With major sports games like NBA 2K22 and MLB The Show 21 all focusing heavily on Player Career modes, it’s no surprise to see EA Sports bolster that feature in FIFA 22. An extensive Pitch Notes blog post delves into the details of this year’s Career experience, with plenty of thoughtful additions to the flagship single player mode, including the previously announced Create a Club.

The new Player Career is the focus of the update, though. A new system will allow you to come on as a substitute, meaning that your campaign will feel more lifelike. You’ll need to break into the first team by performing well off the bench, with dynamic match objectives introduced each time you take to the field. Completing these and performing will reward you with XP, which can be used to upgrade your attributes.

Skills and perks will be unlocked as you level up, and will determine what type of player you become. There are dozens to choose from, spanning various positions, and you’ll need to think carefully about how you want to play – and what kind of influence you want to have on your team. Your manager will rate you after each game, and your performance will determine whether you become a star for your chosen club – or end up being snubbed.

All of this will be anchored by new dressing room atmosphere cut-scenes, which will take you into the locker room after a match. FIFA’s still got some way to go before it catches up to NBA 2K22, where its MyCareer mode effectively operates like a PS Home-esque social hub, but we can see the developer eventually bringing Pro Clubs, Career, and Volta together to create a true rival to Visual Concepts’ basketball sim.

Elsewhere, transfer negotiation sequences have been redone, while more story moments have been added to underline key moments in your career. And of course, there’s the aforementioned Create a Club, which will see you designing your kit, crest, and stadium – and recruiting a squad of hopefuls to play for you. You’ll have some control over the type of players in your starting squad, such as picking age demographics and overall talent levels. Your career objectives will be dynamically determined based on what kind of team you create.

There’s actually quite a lot to dig into here, so if you’re interested, we recommend reading the full Pitch Notes through here. Are you satisfied with the strides being taken to FIFA 22’s Career Mode? Don’t bankrupt Barcelona in the comments section below.

[source ea.com]