EA SPORTS have claimed that FIFA players “love” Ultimate Team’s pack and microtransaction system, confirming that they will return in FIFA 23, which is set to drop on 30 September 2022.
FIFA Ultimate Team’s pack system has been increasingly controversial since its initial implementation over a decade ago.
Where players could originally buy packs for straight money, that quickly changed to FIFA Points and other changes – like price ranges – clamped down massively on coin selling and other ways to accumulate in-game coins.
We’re rapidly approaching the launch of FIFA 23, with new features like FUT Moments, better stadium customization, and a chemistry overhaul all on the cards for Ultimate Team. EA have confirmed, though, that packs and microtransactions will be staying more or less the same.
EA claim players “love” FIFA Ultimate Team packs and microtransactions
An EA statement to Eurogamer said: “We wholeheartedly believe that Ultimate Team and FUT Packs, which have been part of the game for more than a decade, are a part of FIFA that players love – fans love that the game reflects the real-world excitement and strategy of building and managing a squad. Giving players the choice to spend if they want to is fair.”
It went on to explain that spending in FIFA is “entirely optional” and not encouraged: “FUT Packs work in just the same way whether they are paid for or earned, and most players don’t spend in-game at all. For example, nine out of ten FUT Packs opened in FIFA 22 were earned.”
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The EA statements comes as loot boxes in video games continue to acquire growing backlash. Many feel that promoting packs to players – especially given the youth of FIFA’s audience – is problematic and some governments have agreed.
While the UK Government recently stopped short of banning them, they said they “expect games companies and platforms to improve protections for children, young people and adults, and for tangible results to begin to be seen in the near future.”
Other nations, like Belgium and the Netherlands, have been similarly critical of their position in Ultimate Team.
Away from the gambling issues, many players also believe they make FIFA ‘pay-to-win’, with players willing to invest money naturally accumulating better cards and more coins.
However, EA are clearly adamant that the lucrative system improves FIFA so, going into FIFA 23, expect very little to change in terms of prices, bonus packs, and player probabilities.
