The news regarding FIFA 14 for PC gamers came in the late hours of last night as we reported via our Twitter account. FIFA 14 on PC will not utilize the next-gen EA Sports IGNITE Engine announced yesterday at the Xbox One reveal event.
For years Liverpool FC fans have wondered why their beloved club has not undergone the special FIFA treatment, with facial scans and custom club covers. That all changed this morning as LFC agreed a 3-year partnership with EA SPORTS and the FIFA franchise.
Why the FIFA 14 Engine Split and Club Licensing Mattered to Players
The two stories above belong to a moment when football gaming was changing quickly. FIFA 14 arrived at the crossover between console generations, and EA Sports chose to build the new-generation versions on its IGNITE engine while the PC release stayed on the older Impact-based technology used on the previous consoles. For PC players that meant missing out on headline features of the next-gen editions, such as reworked player animations and more detailed crowd and stadium presentation. It caused a lot of frustration among a community that often runs more powerful hardware than the consoles of the day. EA later brought newer engines to PC in subsequent editions, but FIFA 14 remains a well-known example of a platform being left a step behind.
What official club partnerships actually change
Licensing deals like the Liverpool FC agreement are about more than a badge on a menu screen. A formal partnership typically allows the developer to capture accurate player likenesses through facial scanning, recreate the home stadium in detail, and use the club in marketing. For supporters, the visible difference is that players look like themselves, chants and atmosphere feel closer to a real matchday, and the club can feature on special editions or promotional covers. Clubs without such deals often appear with generic faces even when the team name and kits are licensed through a league agreement.
Setting up a good football gaming station
The page title points to keyboards, and for PC players the controls matter. Most serious football gamers on PC still prefer a gamepad for passing and skill moves, but a reliable wireless keyboard with a built-in touchpad is handy for menus, squad management and streaming software in a living-room setup. When choosing one, look for:
- Low input latency through a dedicated USB receiver rather than Bluetooth alone.
- Dual Mac and PC layouts if you switch between machines.
- Decent battery life and a clear low-power indicator.
- A comfortable range for use from the sofa.
For real-world football to pair with the virtual kind, browse our Match Center or find places to watch games with other supporters in the Fan Zone.