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Highlights
- EA Sports FC is the highly anticipated new gaming release that marks the company's 30th year of creating football video games.
- The game represents a new direction for EA Sports, as they aim to make an impact on the wider footballing world and inspire people to play real-life sports.
- The game will feature a more immersive match engine and a wider range of players, including women's football, indicating a more realistic gameplay experience than the FIFA series.
EA Sports FC is easily one of the most anticipated gaming releases of the year.
The landmark release will be the first without the accompaniment of FIFA for the first time in the history of the series, with EA Sports aligning their vision away from the football governing body. EA Sports FC 24 will mark the company's 30th year of creating football video games. They have continually improved their digital offering over the years - new features have been added and increased licensing has constantly been acquired.
The imminent release could represent a huge peak in terms of the gaming experience that EA Sports have offered so far. The match engine could offer a greater level of immersion than ever before, and Ultimate Team could feature a wider range of players than ever.
There have been clear signs that EA is looking to make an impact on the wider footballing world with their game. The FC Futures initiative demonstrates that part of the motivation for the new release is to inspire people to play real-life sports.
The gaming company have invested tens of millions of pounds into building fresh facilities to enhance the development of young players around Europe and beyond. The fact EA is investing in the very sport their game emulates, indicates they are taking a new direction with the upcoming release.
EA Sports are looking to improve real-life football and this can only be a positive for fans of the series. Their investments should open more doors to potential partnerships with leading players and clubs.
The new hyper motion V match engine is also set to be utilised to assist real-life coaching and player development. That certainly suggests that EA Sports FC will offer an even more realistic gameplay experience than the FIFA series offered.
There are certainly an array of positive signs as we edge closer to the maiden release of EASFC, but what are key details that have been announced, as well as apparent leaks about the new game?
What is the release date for EA Sports FC 24?
The developers have confirmed that the EA Sports FC will be released on Friday 29th September 2023.
Players who pre-order the Ultimate Edition will be able to play from Thursday 21st September 2023 - over seven days early access.
EA Sports FC 24 Trailer
The only trailer that has been released so far has been the world reveal, which was unveiled on 10th July 2023. Fans around the world got a first look at what the new game could be like, and what elements of Career Mode and Ultimate Team could be included. Let the initial speculation begin!
New trailers will be added to this section once they are released.
Why have EA rebranded the game?
In case you have not kept up to date with EA Sports' change in strategy and direction, here is a recap on what happened in terms of the FIFA licensing.
EA has had an agreement spanning four decades with the football governing body FIFA. This allowed the games to be given the 'FIFA' title.
However, at the most recent talks of a new renewal to the deal, an agreement could not be reached. EA decided to take a fresh direction by rebranding its football gaming series.
All the licensing remains with EA Sports. They have agreements in place with a majority of major footballing leagues and competitions. The FIFPro agreement also means that the top players will continue to be featured in the game.
FIFA is set to release a new game in the coming years that will rival EA Sports FC. While FIFA may be a huge brand, it would take a remarkable effort to topple EA Sports' offering after 30 years of experience creating football video games.
EA Sports will have faith that they have built a strong enough brand for themselves at this point. The game attracts hundreds of millions of players each year, with a concept and graphical offering that is unmatched in the football gaming sector.
Who are the cover stars for EA Sports FC 24?
EA Sports recently revealed the cover art for the Ultimate Edition of EA Sports FC. Over 30 stars are featured in the men's and women's games, including players from past and present generations of football.
- Johan Cruyff
- Zinedine Zidane
- David Beckham
- Andrea Pirlo
- Rudi Voller
- Ronaldinho
- Juan Roman Riquleme
- Didier Drogba
- Kylian Mbappe
- Buyako Saka
- Marcus Rashford
- Jude Bellingham
- Erling Haaland
- Vinicius Jr
- Marquinhos
- Virgil van Dijk
- Heung-min Son
- Enzo Fernandez
- Alexander Isak
- Federico Chiesa
- Youssoufa Moukoko
- Leah Williamson
- Alex Scott
- Mia Hamm
- Trinity Rodman
- Alexia Putellas
- Sam Kerr
- Alexandra Popp
- Selma Bacha
- Leicy Santos
- Marta
World Cup winners feature such as Zinedine Zidane, as well as Icons who transformed the game such as Johan Cruyff. Legends of the women's game featured include Mia Hamm who is a multiple FIFA Women's World Cup winner.
Record breakers such as Erling Haaland headline the playing generation of stars, and women's Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas is also featured.
The fact women are prevalent alongside their male counterparts is indicative of the fresh approach EA will take in the new game.
Women are set to be a key part of the FUT experience. All the major players and leagues will be featured, similarly to how the men's game is treated in Ultimate Team.
We could even see a larger range of Icon and Hero cards than ever before, due to the addition of past greats from women's football.
The cover overall includes players from a variety of nations, generations and sides of the game. This emphasizes EA's message that football is for all.
It is also a perfect time to seriously incorporate women into Ultimate Team, with the Women's FIFA World Cup taking place this summer. Women's football has grown massively in recent years, and EA is set to take advantage of that, and could also encourage further interest in that sector of the sport.
3 Reasons Why EA Sports FC Could Be The Greatest Football Game Ever
New Heroes In FC 24
Hero cards have been a popular card type since their release in FIFA 22.
In FC 24, they will be Champions League-themed, after EA extended their partnership with UEFA.
These cards offer squad-building advantages as they provide strong chemistry links with players from the same nation or league.
The idea behind Hero cards is to honor former footballing stars with top cards in-game.
FC 24 will feature new cards from former Ballon d'Or contenders and European champions from both men's and women's football.
All Confirmed Heroes
- Wesley Sneijder
- Gianluca Vialli
- Bixente Lizarazu
- Carlos Tevez
- Alex Scott
- Nadine Kessler
- Ludovic Giuly
- Tomas Rosicky
- Nwankwo Kanu
- John Arne Riise
- Dimitar Berbatov
- Sonia Bompastor
- Jari Litmanen
- Rui Costa
- Paulo Futre
The confirmed new Hero cards set to arrive in FC 24 make up a stellar list.
From 2010 treble-winner Wesley Sneijder to a quadruple-winner in Alex Scott, some of the greatest players from both sides of the game are set to be available in the newest installment of Ultimate Team.
Unique cards are also set to come, with 6'6 Kanu officially confirmed as part of the new Heroes roster for FC 24. He is sure to be remarkable in-game with his physical frame and skillful style.
The third batch of new Heroes showed that some former Icons will be given Hero cards instead in FC 24, such as Jari Litmanen and Rui Costa.
Saeed Al Owairan and Joan Capdevila were some of the most meta Hero cards in FIFA 23, the new additions could be set to shake things up in EA Sports FC.
Pro Clubs
The fan-favourite Pro Clubs mode has received an overhaul ahead of EA Sports FC 24.
New Features:
- New seasons structure
- Crossplay
- Fans
- Aesthetics
- PlayStyles
New Seasons structure:
The new Pro Clubs season’s structure will change the way the mode is played and improve its longevity. No longer will the traditional rise from Division 10 to Division one represent the Pro Clubs' journey.
Pro Clubs seasons will last six weeks and conclude in a playoff period in FC 24. The club can earn rewards and promotions based on their performances on the pitch throughout each season.
The season will reset following the six-week period and there will no longer be relegations in Pro Clubs seasons.
Similar to Ultimate Team, each season will have a distinct theme.
Crossplay:
Crossplay will finally be enabled in Pro Clubs for FC 24. Players of the same console generation will be able to link-up and play in the same club while playing on different platforms.
Fans in Pro Clubs:
The more successful your Pro Clubs team becomes, the more fans that will follow the club. You could even end up requiring a stadium expansion in order to fit all of your fans inside.
All of your team's accolades can be presented in the stadium, for each and every single game you play.
Aesthetic customisations:
There will be many more customisation options when it comes to clothing and accessories for your Pro in FC 24. However, the biggest addition is tattoos, which means you can make your player more unique than ever when it comes to their physical appearance.
PlayStyles:
The new PlayStyle and PlayStyle+ features will also be present in Pro Clubs. You can unlock specific PlayStyles that suit your player's skill sets in order to make them stand out and be effective on the pitch.
Licensing
EA Sports have secured a wide range of licensing for the new game. FC 24 will feature over 19,000 players, 700 teams and 30 leagues.
The maiden release of EASFC will also include full UEFA licensing rights. The UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League will be present in Career Mode and beyond.
Confirmed Leagues
- Premier League
- La Liga
- Serie A
- Bundesliga
- Ligue 1
- Eredivisie
- Liga Portugal
- English Championship
- English League One
- English League Two
- National League
- Scottish Premier League
- SSE Airtricity League
- Allsvenskan
- Eliteserien
- Austrian Bundesliga
- Süper Lig
- Ekstraklasa
- Belgian Pro League
- Suisse Super League
- Superliga Romania (New for FC 24)
- 2. Bundesliga
- 3. Liga
- Serie B
- Ligue 2
- Major League Soccer
- A-League
- Superliga Argentina
- Chinese Super League
- K League
- Saudi Pro League
The top five European leagues have all nailed partnerships with EA Sports. With a wide range of leagues retaining their agreements from the FIFA series alongside them.
La Liga have even seen their top two diviisons renamed to La Liga EA Sports and La Liga Hypermotion as part of their exclusive agreement.
The Superliga Romania is a brand-new league that will be featured in FC 24.
Women's Leagues
- Women's Super League
- D1 Arkema
- Liga F
- Frauen-Bundesliga
- National Women's Soccer League
The women's UEFA Champions League is also set to feature in the game, to offer the most authentic replication possible of the women's game.
How much will EA Sports FC cost?
Details about the potential prices of the various versions of the game were leaked on in r/GamingLeaksandRumours on Reddit by u/naaz0412:
PC:
Standard Edition - £59.99 / €69.99 / $69.99
Ultimate Edition - £89.99 / €99.99 / $99.99
Xbox and Playstation:
Standard Edition - PS4 / Xbox One £59.99 / €69.99 / $69.99
Standard Edition - PS5 / Xbox Series X/S £69.99 / €79.99 / $69.99
Ultimate Edition - Digital Cross-Gen Version £99.99 / €109.99 / $109.99
Announcement and Pre-order date: July 13, 2023.
Ultimate Edition: 22nd September early access.
The game is set to become slightly more expensive upon the release of EA Sports FC, but perhaps it could be worth it, for potentially the greatest football game yet.
The most eager fans will of course have to cough up an extra sum for the Ultimate Edition if they wish to get a weeks head start in the flagship Ultimate Team mode. Or perhaps some are desperate to try out a potentially revitalised Career Mode or Pro Clubs mode.
How to pre-order EA Sports FC 24
Various versions of EA Sports FC 24 can be pre-ordered from the following retailers:
Hypermotion V Technology
EA Sports FC alongside other wholesale changes will include a fresh match engine in Hypermotion V technology as revealed on the official La Liga YouTube channel in a live stream. 590 million frames of 11 v 11 real-life footage have been used to create the most realistic match engine ever seen in a football game.
As a result of machine-learning technology, players within the game are set to showcase more accurate real-life animations than ever seen before in a sporting game. With 80x the potential animations compared to its predecessor FIFA 23, EA Sports could be set to revolutionise the virtual football experience.
To mark the change over to the new hypermotion technology, the Spanish second division will be renamed La Liga Hypermotion. The first division has been renamed to La Liga EA Sports after the company nailed a sponsorship with the major top-flight league.
New card designs
Aside from the physical improvements to the game and the wider range of players being made available. Another huge shake-up from EA Sports is to provide a fresh style of card design in EASFC.
Leaked designs have suggested that card designs are set to be given the most significant change in Ultimate Team's life cycle so far.
FUTSheriff released a concept design of what the cards could look like in EA Sports FC. The cards maintain a similar shape, but the format of the card's design is much changed.
The nation and club logos are centrally aligned at the base of the card, with the on-card stats being displayed horizontally just above.
Overall there should be huge excitement surrounding the upcoming release, a huge range of players will be added to Ultimate Team, and potential new card designs and much-improved gameplay.
EA Sports' loss of the FIFA licensing could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the long-term success of the gaming series.