'Ultimate Team is a fantasy': Dev claps back at EA Sports FC gender criticism
A lot of changes are coming to FIFA. The biggest change probably being that it isn't FIFA anymore. EA Sports FC's impact is yet to be seen, as confusion with licenses and titles could lead to your grandma picking up the wrong game from Tesco (a more widespread problem than you'd expect).
Still, there's every hope behind the scenes at EA that this pretty huge change won't make a negative impact. To keep fans engaged, there are new features aplenty to muck around with (which many may argue is a first for the series), including an Ultimate Team mode with one key change.
For the first time, Ultimate Team is letting women's and men's leagues combine into a fantasy football team that draws from favourite players across gender boundaries. Some people aren't happy with that, and in return, EA isn't happy with them.
EA has a response for Ultimate Team critics
Click to enlargeCritics of EA Sports FC have taken to the internet to express their frustration with the fact that women have "invaded" the Ultimate Team mode of the game. EA has been quick to slap them down and make them feel stupid.
"We have a vision of connecting not just the 150 million fans we have now, but a billion fans," says VP Executive Producer at Electronic Arts John Shepherd in a conversation with IGN. "We want this game and this brand, this club, this ecosystem, to welcome everybody.
As for why EA Sports FC is moving with the times, Shepherd added, "In terms of our decision around how we're integrating women's football into Ultimate Team, we feel really strongly about that. There are other modes of play, such as Kick Off, where it's more about that club playing together against another club.
EA - "Ultimate Team is a fantasy mode"
Click to enlargeHyping the revamped Ultimate Team with mixed league, Shepherd concluded, "Ultimate Team to us is a mode where you can have a mix of players and you can build the best team. And we think that's going to be great for football, and we think that's going to be great for our fans and our future fans. That's what I would say."
EA isn't wasting time by humouring the argument against Ultimate Team, as it's simply an avenue for a fantasy football game. "Ultimate Team is a fantasy mode," says Senior Producer Sam Rivera. "You don't see Mbappe playing with all the Icons. It's Ultimate Team — fantasy football is what's happening there."
So the solution from EA is pretty clear here - if you don't like that women are in Ultimate Team, you need to get a better imagination. Or just touch some grass. That'll probably help too.