Electronic Arts Responds to EA Sports FC 24 Criticisms Over Co-Ed Teams

By Ricky Frech

EA Sports FC 24 is a game of many firsts for Electronic Arts. Not only is this the first time the series doesn't have the FIFA license and branding but it's also going to be the first time that men and women players will be able to play alongside each other in Ultimate Team. Opening up the game for every soccer player on the planet to play against each other has been seen as a fun move by many, but there are a few fans out there who dislike the move, claiming that it isn't "authentic" to the games we see every week. Today, EA Sports FC 24 developers responded to those claims, saying that "Ultimate Team is a fantasy mode."

Speaking to IGN, EA executive producer John Shepard noted, "It's something we really thought deeply about. We feel we can play a really important role in the growth of that sport in introducing it to all of our fans." He also mentions that the team is trying to build the game and brand to "welcome everybody." That means providing all kinds of ways for players to engage with the virtual version of their favorite sport. Shepard also said, "There are other modes of play, such as Kick Off, where it's more about that club playing together against another club. But Ultimate Team to us is a mode where you can have a mix of players and you can build the best team."

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Senior producer Sam Rivera echoed a similar sentiment to IGN, saying, "Ultimate Team is a fantasy mode. You don't see Mbappe playing with all the Icons. It's Ultimate Team — fantasy football is what's happening there." In short, having both men and women playing alongside each other in Ultimate Team doesn't go against the mode's authenticity because it's all about creating a fantasy squad anyway. 

What's going to be interesting is to see how women players fit into the meta in EA Sports FC 24. In previous editions of FIFA, smaller players generally feel like they have more control on the ball, making for great dribbles and chance-creators. With women generally being much smaller than men, we might see women players dominating the attacking midfield, especially in the early days of EA Sports FC 24 before the power curve starts to accelerate with promo cards.

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