Are Players Already Complaining About EAFC24?
The newest instalment will see the franchise undergo a rebrand. Rather than FIFA, the new game will be called EAFC24. However, despite the fact that the game hasn’t even been released yet, gamers are already voicing concerns. Let’s find out more.
Character Models
We’ve known about the new EAFC24 game for some time, and developer EA Sports has been slowly leaking details about the new instalment. Last month EA Sports released the game’s cover art, and fans were quick to take to social media to make their criticisms heard.
The EAFC24 cover features an array of famous players all standing together. The group includes legends such as Pele, as well as modern greats like Beckham and Haaland. However, fans were quick to point out that the faces of these characters looked a little strange, with the most fervent critics comparing them to the character models seen in games of yesteryear, like The Sims.
Italian icon Pirlo’s character was the subject of much ire. He’s a lonely figure with a thousand-yard stare, a far cry from the shrewd and meticulous midfield genius that is the real Pirlo.
A Lack of Innovation
FIFA, or EAFC24, is a football game first and foremost. This means it’s relatively simple and, despite all of its bells and whistles, the game’s basic premise remains the same. This has done nothing to curb the franchise’s popularity, however, with FIFA regularly ranked among the most popular games of PVP.
However, given that the FIFA franchise has been around for some 30 years, some fans are feeling disappointed in the lack of innovation present in the newest addition. With the rebrand to EAFC24, this game was meant to bring FIFA into the next generation, and offer unprecedented levels of realism and immersion. While the game is certainly an enjoyable experience, it doesn’t necessarily achieve this goal, and instead ends up feeling like much of the same.
Beta Issues
As with many games, EAFC24 released a beta version to give select players a taste of what’s to come and to iron out any last-minute issues. Beta testing is an integral part of the modern game development process, and it has been used to great effect by a range of popular franchises.
However, the EAFC24 beta testing program fell at the first hurdle; the beta code distributed among players failed to work. After the codes were released, social media platforms were flooded with complaints from players reporting that the codes didn’t work. EA Sports needs to sort out this issue quickly to allow for final-stage testing of their new game.
Ultimate Team Rewards
Ultimate Team is EA’s crown jewels. It is the reason players turn out in the millions at launch to play the game. To many, it makes each iteration a little one-dimensional. There have been routine calls for improvements to Pro Clubs, for instance – a fan favourite that promotes the exact kind of team play football fans thrive on. However, Ultimate Team is where all the care and attention goes.
As a game mode, players can craft a team of their favourite players from all around the world and compete with each other online or other people’s squads offline. It’s a flexible game mode that promotes creativity and personalisation.
How do you get those players? You win games to earn coins to buy packs – which contain players in the form of ‘cards’, in the sense of the classic trading-card format. You win games in certain game modes to earn packs based on your win totals and frequency.
It is these rewards that many players feel underwhelmed by. Grinding to high win totals in Weekend League tournaments or weekly Division competitions only to pack players that aren’t worth the grind is deflating. Every FIFA player knows that feeling. It’s the proportionality that is the issue. The special, upgraded players that many covet are often very difficult to secure in reward packs. The players you do secure are so far behind the power curve its laughable. It was a major concern for players heading into EAFC24: will EA finally fix a fundamental issue?
Currently, there is no suggestion that this will be fixed. Players will head into another season of Ultimate Team with rewards that don’t necessarily feel representative of their accomplishments.
What might EA’s response be? This is football. It’s a game that relies as much on luck as skill. There’s a chance to earn the good cards and a chance to earn the bad ones. Keep playing and find out.
Conclusion
Players certainly are already complaining about EAFC24, but in large their complaints seem justified. Regardless, the game is certain to be a commercial success, and will no doubt be among the most popular games of the year.