EA Play members can start playing the first 10 hours of the trial version of FC 24 starting September 22. Especially fans of the Ultimate Team mode can use this time to create their first team before the official release.
What is the EA Play trial version? The trial version of EA Sports FC 24 is included in the EA Play subscription and launches a week before the official release of EA Sports FC 24, along with the early access of the game. The whole game is playable, but there are two limitations: First, you need an EA Play membership for early access, and second, the play time is limited to 10 hours.
Therefore, it might be beneficial to know what you should do with the available playtime. We have some suggestions for you on how to use the 10 hours effectively, which game modes you should prefer, and which mode you should better avoid at the beginning.
1. Tip for the FC 24 trial: Play as many matches as possible
How do I use the trial version most effectively? Our first and most important tip: Play as much as you can. At the beginning, the main goal is to generate coins and packs. You achieve this best by playing as many matches as possible.
You can try out all game modes. However, one mode is particularly recommended at the beginning.
Squad Battles are optimal for getting started and provide early rewards
Why play Squad Battles? First, get a feel for the new game. This works best in the Squad Battles mode.
You can set the difficulty of your AI opponent and thus get acquainted with the new gameplay mechanics at your own pace. Start best on Semi-Pro and gradually increase the difficulty. Here, for example, you can try out the new skill moves in FC 24 with the 5-star skillers, which you can later use online.
And there’s a small added incentive that makes Squad Battles in FC 24 a bit more attractive. The duration of a half has been reduced to four minutes per half.
When do the first Squad Battles rewards come? It’s worthwhile to start with Squad Battles immediately, as you can rank with the earned Squad Battles points for the first rewards. The first rewards will be available this Sunday, September 24, so you shouldn’t miss the chance for good packs.
Hopefully, there should be at least one good card in the packs, allowing you to upgrade your team in vacant positions. With the improvements, you can venture into the Division Rivals mode.
Division Rivals showcase your skills and bring rewards – but later
What do Division Rivals matches bring me? With the first upgrades for your starter team, even if you are not completely satisfied yet, you can start playing your first Division Rivals matches. These will surely be the first benchmark for you, as you will face other real players here.
Although the matches may be more challenging than the Squad Battles, Rivals matches provide additional rewards to earn more coins and better cards. At the same time, you can complete objectives here that will grant you first smaller rewards and experience points for the season pass. For the XP, you don’t usually even have to win, but simply completing a certain number of matches, scoring goals, or playing with certain club items, like jerseys, crests, etc., is enough.
Additional objectives will likely follow with the launch of the early access versions because here you can also expect the first promo exclusive to early access holders.
When do I receive the first Rivals rewards? However, you should keep in mind: The first rewards are available on Thursday, September 28. Depending on how well you perform, you can expect better rewards than those from Squad Battles. However, they come later and may therefore be outside your 10 hours in the trial. However, you can claim rewards in the web app if you can no longer play.
Moreover, matches against other players provide the opportunity to see what you are already good at and where there are still weaknesses in your game. Ideally, over time, you will also learn from your opponents.
2. Tip: Spend as little time as possible in the menu
Time in the trial is limited and should not be wasted in the menu. Play matches instead when you are at the console, and for everything else: Use the web app.
This is how you use the web app: The EA Sports FC 24 web app is your best friend, especially before the official release, when it comes to completing initial SBCs, as well as purchases and sales. If you have earned some coins, you can already look around the transfer market to see if there might be any affordable alternatives that could strengthen your team. Here you can access the web app.
In our opinion, it makes even more sense to take a look at the available SBCs because here you often get packs that have a significantly higher value than the premium gold packs for 7.5k from the shop.
The probability of drawing strong players from premium gold packs is extremely low. With better packs, you theoretically increase your chances of better players.
Especially this year, the basic, league, and nation SBCs are more important than ever to get your first good players, as the mandatory welcome packs that were previously received for free after the initial registration are no longer available.
3. Tip: Make sure to close the game properly
What you should note: A simple but important tip: When you exit the game, make sure to actually close it and not let it run in the background. Otherwise, you risk the timer counting down in the background, and you will lose your trial time.
Finally, we explain why you should resist the temptation of a popular mode in Ultimate Team at the beginning.
4. Tip: Be cautious with online drafts before the official release
Why do we advise against online draft mode at the beginning? The online draft is a cool game mode where you can try out the strongest players at the beginning of FC 24, which your coin balance usually does not afford. However, there are two problems that the online draft brings at the beginning.
First, participation costs 15,000 coins, which is a lot of money at the beginning. Even if you make it to the third or fourth round, you can still expect only relatively average rewards. The much bigger problem is something else.
The big issue at first is the opponents. If you do not consider yourself among the best EAFC players, then you should avoid the competitive online draft at the beginning. Especially before the official release, there are many good to very good players here, as it is the only way to relatively quickly get good packs.
We advise you not to risk your hard-earned coins to end up with nothing.
Finally, we have a note for you: when opening packs, like some streamers, you should not celebrate too early. In our article about pack trolls, we explain why.
