FIFA 21
On Monday, an alleged insider sent a 54-page document from EA Sports to the CBC News editorial team. From this it emerged that EA is apparently doing everything possible to get players to switch to FIFA Ultimate Team in the soccer simulation. In detail it says: "FUT is a cornerstone and we are doing what we can to get the players there."According to the information from CBC News, the insider is said to have shared the document because he knows people who are not comfortable working on projects with loot boxes. FIFA Ultimate Team has also received frequent criticism on this topic in the past. Further pages of the leak reveal that EA also wants to move its players from FIFA to FUT via other game modes. The so-called FUT Coins, which fans receive after the conclusion of a game, for example, are referred to in the leak as "grind currency". EA has meanwhile commented on the insider's document in a statement.
It is said to Eurogamer that the publisher is always looking for new ways to bring players into other modes of their titles. EA made it clear, however, that no one is being pressured to spend money in the games. The EA officials also defend the wording in the document. The sub-sentence caused criticism: "Players are actively notified and encouraged to switch to [to FUT] in the summer." According to EA, they only want to draw attention to more content in the summer and not urge anyone to spend money.
In addition, EA has once again denied the allegation that the FIFA 21 loot boxes are gambling acts. For many fans, it should come as no surprise that the developers want to see their players in FUT. In the last fiscal year alone, Electronic Arts generated over $ 1.5 billion in FUT game modes in FIFA, Madden, and NHL. You can read the complete statement on the leaked document behind the source.
Source: Eurogamer
FIFA 21 loot boxes revealed to have an aggressive EA push
Just like IAPs or in-app transactions, loot boxes have become one of the “dirty words” in the gaming industry. Unlike other forms of microtransactions, however, loot boxes have also come under legal scrutiny. Companies like EA have even been fined over such widespread yet also unpopular game mechanic, but it hasn’t stopped EA from pushing through with that line of business. In fact, a new leak reveals that EA was intentionally trying to steer FIFA 21 players that way, which, on second thought, might not be that surprising after all.
FIFA 21’s implementation of loot boxes comes in the form of card packs that give randomized rewards in the game’s FIFA Ultimate Team mode or FUT. These packs can be acquired using FIFA Points which themselves can be bought with real money. That kind of microtransaction isn’t exactly new nor illegal but it is the element of randomness in these loot boxes that is ruffling regulators and even some players’ feathers.
According to a leaked document from an anonymous EA Insider, this aspect of FUT isn’t just a sort of side game. In fact, it is supposed to be the cornerstone of FIFA 21 and that the company should do everything to drive players towards it. That EA would want more revenue from such features should hardly be shocking but leading players in that direction, both intentionally and subtly, doesn’t sit well with many of the company’s critics.
The problem is how loot boxes are seen as a form of gambling by some regulators and lawmakers. EA, of course, disagrees and cites how some of those have also refused to label loot boxes as such because of one critical element. While there is indeed randomness in what you’re getting, there is actually no cashout from it, which, for some countries, is the definition of gambling.
EA’s official response to the leak also denies “pushing spending over earning”. While it does say how important FIFA Ultimate Team has been to the franchise over the decades, it argues that the majority of FIFA players actually never spend money on microtransactions anyway.