And it’s to do with FIFA… again.
No strangers to microtransaction drama, EA is, once again, in trouble. This time, it’s for encouraging children to purchase FIFA points in order to open randomised Ultimate Team packs in upcoming FIFA 21. Ultimate Packs are used to create an Ultimate Team from a collection of your favourite players. You can earn the packs in-game, but FIFA constantly reminds you that it’s way easier to just spend actual money, instead. The fun bit is that the packs make use of EA’s “Surprise Mechanics”, so you don’t know what you’re actually getting before you open the pack.
Now, EA is under fire for advertising these Ultimate Packs directly to children, at a UK toy retailer, as if they were a normal part of the gaming experience. Which they technically are, but (much like plenty of adults) children aren’t known for their budgeting and impulse control skills. The advert was placed in an in-store children’s magazine and, apparently, EA did the same thing with FIFA 20.
Put your two eyes 👀 on step two.#ThisIsntOK pic.twitter.com/IA6HRv2Elf
— FIFA21Mistakes (@AllFifaMistakes) September 26, 2020
The Ultimate Packs have already been disabled in Belgium, where loot boxes are considered a form of gambling.
In related news, Ultimate Team mode is also FIFA’s most profitable game mode, having made over $1 billion for EA, each year, for the past three years. Much coincidence. So wow.
Via VGC.