Electronic Arts has decided to partially revise the system of loot boxes in the FIFA series of games. To do this, the company temporarily gave players the opportunity to find out the contents of packs in the Ultimate Team mode before buying them. However, this promotion has a number of limitations.This is how the new packs look in the game (on the right you can see the timer with the remaining time until a new set appears)
EA announced this in its official blog.
The new system of preview packs is timed to coincide with the special event Festival of FUTball, which will end on July 16.
The new system will be in effect throughout the festival, after which the standard loot boxes will return to FIFA.
Previously, players could see the contents of the loot boxes only after purchasing them. However, now users will be able to familiarize themselves with the offered cards and only then make a purchase decision.
It is worth noting that players will not be able to endlessly choose packs until they come across a set with the right cards. EA in this case acted trickier: if the user refuses to purchase, he will have to wait another 24 hours before the timer ends and a new preview pack appears.
Sets are still formed randomly, and the new system does not affect the frequency of rare cards. Electronic Arts itself noted that it is always looking for new ways to improve FIFA for players.
Last fiscal year, EA earned $1.62 billion on the Ultimate Team mode, which is almost 30% of the company’s total revenue.
Despite rising incomes, this regime has been repeatedly criticized. The authorities of many countries continue to struggle with loot boxes, discussing partial restrictions or a complete ban on such mechanics. Also in the spring, an internal EA document was published, which talks about ways to motivate users to buy more packs. This provoked a scandal, as many were dissatisfied with the company’s policy, which forces players to spend money in FIFA.