Is FIFA 09 better in any way regarding data? Only in ease of access. You could open FIFA 09 with a hex editor and guess your way through it. FIFA 19 requires a dedicated suite of modding tools and a deep understanding of the Frostbite engine architecture.
However, capability wins in the end.
The keyword “devdata dat fifa 09 19 better” refers to a specific hybrid mod often called the “FIFA 19 Gameplay with FIFA 09 DNA.” But why these two specific years? devdata dat fifa 09 19 better
By FIFA 19, EA had fully migrated to Frostbite engine on PC. The devdata.dat file was now buried inside Data/fifarna/lua/assets/ and encrypted. But once unlocked, it was a beast—over 1,500 configurable lines. Why was FIFA 19 better for understanding devdata.dat? Because the file revealed:
Players who tweaked their devdata.dat in FIFA 19 to mimic FIFA 09’s speed and directness reported a hybrid game: the graphics and physics of 2019 with the responsiveness of 2009. Is FIFA 09 better in any way regarding data
| Goal | Action in DevData |
|------|------------------|
| Stop 30+ players from dropping rapidly | Set age_decline_start to 35 or higher |
| Make youth grow faster | Increase growth_rate_young (1.0 to 1.5) |
| Remove potential cap | Set all potentials to 99 or use dynamic potential table |
| Fix GK growth bug (FIFA 11–14) | Set goalkeeper_growth_multiplier from 0 to 1.0 |
| Enable all positions to train equally | Unify position_growth_factors |
| Feature | FIFA 09 | FIFA 19 | |---------|---------|---------| | Potential system | Fixed potential (e.g., 85–90 max for young stars) | Dynamic potential (can exceed starting potential with good form) | | Growth curve | Linear, predictable | More organic, affected by playtime, form, morale | | Training | No individual training sliders | Extensive training drills that boost specific stats | | Player type caps | Strict OVR ceilings | Can turn anyone into a star with enough game time | | Regens | Generic regens with identical potential to retired stars | Similar but with more varied stats | | Age decline | Sharp drop after 32 | Gradual decline, depends on position/fitness | Players who tweaked their devdata
✅ Pros:
❌ Cons:
Best for: Players who enjoy min-maxing development and seeing unique career outcomes.
If you do not want to manually edit HEX values, several community modders have released pre-made packs that embody the "devdata dat fifa 09 19 better" philosophy: