EA SPORTS has integrated mascots in FIFA 22 Ultimate Team (FUT) for the first time, only Borussia Dortmund’s bee EMMA can be unlocked from the Bundesliga.
The creators of the FIFA series and the FUT mode are always interested in giving fans a greater individualisation of their own gaming experience. With this in mind, EA SPORTS already introduced custom stadiums in FUT 21, which can be customised with choreography, banners or perimeter boards.
A further step in the context of authenticity has been taken by EA SPORTS most recently with the integration of some mascots. From a German perspective, the bee EMMA appeared from Bundesliga heavyweight Borussia Dortmund, the remaining symbolic figures were borrowed from Premier League clubs.
Premier League dominates selection
Mighty Red from Liverpool FC, Bridget and Stamford from Chelsea FC, Moonchester and Moonbeam from Manchester City and Chirpy and Lily from Tottenham Hotspur can be unlocked in FUT. In addition to purchasing a bundle through the shop, there is also a free alternative to get one of these mascots.
Five “Mascot Party!” tasks are in store in the “Goals” menu, each completion brings the mascot(s) of a club. For EMMA from BVB, six Squad Battles or Rivals matches must be played with at least six Dortmund professionals in the starting eleven – at the minimum difficulty level Pro.
Fans complain about prioritisation
The extremely manageable selection can probably be explained by the fact that EA SPORTS is probably planning a test phase for the mascots. Should the interest in the playful representatives of the top clubs turn out accordingly, more characters could be added in the upcoming spin-off.
FIFA 22 is by no means a pioneer with this new customisation option for the FUT stadium; the NHL franchise established the mascots years ago. Beyond the lack of diversity, FIFA fans in the social networks mainly criticise the prioritisation on the part of the developer.
Most players still primarily want improvements in the gameplay, mascots therefore cannot satisfy them. Many community members, on the other hand, see EMMA & Co. as a nice addition to the FUT mode, which after all can be secured without additional financial expenditure and days of grind.