The cards from the TOTS promo not only take over the virtual pitch in FC 24, but also the in-game store. Content creator ‘NickRTFM’ has harshly criticized EA SPORTS for the pack practices in FUT
The words “a load of garbage” in relation to EA SPORTS FC 24 appear a total of four times in the US American’s 17-minute YouTube video. Nick ‘NickRTFM’ Bartels is known for his clear statements about the soccer simulation – but rarely has he been so outspoken. But what got the content creator so worked up a few days ago?
His incendiary speech was triggered by a new pack in the Ultimate Team in-game store. The “Premier League TOTS Duo Guarantee” variant is currently the most expensive loot box in the game. It can be purchased for 750,000 coins – or for 5,000 FC Points, which can be obtained by spending real money. In real currency, this sum corresponds to around 50 euros or US dollars. FC 24 itself can currently be purchased for around half this amount.
“50 dollars for pixels that you won’t be able to use in a few months”, is how ‘NickRTFM’ puts it. He is alluding to the short lifespan of FC 24, which is set to be replaced by FC 25 next fall. But it’s not just the sheer price of the “Premier League TOTS Duo Guarantee Pack” that bothers him. He criticizes EA SPORTS’ FUT business practices
“Manipulative”: ‘NickRTFM’ raises accusations
“FC 24 has weaker player and sales figures than its predecessors,” claims ‘NickRTFM’. “So how does EA SPORTS still make more money? By boosting the average player spend.” According to him, the developer is acting “manipulatively”, but there is nothing illegal about it. He describes EA SPORTS as “extremely good at pushing the boundaries”. Loot boxes are already banned in Belgium, and a corresponding proposal was also made by the Bremen state parliament a few months ago. According to eSports lawyer Dr. Oliver Daum, the legal situation in Germany is complicated
In the case of the TOTS guarantee for the Premier League, Bartels finds the approach and communication in the in-game store “misleading”. In addition to gold content, the pack in question guarantees buyers two Premier League TOTS player cards – one of which has an overall rating of 92 or more.
“Of course you have a 100 percent chance of getting a TOTS card. But who do you get then? Gabriel or Alisson. The players have no idea where Erling Haaland or Virgil van Dijk are,” says ‘NickRTFM’, alluding to the fluctuating quality of the TOTS objects. An overall rating of at least 92 seems tempting. However, the probability of top cards such as Haaland or van Dijk is far below 100 percent
The gameplay also gets its fair share of criticism
It’s “sad to see where the series has gone”. FC 24 has hardly anything in common with the FIFA titles of earlier years. “The direction this game is taking is disgusting,” says Bartels’. He not only criticizes the monetary mechanics in FUT – the gameplay also gets its fair share of criticism. He accuses the current title of being “a beta”
“FC 24 has the worst gameplay of all games, but EA SPORTS doesn’t care about that. They have understood that their zenith has long since passed. They are absolutely aware that there is no way back to the glory days of the FIFA series,” says the YouTuber. That’s why the publisher is now focusing on the microtransactions in FUT.
According to ‘NickRTFM’, there are currently only two options to play successfully: Running down the wing and hoping for a ‘cutback opportunity’. Or to rely on high balls in combination with strong PlayStyles such as “Power header+” and large playing figures. “I’ve never seen this game series in a worse state,” concludes the Content Creator.
