EA SPORTS also wants to depict players without face scans in FC 25 much more realistically than in the predecessor. The corresponding technology is called “EA SPORTS Cranium” – how is that supposed to work?
EA SPORTS wants to make generic faces in FC 25 more realistic.
EA SPORTS
Whether in our visual comparison with eFootball 2024 or with FIFA 23 – one thing became clear with the release of FC 24: Many virtual player faces are far removed from their originals. The big stars were given face scans right from the start, and some other professionals were retrofitted over the course of the season. Nevertheless, a number of footballers were left behind digitally – their alter egos often had nothing in common with them other than skin and hair color.
EA SPORTS has been working on this problem: In FC 25, players without face scans should look much more realistic. The developer uses the technology “EA SPORTS Cranium”thanks to which rough facial smudges will soon be a thing of the past. But how exactly does the Vancouver-based company plan to achieve this goal?
During a presentation open to select media, EA SPORTS explained that the main factor was machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence (AI) in which computers learn and improve on their own from certain data without having to be specifically programmed to do so.
Photos as key – also for third division players
In the case of the players’ faces in FC 25, photos of the respective professionals are fed in – almost 20,000 male and female footballers were taken into account for this. From these photos, the machine learning function of FC 25 itself is supposed to create noticeably more realistic virtual likenesses. Generic faces that are barely or not at all recognizable are also supposed to be a thing of the past for third division players in the upcoming title.
The technology is used for all modes from Career to Ultimate Team, but could be particularly interesting in Clubs. The 11v11 format allows players to create their own avatar – often a copy of themselves. If “EA SPORTS Cranium” were also available to fans, they could upload their photos and make the Clubs character look very similar.
However, the developer has not yet commented on whether “EA SPORTS Cranium” will actually be available to FC players in FC 25. Or whether they even want to put this technology into outside hands in the future.
