'FIFA 18' latest news: Football simulator franchise confirmed to arrive on Nintendo Switch

"FIFA 18" will be heading to Nintendo Switch when it arrives this year, publisher EA recently confirmed.

Speaking with Gamereactor, Chief operating officer Peter Moore said the football-based game for the Switch will be launched close to the PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions. "We are custom-building a FIFA version for the Nintendo Switch. It will be FIFA 18, and it will obviously be later this year when FIFA 18 comes out," he said.

Immediately after "FIFA" was announced for Switch, there were speculations that the Nintendo version would be based on the edition for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. While Moore didn't elaborate on how the Switch installment is going to compare to the rest, he described it as being "custom built" for the upcoming hybrid console. Moore also noted that the game will be developed at Vancouver, which serves as the home of EA's FIFA series.

That being said, fans should expect the game to take advantage of the Switch's unique features. Reports point out that EA's decision to call the game "FIFA 18" instead of "FIFA All-Play" or "FIFA Soccer Switch" might suggest that the company will introduce a proper version of the franchise as opposed to a watered-down gameplay experience.

Earlier this month, EA CEO Andrew Wilson discussed some details about the upcoming "FIFA 18" and talked about what fans should look forward to in the new game. "FIFA 18 will build on the foundation we created with story mode this year, bringing players back to The Journey with Season 2, featuring new characters and new storylines," Wilson stated.

Introduced in "FIFA 17," The Journey is a story-driven adventure that makes players follow the steps of Alex Hunter, a young footballer and rising star in the Premier League. The game mode features cutscenes, dedicated characters, as well as appearances from famous real-life managers and players in the football industry.