With its release around the corner, those fans that wanted to pre-order Fifa 2023, as well as those waiting for the official release, cannot wait to get their hands on the new version of the game. It is one of the most popular franchises of all time, selling an astronomical 325 million copies across all the versions of the game. It has been the gold-standard of sporting games for decades, and will no doubt continue to be so for years into the future.
Some fans are concerned that with the old publisher of the game, Electronic Arts, out of the picture after the release of Fifa 2023 due to disputes among executives about brand exclusivity and a doubling in the licensing fee itself, some fans are concerned, while others could not be more ecstatic that the publisher is no longer involved. EA has been synonymous with the FIFA games for over a decade, so it makes sense why some people are concerned about this separation. However, most of the games’ poor decisions around monetisation have been implemented due to EA. EA, however, will likely continue to produce soccer games under a new name after their final release in conjunction with the Fifa brand of Fifa 23.
This has not been something unique to the Fifa franchise. In fact, most games that EA has gotten their hands on to publish have had some sort of monetisation scheme through the form of in-game microtransactions that require players to spend real money on items within the games. Some of these have been fine and allow players to buy cosmetic items for their characters, while others have been so ridiculous that they might as well have been treating their player base as cash cows without a care in the world for the value these items provide.
Regardless of this, fans are as excited as ever for the new release. As always, with every new Fifa game, there has been an improvement in the graphical quality, and the game is looking as crisp as ever. Players that have got their hands on the early 10-hour trial that was released have been reporting that ball control feels very good, a definite improvement from the previous Fifa game. Players have also been saying that defending has become more difficult, especially for AI-controlled players, so it matters now more than ever who you decide to put on your team’s defense. Those players that have in the past used skill moves and tricks to get around their opponents will be happy to know that they are still in the game and are still effective. So you will still be able to get that flashy clip of you hitting an awesome reverse elastico.
While not revolutionizing the world of sports games, the new Fifa 23 has improved on the formula that has worked for so many years. The game feels smoother, looks nicer and plays better than it did the year before, which is all most players really want. Some have voiced concern over a continuation of a lack of proper development on the side of defense, which Fifa 23 seems to have bettered, at least in its early release stage. However, only time will tell if the changes to defending will be noticeable and whether or not, after a few patches, attacking will be made as strong as it has been in the past, and defending may once again be somewhat forgotten by the devs. But for now, if nothing else, die-hard fans will appreciate the updated team rosters from the 2022 season, which will be reason enough for some to move over to the new game.