EA FC 25 recently released an update that caught many by surprise. The two updates sparked an intense debate online on popular FIFA communities like r/FifaCareers on Reddit and other platforms.
It’s always a good surprise when FC 25 brings new updates that make our football gaming experience more immersive, like the new 5v5 Rush, FC IQ, and Football Ultimate Team features. However, if you’ve been keen on your Career Mode play you might have noticed an ad on the faux social media feed, that was newly introduced to this game mode.
A Real World Ad Appears on EA Sports FC 25
The social feed is a creative addition to the Career Mode as it shows the latest football news of the club you are playing for or managing. But, a few players, and maybe even you, might have noticed something different. Some of the players noticed a Beats by Dre ad pop up on the social media feed, that seemed real.
Unlike the fictitious ads we’ve normally seen on EA Sports FC, like the stadium screens, this time there was an ad on the social feed of the Career mode. The ad showed a Beats by Dre product, the Beats Fit Pro, a pair of wireless earphones engineered for active lifestyles. Since it appeared on a social feed, the ad had likes and comments on how great the product was.
One of the members of the r/FifaCareers Reddit community shared a screenshot of this, which elicited a heated debate. Most players suggest that having an ad is a bad idea and it would ruin the simple yet fulfilling EA Sports gaming experience.
But, let’s pause for a minute. Is the idea really far-fetched? Not really, and seeing how the gaming industry is shifting towards revenue over entertainment, it was only a matter of time until it happened. With the rise of the gaming community over the years, the huge numbers and niche aspect of the space captured the attention of advertisers.
One of the biggest turning points of the company came in 2023 when it ended the 30-year partnership with FIFA to become EA Sports FC. Some people were skeptical about the game’s rating after the change, but everything seems to be going quite well. EA FC 24 was a hit and FC 25 looks to be another success.
The franchise, now EA Sports, continues to record a huge following and a high number of daily active users, making it among the top games when it comes to monthly active users (MAU). In a bid to increase its player base and consequently bring advertisers on board, EA Sports is considering in-game features and other creative avenues.
Esports betting is one of those avenues, which attracts millions of viewers worldwide as top EA Sports FC players compete for a colossal cash prize. What started as a niche sport is now among the top sports betting events one can bet on, even overtaking some popular sports. The huge crowds and intense tournaments provide yet another opportunity for advertisers to showcase their products. A top esports tournament for EA Sports FC is the FIFA eWorld Cup.
For in-game ad features, the digital screens in stadiums are about to be turned into an ad-revenue option. Sports retail giant, Intersport, got into a partnership with EA Sports to show its ads on the stadium screens. It was only a matter of time until EA Sports found another creative way to slide in an ad to players in an unobtrusive way.
Yes, Cancer Is Now an Injury on EA FC 25
The other surprising update that was quickly spotted by a member of the Vice team, was cancer appearing as an injury on a player’s career stats. The screenshot shared on their platform showed the following update “Cancer-100% Fit In: 2 months”.
While the whole idea can be subject to different interpretations, with some calling it insensitive. Maybe EA Sports was trying to create awareness and bring to light that in the past, a few players have battled with cancer and won.
The recent case of Sebastian Haller is a great example, where the high-profile player recovered from cancer and got right back on the pitch. Other players like Eric Abidal, Jonas Gutierrez, and Jose Francisco Molina, also won their battles with cancer and were able to return to professional football.
The two months indicated might be the point of controversy, but hey, EA FC 25 might be on a noble cause here.
Since the updates were released just recently, we haven’t heard from the EA FC side yet which might clarify some things. In the meantime, if you come across the updates on your Career mode, know that it isn’t a glitch and other players are experiencing it as well.
