FIFA 16: EA rep says "there isn't a Vita or 3DS version" in the works

EA Sports doesn't plan to release FIFA 16 on 3DS or PlayStation Vita, and as with FIFA 15, it appears the company is also passing on a Wii U release.

Speaking with PocketGamer, an EA representative confirmed FIFA 16 wouldn't launch on handhelds and was noncommittal regarding a mobile release.

"With regards to FIFA 16 there isn't a Vita or 3DS version," said the representative. "We don't have any further detail on the mobile version but will be sure to share with you when we hear more."

A year ago, EA COO Peter Moore hinted that future support for 3DS and PS Vita would be minimal as the company shifted focus to current-gen offerings PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. However, the firm is still supportive of last-gen consoles from Microsoft and Sony and previously, 3DS and Vita.

"We were supportive of both of those platforms," Moore told GI.biz. "But then you've got finite resources and you've got teams that say, 'We really think that two or three years from now, these are the platforms that people are going to be consuming games on.' And you look at the quality of what you can do on phones and tablets... Sometimes strategy is not about what you do but what you don't do, and you have to make some hard calls when you've got only so many people.

"To my point, we've got to be planning for FY17 and FY18. Do you think the Vita and 3DS are going to be around in some shape or fashion by then on a scale level?"

FIFA 15 was released on both handhelds last year, and EA Sports opted to release the football title on Wii instead of Wii U. FIFA 13 was the last entry in the franchise to be released on Nintendo's most recent console offering.

Due to the lack of a Wii U version of FIFA 16 mentioned in the game's announcement earlier this week, it's safe to surmise - for the time being - Nintendo consumers won't be playing a FIFA video game this year.

FIFA 16 will be released in September on PC, PlayStation 3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.