EA is causing a stir once again as players become furious over a loot box labelled by many in the community as 'pay-to-win'. EA is known for dropping loot boxes in their sports games, they did it consistently with FIFA Ultimate Team, but the more expensive boxes came along a while after the games had launched. This time, the boxes dropped before the game had even released.
Despite ongoing controversy surrounding loot boxes, EA has seen fit to include them in their latest football game, EA Sports FC 24. The popularity of Ultimate Team meant the game mode would appear in the latest game, and with it comes loot boxes of randomised players which are used to build a competitive squad.
Take a look at EA Sports FC 24 in action below.
What has the community so angry is the 'Elite Season Opener' pack. A loot box that features powerful player cards to set you up with a great team. The pack is selling for the equivalent of $30 - players can buy the pack with either Ultimate Team coins (a currency earned in-game) or 3,000 FC points (a premium currency bought with 'real' money).
Not only is the pack expensive, particularly as players will have spent over $60 for the game initially, but you can't buy 3,000 FC points in one transaction. The closest is 2,800.
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Over on Reddit, u/towfoon angrily commented "There is absolutely no way it should be normalised for people to spend that amount of money on a game which is already overpriced." Other players are furious that EA can charge such a price when the game only has a life cycle of a year.
It's worth noting, these cards cannot be traded among the community either. So, essentially, EA seems to be saying that to field a decent squad in Ultimate Team straight after release, players need to spend nearly $100.
Final word goes to u/the_shine_ who said, "This year I expected something new. IDK what I was thinking."