In two weeks, GOALS will have to back up its bold claims. The developers vow to do better than EA SPORTS FC & Co. — and to offer a “skill-based” alternative.
“GOALS was developed from the ground up to directly compete with the established, major franchises currently dominating the soccer simulation scene,” the press release states boldly. The game is set to address and implement the common criticisms of EA SPORTS FC and eFootball—very soon.
GOALS celebrates its release on June 4. Then we’ll see if promises like “skill-based and responsive gameplay” are kept. At least the beta a few weeks ago didn’t draw huge crowds of gamers to their consoles. With all the hype surrounding UFL, interest in GOALS couldn’t keep up.
CS World Champion and Former Chief Critic of FIFA
The creators remain optimistic, however—because they know what makes a competitive game work. Developer and CEO Andreas Thorstensson was once a Counter-Strike world champion himself. Game designer Kurt Fenech was an eSports player in FIFA for years—and repeatedly criticized EA SPORTS extremely harshly during that time.
On paper, it’s an interesting formula: “Building on years of insights, player feedback, and a personal passion for the genre, GOALS aims to shake up the world of soccer simulations by offering a completely free, cross-play-enabled, and player-customizable gaming experience.”
An advantage thanks to “SENTEC Network Technology”?
GOALS promises an advantage over its self-proclaimed competition, in part through “SENTEC Network Technology.” This is said to “eliminate animation locks” and “allow movements, collisions, and ball interactions to occur instantly.”
The gauntlet has been thrown down, and the game appears to be largely complete—all that’s missing is the launch. That launch will need to succeed if GOALS truly wants to give the big soccer simulations a run for their money. Regardless of the quality, only hype is likely to provide the necessary momentum.
