a much smaller footprint than Android or iOS.
     
    Use this as an example, the XBox 360 only uses a total of 512mb of RAM for system and video.
     
    (PS Also remember that you can't buy an iPhone 5 with 512mb of RAM, and the few Android devices you can are horribly slow.  Next take a moment to realize WP8 is running literally the full code base OS that is running on your desktop computer and servers, and is not running a watered down mobile version like Android and iOS.  When Apple releases the full code base of OS X running on a phone, running in 512mb of RAM and is faster than everyone else, then you have something to complain about.)
     
    In stead bashing Microsoft for EA's poor optimizations, bash EA, also make your opinion to Nokia as they are featuring it as an exclusive.  (This in the past has pushed games to operate on 512mb phones.)  At the very least, remember this is a poor quality iOS ported game.  They aren't even enabling multiplayer, something that the XBox Live backend of WP8 was built to handle, unlike iOS.)
     
     
  • For me too limit 1gig ram.:'(
  • in before "why no 512Mb love?"
  • Just missed it. :)
  • Just take a look at "TheNet Avenger"'s comment above why EA has no love for 512MB devices.
  • Not available on Android.
  • Exclusive for iOS and Nokia's WP8.
  • Does it come with referee decapitations or is that add on purchase?
  • only if you stab the player.
  • +1, but it would be fun if it presents the referee, as I can 'crush' him. #ForgetThisPost
  • Arghhh, I'm sick of Nokia and their exclusives!
  • You shouldn't be. Without Nokia, these games would never come to WP. These titles will become available to all WP users eventually.
  • Yeah they would. Nokia is just paying them to make it exclusive so people buy their phones.
  • No, EA basically stopped supporting WP before the deal came about. And Xbox WP support in general is quite obviously dying out anyway.
  • So why has WPCentral supported hacking Windows Phone Nokia exclusives?
  • We haven't done that.
  • Basically stopped? This was an assumption of yours, or did you have actual evidence to back up that EA stopped, were no longer going to support WP?
     
    *EDIT* Apparently, my reply was "deleted". Therefore pointless to argue any further, we'll have to agree to disagree. Cause I believe absolutes can't be said about alternatives that haven't happened.
  • Of course I have evidence. The part I can share with you is: simply look at their release schedule prior to the exclusive deal and after. I also speak and meet with publishers on a regular basis.
    My credibility is well established after more than 2 years writing here. I don't appreciate it when someone comes off the street and suggests that they know more than an expert. It derails the discussion.
  • Exactly, EA wouldn't have considered WP support if it wasn't for Nokia. I may not like Nokia but exclusives like these, as long as they make it to other WP devices, are a good thing.
  • Really? Do you have any credible evidence for this? You say in an absolute, as if you know exactly what would happen without Nokia within the WP ecosystem. When you really can't be sure. I would be okay with may never, but never is wrong in my opinion.
  • And we are all sick of people complaining. Everyone knew this would happen when they boarded WP.
  • Not really.
  • What makes you think that without Nokia's financial incentive EA would've developed the game for wp8?
  • Microsoft should have made a deal with EA. They are already pumping cash into Nokia, they can pump a little bit to developers. I don't see any Android games only available for Samsung or HTC.
  • Microsoft IS doing exactly what you suggest. However, Microsoft is investing in companies that are using and writing the newer ground up DirectX engines, instead of just sloppy ports. This is a 'shift' for mobile game developers, as they have had to do with limited feature sets for their engines working around OpenGL ES and the limitations of iOS and Android. With WP8 they can take the full DirectX feature set engines and directly move them to WP8, with the only 'constraints' being the optimizations for the ARM processors and can keep the full functionality that they are using for Desktop PC games. Pay attention, even in the latest surge of 'ports' from Android and iOS games, some of them already have gotten a texture and polygon boost on WP8, even though technically most WP8 devices have a slower GPU as DirectX and the WP8 platform makes up the difference to allow for higher quality graphics. If you are curious go look up any of the mainstream gaming engines and their progress on WP8 and Windows 8 RT (Which are essentially the same engines, as they are just optimizing for ARM with the full DirectX feature sets.)
  • How about the fact EA said they wouldn't..... Ea were pulling out untill nokia got this deal so shut up...
  • Same here.
  • buy a Nokia phone and stop complaining. Period.
  • No thank you.
  • Yes. so shut up and get a nokia. all those things called htc windows phones and samsungs are not real windows phones.
  • Now this I disagree with, what makes HTC and Samsung Windows Phones any less "real" than Nokia Windows Phones?
  • Why people are mad about Nokia and MS when a game is released for Nokia Lumia phones only?
    Go complain about this to the devs for not releasing the game to all the WP8 regardless of the models.
    Nokia is not a game developper, only a phone manufacturer. MS develop and distribute some of his own games to all phones. EA had a deal with Nokia and MS to release their games first to the Nokia Lumia phones and after 6-7 months, the games are available to all WP7/8 (no more exclusivity)
    If you don't like this, then that's not my problem but stop complaining all the time a new Nokia exclusive game comes out. You have been warned since last year with the release of Mirror's Edge that some futur games are gonna be Nokia exclusives. Deal with that for 6-7 months or change your phone to Nokia if you cannot wait that long.
  • If you're going to answer my question then answer it, don't post bull***t that has nothing to do with the question.
  • i posted this for Marko, not for you, sorry.
  • OK, you're forgiven :P
  • HTC and Samsung are at fault. The 8X looks nice, and I personally wanted to get an ATIV. But their support, software wise, that they bring to the OS is nothing compared to what Nokia has done, and continues to do. Are HTC and Samsung even rumored to be bringing any updates like Nokia are in Amber? The last major activity I've seen from Samsung was when they fixed and updated their handful of preloaded apps.
  • Sure they are.
     
  • Sure, then dont get upset by Nokia exclusives. They put in effort, they get the games. You ca choose any phone you like.
  • I did, then they started doing 1GB RAM games.
  • you know that 512MB devices have limitations no? like running very high demanding games.
  • Except as pointed out, this exact game runs on 256mb iPod touches.
  • Different OS, different requirements!!!!
  • @Jamdot, don't compare iOS and WP7/8, they are different OS, first. Also WP8 and iOS (and even Android) don't handle the memory the same way. A phone with 512 MB RAM running Android is not the same in term of OS performance and hardware as a WP8 with 512MB RAM, that's a fact, know that.
    When WP is gonna release quad core phones with 2GB of RAM, it's gonna be the same thing again, don't compare them with quad core Android phones. Different OS, different way the memory is handled.
     
    Oh and btw, on the iOS, the game cost 7$ instead of 5$ on WP8, what about that? The game is 2$ cheaper on WP8 compared to iOS. We have achievements, you don't have achievements, thus you pay 2$ more for the same game.
  • They pay more but they get online multiplayer as well.
  • I care less about online and more about achievements :D
  •  Well i bought it for 0,99 at discount at appstore. It gets a discount every two-three months for a couple of days. 
  • No Dead Space yet? Uhh.. Might download it via the WP Store hack for my Ativ S.
  • Does it still work?
  • Forgetting the existence of PES 11 and 12? Looks decent. Will get as long as the achievements are grindy or as hard has REal Soccer 2013.
     
    BTW it is probably a pricing glitch. WP never gets cheaper games! Someone probably accidentally subtracted two dollars when their boss told them to add 2. Who knows.
  • They're both delisted, aren't they? I could improve my wording a bit though.
  • Yes sorry I wasnt thinking that was what you meant. Cant tell if you changed the sentence but reads good now!
  • I will own Dead Space... Release it already :-)
  • Awesome! Will download!
  • What about Windows 8 ? I would love to play Fifa 13 on my Surface.
  • If it's a Surface Pro then you could install Origin and buy it through that instead.
  • Isn't Real Racing 3 coming too? Not that I care... It's one of those "you can play it, but it won't be enjoyable unless you buy a bunch of IAPs" games.
     
    And Real Racing 2 looks like it is running on an iPhone 3G.
     
    That's just kinda ridiculous.
  • Oh my god, I was asking for this literally a few days ago and it's here! YES! I'm a huge FIFA fan so happy there's a version available for Windows Phone now, thank you Nokia for making this possible.
    The funny thing is my comment was along the lines of, I hope Nokia get EA to bring FIFA 13 to WP and yes it's done! Very happy.
  • FIFA 13 is also $4.99 on iOS :)
  • It wasn't when I checked this morning.
  • Not big on Soccer games but this great!
  • Can you list the achievements in the article Paul? Regards
  • It's not soccer, It's football !
  • Lol, here is a copy and paste from todayifoundout  In fact, in the early days of the sport among the upper echelons of British society, the proper term for the sport was “Soccer”.  Not only that, but the sport being referred to as “Soccer” preceded the first recorded instance of it being called by the singular word “Football” by about 18 years. 
     
     
  • Nice copy and paste, but It's still football. No American can convince me of the opposite.
  • Haha, no I actually agree with you. I just find it funny that no one knows the term soccer has british origins. 
  • Damn it! How can I argue with you, when you agree with me? :D
  • Ha ha. "-cant we all just get along?" :D
  • Wasn't there Madden announced back in 2012 as well?
  • WOW it looks awesome but not free!
    is there a way to buy apps using the phone cridit (cridt that is used to make calls)? if some one know it please inform me since i dont like complected payment methods
  • Debit cards do work on WP store .. I dunno what more do u want ..
    Although some carriers support mobile payment
  • you can also use prepaid credit cards if you don't like to use your own credit card or don't have one. i bought 1 last week (25$) and worked as a charm :)
  • Having in mind the fact that FIFA 14 will be out in couple of months...id say its expensive
  • Ok now im fucking pissed. What about the consumers who don't care for Nokias?!!! I like my 8x but would love it more if we get some better fucking games to play instead of an old ass Temple Run!! This shit starting to remind me of Android now with all these EXCLUSIVES
  • If Nokia wasn't there , these games wouldn't have come to WP .. Anyways they would be available to u in 6 months
  • Nokia phones are only great for photos. Every WP8 device feels exactly the same imo. 6 months from now I'll be eligible for an upgrade and im still not getting any Nokia devices.
  • Ag please the 920 has more specs thn any other wp device noob ! And the plus is the camera and the software so suck it hater
  • Listen dumb ass I've been a fan of Nokia b4 Lumia devices were ever announced. I owned a N97, N8 and plenty other low end nokias back in my Metro PCS days!! So watch who u call hater or noob, fanboy.
  • I like the HTC WP8 phones, but head over to youtube and search for 920 destruction tests.. After passing all the traditional drop and scratch tests without incident, people have taken to running over them with cars, using them like a base ball or throwing them as high and hard as they can to find out what it takes to break a Nokia 920. Nokia has built some good phones. And after testing, the 920/928/925 cameras are very worthy for replacing a non-DSLR class camera. The OIS is something that makes a lot of difference for anyone with even a bit of shake, and people that don't realize they do. I look forward to seeing more from HTC this year as well, but Nokia has nothing to be ashamed of, currently holding some the majority of 'top smartphone' awards right now. (Even over Android and iPhone.)
  • +1
  • It's just on your opinion, but in fact, Nokia phones are NOT only great for photography, but also in build design, apps, and its support. Don't believe it? Just make one of Nokia phones bricked and send it for repair.
  • That's only if it arrives on other Windows Phones. Luckily Nokia users get to beta test it before the rest of us get to play it :P
  • Agreed :P
  • What about the consumers who don't care for Nokias?!!!
    While I get what you're saying, since Nokia is paying devs to make them, it only seems fair that they get a timed exclusive.  Better that than EA not making WP games at all.
     
  • Can you stop complaining abput Nokia's exclusivity?
    What else will bring you WP8 games instead of Nokia? Take this note, ALL XBOX Live games which were Nokia exclusives will be available for ALL WP8/7.8 devices after 6-7 months. So if you don't like to wait, buy Nokia Lumia then.
    Anyway, sorry for my words.
  • I loooveee FIFA games!!.. But why there is no commentator during the game? I want to hear the GOALLLL
  • Ok on my Lumia 810 I'm showing my phone has 2.30 GB of free storage. When I go to the store and try to download this game it tells me that I've used up all my free space already. This happening to anyone else?
  • Its doing the same shit to me but I have over 4 GB free on my 920.
  • The damn thing is annoying. Wonder if its a glitch in the system?
  • You need 3 to 5 times the actual size of the file available on your phone to install the game. It seems to vary randomly. Clear 5gb and you should be good
  • ohh i see. that sucks but thanks for the heads up. appreciate it.
  • Hope they add dead space and dead space 2!! I loved those games on my old iPod...
  • Awesome, super Bayern Munich Champions League Winner!!! Thank you Nokia
  • "Otherwise the last half of 2013 and beyond could be very dry indeed for Xbox Windows Phone."
     
    why even add this Paul?  Just announce the news or continue (paraphrasing PR wire releases) on announce posts and editorialize on your editorials.  Come on now.
  • Sorry man, we're a blog, not a newspaper. I'll add whatever personality or additional info I deem appropriate.
  • Yes, I get that.  The point is, it wasn't appropriate.  It didn't add anything of value to the post.  And furthermore, when you mark a post "Editorial" the reader has a certain expectation, adding that at the end was just a submarine of sorts.  You've already posted, in many parts, what you believe WP needs to do with it's gaming situation.  You don't need to add that...
  • Yep, you can 'blog' your opinion and pepper stories as you want. Of course we can then decide whether to read or not... In fact start telling readers that the iPhone rocks and WP8 sucks, that might make your readership exodus happen a bit faster. ;)
  • Some of you people are ridiculous in that you nitpick every single little thing. Personally, I prefer the way Paul writes, it makes the article more readable.
     
  • Thanks man. Glad to have you here. :)
  • I have stond up
  • Halo for WP8 and W8 better be next.
  • Should be sometime this month...
  • ...for ALL Windows Phones!!!!!
  • No commentary during play, that sucks
  • Is there another place else to discuss the exclusivity of Nokia than this? I hate people always complaining about it.
    Anyway, it's better for EA to optimize its code to make it also available for 512MB RAM devices.
  • Yeah the sound like broken records. Sane thing as console exclusive games. Reasons and outcomes are identical. Except Xbox 360 won't be getting the last of us 6 months later. No reason to bitch. Wait 183 days.
  • I have a Samsung Ativ s and all these games are Nokia exclusive... Come on... Forces me to get Nokia as my next phone
  • WARNING! THERE IS NO MANAGER MODE!!! How can this be missed in the Article?
  • The article does state that we only played it for a brief time. If it was a full review, we'd naturally go into more detail.
  • No Multiplayer :'( No Support from me, sorry
  • Any word on Dead Space yet for Windows Phone? Seems to be everything but this coming out lol :(.
  • Where's manager and online mode? Good game experience, but lacking these modes...
  • how much space do you need for this app i have 4.2 gb free and it still says i need to delete more stuff.
  • You probably need 4.7-5 Gigs. Good luck, man.