For years, the FIFA series has been under scrutiny due to its packs in Ultimate Team. In FIFA 21, there is now a feature that somewhat reduces the gambling factor of the packs. Is this an option for FIFA 22?
- Since June 18, FIFA 21 has introduced new preview packs.
- They have completely replaced the usual packs in the Ultimate Team shop and offer a special feature.
- Before buying the packs, you can view the complete contents of a pack.
If you decide to buy the pack after the preview, the next preview pack will be available in the shop immediately. If you opt out, a 24-hour timer usually starts. When this timer runs out, a new pack will be available for viewing.
Currently, the preview packs are linked to the “Festival of FUTball”. Once this campaign ends, the preview packs are expected to be replaced by other pack types. However, after the pack preview has been available for a while, it seems that players in FIFA 22 would be reluctant to give up this feature.
Big discussion about preview packs – Could they stay?
Shortly after the packs launched, it became clear that a large portion of players would wish for this feature to also be available in FIFA 22. In recent days, further discussions about the packs have taken place in the FIFA subreddit.
Some players explain that the preview packs have ensured that they would no longer buy packs “blindly” – especially with FIFA Points that are purchased with real money (via reddit). The cards in the packs simply weren’t strong enough to justify the investment (via reddit).
This situation already leads many to suspect that the preview packs will end after the event – assuming the majority of players have had the same experience.
At the same time, it should be considered that one can also look at the packs from another perspective. Because players who generally do not buy packs could now click on a pack in the shop. This would eliminate the risk of losing coins or points. If something interesting is inside, it could be that they make an exception and buy one.
However, the most important argument for a pack adjustment could be that the FIFA series has recently come under increasing scrutiny. The packs in Ultimate Team are regularly criticized as a gambling element and have already made some major headlines.
- A court in the Netherlands took action against loot boxes in FIFA 21.
- Another major discussion was the alleged secret direct sale of icon cards in FIFA 21. This involved some of the rarest and best cards in FIFA 21, which were apparently made available to individual players for a lot of money. One criticism raised was that it was interesting at all to spend so much money on individual cards in Ultimate Team.
- In 2020, a 21-year-old was reported who spent all his money for school on FIFA packs.
- A youth protection reform aimed at changing the handling of loot box mechanics in general.
- A FIFA pro decided not to spend money in FIFA 21 to fulfill his role model function.
Many players now see the preview packs as a test that could possibly be implemented in FIFA 22. A feedback survey about the preview packs was also shared on reddit, which gave players hope that the preview might play a role in FIFA 22.
But what effect does the preview ultimately have?
How much gambling is the pack preview still?
This is how the preview affects: Normally, the packs in FIFA 21 are like a pack of Pokémon cards: You buy them, see what’s inside, and then either get lucky or unlucky with the contents.
The element of luck remains similar with the preview packs. After all, you cannot directly influence what is in the pack. The chances of getting good players are the same. However, the payment process is partially pushed back – namely to the point where you already know what is inside.
This means: If there is no cool Pokémon card in the booster, you could simply return the pack to the seller and come back a day later.
However, the timer is important here. It prevents players from simply trying again until they get a good pack, instead forcing them to wait 24 hours.
This is why the timer is important: This element could be crucial. Now it’s not just a question of luck anymore, but rather of self-control: If you really want to try another pack, you have to buy the “weak” pack. On the other hand, if it’s not that important, you can simply wait until the next opportunity arises.
Thinking, for example, of the pack behavior of some YouTubers who open countless packs in opening videos, it could be that nothing changes in this regard. The pack animation still runs as before. For those who didn’t care how much money they put into the game before, they probably won’t hesitate before a weak preview either.
The preview is more important for players who very rarely buy packs. For players who only occasionally click on a pack in the shop and simply put it aside again if the contents are weak. In such cases, the gambling component could indeed be largely diminished.
Was there something comparable? In fact, the pack preview strongly resembles a system that Fortnite introduced in the “Save the World” mode in 2019. There was also a gambling discussion regarding lamas in shops, which could include heroes and weapons.
There, you also could not see what you were getting before deciding to purchase. However, Fortnite later made this change and allowed players to see what would be in the llama before the purchase. The contents changed every 24 hours, so that when in doubt, one could wait for a new llama if the contents were not suitable.
What does this mean for FIFA 22? The fact is: In recent years, the FIFA series has responded to gambling criticism with various measures. First, FIFA 19 made the chances of getting good players in the packs transparent, then a system was introduced that allowed for better tracking and limiting of purchases. It is quite possible that the preview is now the next step in this direction.
Currently, the preview packs are set to end during FIFA 21, and there are no other official statements yet. However, the change has been very well received by players. Whether EA Sports can even backtrack on this if the system does not prove successful remains to be seen.
You can find all the previous information and assessments about FIFA 22 here.
