FIFA 20 continued one of the most successful gaming sports franchises, but despite the commercial achievements of the game, there have been issues. The online gameplay received praise but its financial elements and the campaign mode in the game has been heavily criticized by fans. In an odd twist professional FIFA player, Giuseppe Guastella, has encountered an issue that is not only the result of a serious bug but has also left Guastella out of the North American online qualifiers for the FUT Champions Cup.
Five-time FIFA world finalist, Giuseppe Guastella, had a penalty kick that resulted in a goal disallowed. While this would be an annoying event in a normal game, in the professional esports world it raises serious questions about the quality of the FIFA 20. The gamer who plays for the esports branch of the MLS soccer team LA Galaxy has now released a series of statements about the event.
The incident occurred on the deciding penalty kick of a North American qualifier and with this in mind the stakes were high. The shot hit the post and then bounced into the back of the net but the game did not register it as the commentator Lee Dixon stated "Oh no! I feel for him! All that rehearsal in training, he's gone and fluffed his lines!" Qualifiers have been previously postponed because of hacking and Guastella has gone on to say "If this was any other top-tier professional competing in another esports game, things like this wouldn’t happen". It is hard to argue with the pro players frustration and the video has gone viral.
Many are now asking whether the game is fit for professional esports competitions and after a pro game was settled through rock-paper-scissors it is clear that FIFA 20 has serious issues. It will be interesting to see how Electronic Arts deals with this particular case and the problems that are impacting the game on a larger scale.
At the moment the organizers of the competition are following the ruling of the game, despite it being clearly wrong. This will undoubtedly be a huge blow for Giuseppe Guastella and will damage the FIFA brand, particularly in the eyes of gaming professionals. Although there have been positive additions to FIFA 20, it is clear that the next installment needs serious updates to please casual and professional gamers alike.
FIFA 20Â is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
