Ultimate Team

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Lore & Background

Ultimate Team was introduced as downloadable content for FIFA 09 in early 2009. In this edition it was downloadable content only available on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and similar to a mode in the previous EA Sports game UEFA Champions League 2006–2007, as well as FIFA Online series. It allowed gamers to create a team through opening card packs and buying, selling and auctioning cards. With the team they could play against other gamers, offline as well as online. On Xbox 360, card packs were bought with Microsoft Points or in-game coins; on PlayStation 3, packs were bought with PlayStation Network Cards or credit. The features of Ultimate Team on Nintendo Switch were limited until the 2023 game EA Sports FC 24. The Ultimate Team also appeared in the mobile version of FIFA and FC, starting from FIFA 14 for iOS, Android and Windows Phone. After that, EA removed some but not all offline features for the future games, so that the mobile version of the next two games were renamed as FIFA 15 Ultimate Team and FIFA 16 Ultimate Team. Since FIFA 17, EA renamed the game once again as FIFA Mobile, now as EA Sports FC Mobile. Similar to the Nintendo Switch versions until EA Sports FC 24, the features of Ultimate Team in the mobile version were limited. The Ultimate Team also appeared in the online free-to-play EA Sports FC Online series, such as FIFA Online 3 and FIFA Online 4 (later renamed as EA Sports FC Online). Unlike Nintendo Switch and mobile, FC Online have more features that did not found in the Ultimate Team mode in console and PC versions of FIFA/FC.

In Their Own Story

The digital stadium lights hummed with anticipation as the final match of the season approached. In the quiet of his room, the manager scrolled through his squad screen, checking the chemistry links one last time. He had traded weeks of resources for this moment, securing a legendary striker to lead the attack against an online rival known for their impenetrable defense. The transfer market was closed; now it was purely about execution. As the virtual whistle blew, he knew that every pass and tackle would determine whether his dream team ascended to the top of the leaderboard or faded into obscurity.

Reader's Guide

Ultimate Team game modes all feature the gamer controlling their all-star team in a match. In Squad Battles, the gamer competes against the computer AI and can choose a difficulty setting. In other modes, including Division Rivals and Champions, the gamer competes online against other gamers; difficulty in these modes is managed by gamers increasing in rank through winning and generally only being fielded against similarly-ranked opponents through a ladder and streak system introduced in the 2021 game FIFA 22. It is easier to find online opponents on current-generation consoles (with more gamers) than on older generation consoles and Nintendo Switch. Though competing against other gamers is seen as the main appeal of Ultimate Team, Squad Battles (which also requires an online connection) is an alternative for gamers using platforms with fewer players; it is also considered easier than playing against online opponents, and so is useful for gamers who do not wish to spend to build up coins and rewards in the early stages of the game. Another way to play and earn rewards in Ultimate Team is through the Moments, though this is not considered a gaming mode and is a form of in-game skills training. Moments is also played against the AI, and it does not typically have gamers play through a full match (instead only moments). Playing matches provides the gamer with a certain number of coins and – depending on the game mode and the player cards in the team that was used – can count towards objectives that may provide XP (to level up for other rewards), coins, packs, or cards. Rewards can also be won for completing certain in-match requirements, like scoring a certain number of goals. A Squad Building Challenge (SBC) is an item swapping option that allows gamers to swap player cards they own in exchange for packs or specific items, which can include player cards and other items. SBCs typically have an expiration date, making specific items obtainable through them limited. SBCs require gamers to swap anywhere between a single card and multiple complete starting XIs of cards in exchange for the reward, and typically have the "challenge" of one or more of the cards needing to meet certain requirements (e.g. in rating, containing specific leagues, etc.). The benefit of SBCs is the ability to swap unwanted player cards directly for desirable limited edition ones, which Screen Rant said was the "easiest and cheapest way" to acquire good cards. Player cards acquired directly from SBCs cannot be traded in the game's market (not including those in packs acquired from SBCs, which may be able to be traded). There are introductory Squad Building Challenges available early in the game, with low-value player cards swapped for low-value packs, to introduce new players to the feature, as well as some advanced fundamental challenges that do not expire.

Did You Know?

• Ultimate Team was introduced as downloadable content for FIFA 09 in early 2009, only available on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
• With Ultimate Team's launch in early 2009, Electronic Arts (EA) was not the first major video game developer to include loot boxes in a game; loot boxes existed in other games prior to 2008.
• In 2022, EA reported that only 10% of packs opened in the 2021 game FIFA 22 had been paid for.
• EA reported Ultimate Team's net bookings at $1.6 billion for fiscal year 2021, not an appraisal for the calendar year.
• In June 2021, an option to preview one pack per day before being given the option to purchase it was added.

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