FIFA 18: Cristiano Ronaldo Cover, Best New Features and Latest FUT Info

The video game obsession will begin anew for football fans when FIFA 18 arrives on consoles and PC next month, and it's packed with new features and content.

The official release date for this season's edition of the football frenzy is Friday, September 29, although Goal's Oli Platt recently wrote how pre-ordering the more expensive "Icon edition" grants access on Tuesday, September 26.

Platt also discussed how FIFA will make its first appearance on the Nintendo Switch this time around, although the console's inability to run the Frostbite engine means The Journey mode will be omitted from its version.

Real Madrid superstar and four-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo was announced as the worldwide cover star for this year's edition of the game, and EA Sports released the first gameplay footage back in June:

New Features In FIFA 18

FIFA 18 will feature a bulk of the classic modes and features from FIFA 17, such as Ultimate Team, The Journey and, of course, career mode, but a wealth of additions have been made for the new season.

Powered by the Frostbite engine that made the most recent edition of the game so popular, FIFA 18 will employ Real Player Motion Technology for the first time, giving certain stars their most authentic resemblance yet.

The official EA Sports website described the adaptation: "We used new motion capture techniques to record Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and other top players in full flight. Real Player Motion Technology brings that data to life to ensure gameplay accurately represents the reality of football with players feeling and moving just as they do on the real pitch."

The Xbox One release of FIFA 17 already accounted for retired stars and former greats like Pele and Franz Beckenbauer, but the Icons will grace the PS4 version as well to bolster the elite roster even further:

Ultimate Team specialists will also be glad to hear rumours that cards will now display each player's stats on their front, per Liam Martin of the Daily Express, meaning no more scrolling to see where your stars are strongest and weakest.

Gamers will also be able to view a player's in-game stats for the first time, providing the most detailed view of each star's best and worst attributes previously only on websites like FUTHead.com.

Improved authenticity is a running theme with FIFA 18, too, after EA Sports announced Team Styles, meaning Barcelona tiki taka passing or Atletico Madrid's high press should be apparent in their play.

Of course, one update we want to see with each and every new FIFA release is improved graphics, which appears to be the case for the new game based on The Journey's new trailer:

EA Sports have said enhanced dribbling will allow players to "inject more creativity into 1v1 situations," a key upgrade considering FIFA 17's running mechanic sometimes felt unnatural.

Everything from the look of the game to its overall feel and play styles is set for a makeover in FIFA 18, with a raft of new features to freshen up an annual classic.