Somehow, the new EA Sports FC 24 update has made the Ultimate Team store even more predatory
You’ve almost got to applaud the effort at this point.
UPDATE (24 October, 5:00PM GMT): In a statement to VG247, an EA spokesperson has since said that, when it comes to this Ultimate Team store update, the "order of which packs may be displayed may differ from player to player and it is not related to price point or pack value."
EA Sports FC 24’s Ultimate Team store has received a new update, and the main thing it looks to do is re-arrange the packs on offer so that a bunch of more expensive/flashy ones are now displayed a bit more prominently.
Yup, if you’re looking to open some standard bronze or silver packs, you’ll now have to scroll to the back of the cupboard, past newer packs that cost a prettier penny, but boast a chance of dropping the likes of Centurions and Icons. As you can imagine, players aren’t exactly pleased with this move.
According to the Tweet from the EA Sports FC direct comms account which announced the change, it’s designed to help the game’s store “offer a more curated experience for FC 24 players”.
“The order in which packs may be displayed may differ between players,” EA went on to explain, adding: “All existing packs remain available to purchase.”
In response to the update, players on both Reddit and Twitter have pointed out that this “more curated experience” has rather conveniently equated to making it a lot harder to avoid seeing, and potentially being tempted to purchase, packs that’ll set you back a hefty chunk of FC points or coins.
“A more curated experience… by now putting expensive packs further up and less expensive ones down below. Thanks EA,” declared one player in a post on the game’s subreddit, revealing: “I haven’t spent a dime on FC Points, yet it recommends me to get ones [with prices equivalent to about $30].”
Others pointed out that the update could potentially have negative consequences for players who struggle to avoid spending real money on the game. “So those that spend fifa points will be pummelled with shiny special packs to [break] their bank balance,” said one, “If only [EA] invested the money in improving the game and not the shareholders’ pockets.”
Some also expressed frustration that the update doesn’t seem to provide a fix for an 100k pack which they claim can’t currently be redeemed.
If you’re trying to win your way up through the online ranks of the game, make sure to check out our incredibly useful guide to the best cheap players to use for Squad Building Challenges and our coverage of what’s in the game’s latest Title Update.