Five things we want from FIFA in 2022
EA SPORTSEA SPORTS has enjoyed another successful 12 months with the end of FIFA 21 and FIFA 22 launch, but there are still five big things they must deliver in 2022 to take the series to the next level.
There are still plenty of improvements that could make the backend of FIFA 22 and FIFA 23 better… if that’s even what it’s called. A public spat between the developers and FIFA over naming rights has put the future of the series in doubt, at least from a title standpoint.
Some potential changes would satisfy fans’ wishes, and some others could answer long-standing criticisms of the series.
With this in mind, we’ve put together the five things we’d love to see in the FIFA franchise in 2022.
EA SPORTSCrossplay
When you consider how many other ongoing titles have adopted crossplay, like Fortnite or Call of Duty, it seems increasingly strange that FIFA still doesn’t support the feature. What’s even more surprising is how current and last-gen console owners can’t play together, even though they’re in the same console ecosystem.
At present, PS5 and Xbox Series owners are forced to have two versions of the same game installed if they want to play with their friends on last-gen. Meanwhile, social groups on different platforms altogether have no way of coming together for a Pro Clubs session or a game of Co-op Seasons.
There’s no real downside to allowing players with all hardware to play together, and that’s certainly the way the games industry is moving. Many will be hoping that EA SPORTS take note so that long-forgotten Pro Clubs can be reformed after years of being kept apart by different consoles.
Online tournaments
Somewhere along the line, the series became more about getting the better of randoms than friendly competitions among friends. This is something we’d love to see a change in FIFA 22 and beyond.
For many long-time fans, their first introduction to FIFA was in a sweaty living room surrounded by a group of mates, playing a custom tournament until the early hours of the morning. As the series began to favor an online format, this seems to be something that the developers have given less thought to.
Of course, it’s still possible to arrange their own online leagues, if they’re willing to keep track of themselves. But full tournament support, complete with official leagues, rules, and fixtures, would give football fans endless fun in those big Saturday gaming sessions.
Quality over quantity with promos
Promotions make or break an Ultimate Team season, and the devs have a pretty good hit rate overall. But so far in FIFA 22, despite promo events coming thick and fast, they have been inconsistent, to say the least.
For every Rulebreakers or WinterWilcards, which have provided some unbelievable cards for players to bolster their team with, there’s been a dud like Number Up.
That’s why in 2022 we’d like to see fewer promotions if it means the ones we do get are going to make an impact. There have been very few weeks in FIFA 22 that haven’t some kind of event going on, so a little respite might make the community hungrier for what EA is cooking up.
EA SPORTSMore Pro Clubs support
While there’s no doubt that Ultimate Team is FIFA’s big draw, Pro Clubs has a special place in the hearts of many players. Grabbing a group of friends, creating your own club, and rising through the divisions is one of the most rewarding experiences the game has to offer, and it adds a social aspect lacking in other modes.
But despite the love from the community, Pro Clubs has been left on the backburner since FUT became a reliable money printer. It’s been left mostly untouched for many years now, and the updates that have come have either been token gestures or features that you’d have expected to be around, to begin with – like customizing AI players.
There’s so much potential here to make the game mode thrive. The mode seems tailor-made for a season progress system like the one found in FUT, giving players custom stadiums, quirky kits, and team celebrations to unlock.
Less emphasis on FIFA Points
Although it’s probably wishful thinking to ask EA to remove monetization from Ultimate Team altogether, some tweaks are definitely needed to make it less aggressive. Most notably, the way the mode seems to be intent on emptying players’ pockets and filling them FIFA Points.
The FUT market has been particularly dead this year (though it has been declining year upon year), with high-rated meta players selling for a fraction of their usual price. There are plenty of reasons for this, such as the over-reliance on pack rewards over coins.
This is making the actual value of opening packs with the currency earned in-game less and less viable. Opening a 100k pack with actual coins makes little sense when there is only a handful of superstar players that would mean a profit.
The end result of all this is that fans are under more pressure than ever before to splash real money on FIFA Points to open packs, just to make a slither of profit. FIFA’s reliance on microtransactions has been widely criticized, and we hope 2022 is the year we see some let-up.
That was everything we wanted to see in the FIFA series in 2022, both in FIFA 22 and in the next installment coming next fall. Hopefully, with a few of these additions thrown into the mix, the future of FIFA will be a bright one.