Love it or loathe it, there’s unquestionably something cool about building a squad of superstars in FIFA 21’s uber-popular Ultimate Team mode. Sure, you’ll need to no-life the release in order to add the likes of Mbappe and Ronaldo to your roster, but even if you’re stuck with Raul Garcia and Andy Carroll upfront like this unfortunate author, it’s still entertaining opening packs, knowing that there’s a less than one per cent chance of finding something half-decent inside.
I’ve been a casual player of FIFA Ultimate Team for a few years now, and while it’s never quite got its claws into me like the vastly superior Diamond Dynasty in MLB The Show, I think the sheer number of professional footballers around the globe gives EA Sports’ soccer sim a density that the American sports simply can’t match. Yes, you end up with a binder full of mediocre midfielders from the doldrums of the Swiss Super League, but such variety makes completing sets so much more rewarding.
One thing I felt in the early days of the mode, though, was that it needed more cosmetic customisation; building a team is all well and good, but outfitting Messi in Rotherham United’s threads never really made sense to me. Over the years, the publisher has slowly started to introduce original kit designs and logos, and it finally took the concept seriously with this year’s instalment, adding the rudimentary stadium creator functionality.
But some of the items it’s offering have been befuddling me since the beginning of the season. For example, you can now drape a tifo behind your goal to augment some much-needed personality, but as part of the title’s latest season I unlocked an 8-bit wizard. Some other highlights I have in my binder: two knights chugging goblets of ale and a cauldron of bats. Nothing quite screams “Ultimate Team” like a logo of a bear, does it?
I’ve been bemused by this for a while, but I was prompted to write this article last night when I logged in to the release and was awarded a free kit as a reward for my ongoing subscription to EA Play: it’s a pink jersey with a clipart image of a pig’s face on it. Who wants this? How did it happen? For one of the biggest and most-played franchises on the planet, I just can’t fathom how these are getting into the game – compare them to the kind of cosmetics you find in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.
Even Madden NFL 21, a series which clearly gets a fraction of the budget of FIFA, has better cosmetics: yes, it’ll charge you unseemly sums for the privilege to wear them, but at least you get the sense it’s put some effort into its original uniforms. Meanwhile, over in MLB The Show 21, you can not only design your own Diamond Dynasty outfits, but you can also download custom logos and artwork from an ever-expanding vault to make it your own.
I know that the cosmetics are secondary to the core card collecting loop in FIFA 21, but I actually think that these unlockables are so bad they actually detract from the overall product. Look at the game’s marketing: it’s slick and cool, with eye-catching colour palettes and striking fonts. No one wants to spend millions of coins on a 92-rated Mohamed Salah, only to dress him in a kit with a painting of a badger on it.
What are your thoughts on FIFA 21’s unlockable cosmetics? An embarrassment, or irrelevant? What threads and tifos have you kitted your Ultimate Team out with? Does this matter, or should EA Sports be doing a lot better? Make an Italian statue your emblem in the comments section below.
Comments 20
I have no thoughts on cosmetic items. At all. Especially on male footballers.
Only cosmetics I’ve ever used are pervy costumes for female characters in JRPGs, and then only if they are free.
The cosmetics really are dreadful. Not just because the RNG gods keep on chucking Rangers merch at me which I promptly bin. The Maradona tifo is pretty cool but that’s about it. I’m rocking Chile’s home kit but I’d kill for Nigeria’s kit because the international kits are just nicer. I dunno what they’d do to improve the cosmetics other than just create less crap looking original designs!
@thefourfoldroot
We need to talk about how stale the entire game has been for the past 100 years maybe because of FUT. I'm glad FIFA doesn't feel like a must have for me these days, thanks to Sony's constant flow of incredible exclusives and a whole lot more lengthy great games these days. In the past most games were like 10hrs tops and it just felt wise to pay full price for FIFA instead, due to countless hours of fun. Now, your average game is 20hrs+.
Fifa games are a blight on the industry because of Ultimate Team. To make matters worse it doesn't even play a nice game of football.
Soapbox: You need to stop playing Ultimate Team, Sammy!
That wizard thing must be annoying for the fans sitting behind it
As long as people are willing to pay $60/year to get their Ultimate Team roster wiped, they are going to do the bare minimum to squeeze as much cash as possible. Stop buying FIFA.
FIFA is the ugly micro transaction filled red headed step child of the gaming industry in general.
Things like this only make it more so.
@thefourfoldroot lol thats very honest
So its not even a option too customise your characters without gambling what a insult.
@Jacko11 Dont insult redheads or ugly kids you might hurt heir feelings when you compare them too EA.
@Flurpsel
The whole point of cosmetics, as I understand it, is to make characters look better, so...
@Flaming_Kaiser you’re right, it’s incredibly unfair and almost insulting of me to think their is a comparison.
Apologies to redheads and ugly kids 😂
I think paying money for cosmetics is well.....a waste of money. But each to their own. I like the idea of building an ultimate team but wish it was awarded for progression or something instead of monetary gambling. I understand they are increasing revenue etc. Maybe I'm missing the point how it works? I just like to pay for a game and everything is included. Although I don't mind paying for DLC as long as its extra levels or decent expansion. Not stuff thats been held back that should have been part of the original game....Apologies went off track a bit. Rant over.
EA Sports UFC 4 has some of the worst, irrelevant cosmetics in a game. The majority have nothing to do with MMA or the UFC.
They’ve put in all these fortnite type emotes, instead of focusing on actual fighter animations. I’m not sure what they’re actually thinking - are they making sports games or pokie machines these days?
That bear badge is cool, it’s a bear rawr just look at it it’s so cool 🐻
FIFA with its micro-transactions is the Red Lyrium of Video Games
The cosmetics in the 'season pass' are indeed dreadful. I just get them and quick sell them straightaway. You do also get plenty of packs in each season though to be fair. I enjoy FUT, only play offline and have never spent a penny on it. And, yes, I don't have Messi or Ronaldo or any legends, but I still have a damn good team of 85+ rated stars purely from earning packs etc, so I don't see it as a bad thing. Apart from the monotony and grind sometimes.
@Jacko11 Its even more shocking that you even gamble for cosmetics and i see some people talk about it if its a good thing its insane.
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...