FIFA 23 Loot Box Scandal Proves EA Hasn't Learned Its Lesson
Electronic Arts loves a good money-making scheme. It's plain to see now, and it's one of the big reasons that gamers continue to rank the publisher among the worst gaming companies on the face of the Earth. EA has a rough reputation for making games, not out of passion for game development, but in an effort to make money.
The FIFA series has never been able to escape this, and as it stands as one of the strongest IPs for the company, it's become a marker of EA's practices. FIFA has been tarnished with using loot box systems that randomise chances of players earning good players in order to maximise profits. And sadly, it looks like the last game to wear the FIFA title won't be much different.
Does FIFA 23 Include Loot Boxes?
Click to enlargeWell, that's a shame. It has been confirmed that EA won't be changing up its loot box system for the Ultimate Team mode of the upcoming FIFA 23. The company issued a statement to Eurogamer, defending the practice and claiming that it is a part of what makes the mode special.
"We wholeheartedly believe that Ultimate Team and FUT Packs, which have been a part of the game for more than a decade, are a part of FIFA that players love - fans love that the game reflects the real-world excitement and strategy of building and managing a squad," reads the comment.
Continuing to defend its money-making schemes, EA continued to promote that loot boxes give "players the choice to spend if they want to is fair." This comes after the UK government decided not to clamp down on loot box monetisation, which has given EA free reign to do what it wants with your hard-earned cash.
EA Doesn't Have A Good Track Record With Loot Boxes
Click to enlargeThis certainly isn't the first time that EA has fumbled the bag with loot boxes. You might remember the huge controversy that stemmed from the system plaguing Star Wars Battlefront II, which was an otherwise fantastic game that fell victim to EA's shady business practices. Aside from Battlefront's own internal controversies pertaining to the in-game currency and Star Cards system, it suffered serious accusations of fuelling gambling with its wonky loot box system that rarely gave out good items.
EA was also dragged across the coals for locking items behind paywalls that only ever gave players the chance to unlock them. It was an absolute catastrophe, and it brought the game down in player estimations pretty sharpish. More than this, it sparked a debate around the world and led to consumer groups in countries ranging from Australia to the Netherlands calling for a ban on this "deceptive" way of gambling. It's a shame that this continues in the new FIFA game - but then again, EA has no reason to stop. The money mill churns again.
