EA Sports announced that Cristiano Ronaldo will grace the cover of “FIFA 18,” which will be released Sept. 29.

“FIFA 18” will be available to buy on Xbox 360 and PS3 as well as Xbox One, PS4, PC and the new Nintendo Switch.

Given this is EA’s second year with the Frosbite engine at their disposal on “FIFA,” you can probably expect to see continued progress in terms of the overall quality and realism of the game rather than a massive overhaul*. That is hinted at in the game’s first trailer*, which alludes to the improved accuracy of player and team styles of play.

One potential feature that has also been talked about regularly is the introduction of dynamic weather — that is, weather that changes during a match and impacts how the game is played. This has been integrated into other EA titles such as “Battlefield” and “Mass Effect” since the switch to the more advanced Frostbite engine, so it would make sense for it to be added to “FIFA,” too. As former “Battlefield” producer Patrick Bach explained: “It’s not only a pretty effect. It actually changes the way you play the game.”

After a successful debut, “The Journey” is back for another year and so is Alex Hunter. EA released the first trailer June 10 and it was a star-studded affair, featuring a number of players, coaches and pundits speculating as to Hunter’s future.

EA has previously confirmed that new characters and storylines will feature in “The Journey” on “FIFA 18,” but it always seemed probable Hunter would be back as the protagonist* given the way the 17 story ended rather abruptly at the conclusion of his first season.(SD-Agencies)