Electronic Arts (EA) has stirred controversy among its fan base with the recent introduction of “Packs For You” in the EA Sports FC 24 Ultimate Team store.
This new feature, aimed at rewarding player loyalty, has come under fire due to its departure from the tradition of offering such packs for free. Instead, EA has opted to monetize these rewards, a move that has been criticized as a blatant attempt to capitalize on player engagement.
Starting today, you may notice a new “Packs For You” section in the #FC24 Ultimate Team Store.
This new section will include packs that are specific to your Ultimate Team journey, based on common factors, like playing Ultimate Team for a certain number of days.
Each “Pack For…
— EA SPORTS FC Direct Communication (@EASFCDirect) February 12, 2024
The shift to paid loyalty packs emerges amid EA’s announcement of record profits, raising questions about the necessity of squeezing additional revenue from players. This decision seems especially tone-deaf following the Team of the Year (TOTY) event, which left many players disappointed. Critics argue that EA’s latest move underscores a growing focus on profit maximization at the expense of player satisfaction.
Following the announcement, major figures in the community pointed out how ‘shameless’ is EA for doing this to their loyal fan base:
Shameless
— Nick (@NickRTFM) February 12, 2024
Some even highlight to never buy these packs as they are a trap to make players waste their money or coins:
Rewarding players by giving them ‘exclusive’ packs to spend more money, insane. Don’t open these.
— FUTBIN (@FUTBIN) February 12, 2024
Others point how these type of packs were free in the past:
WHAT HAPPENED TO SHAME GUYS????
These used to be free for players who continued playing your shitty game
Nah but lets squeeze every last penny from our Customers and not even bother what’s going on with our game
You guys cant even release an SBC these days without making a… pic.twitter.com/2iLbC6q7EH
— Sahil (@Criminal__x) February 13, 2024
The introduction of purchasable loyalty packs represents a significant misstep for EA, undermining trust and goodwill among players. This decision has sparked a broader conversation about the company’s commitment to its community, with many feeling that EA is increasingly out of touch with player expectations and feedback.
