The Evolution of FIFA Winter Promos: From Futmas to Winter Wildcards

Winter promos in FIFA have become a hallmark of excitement for players every holiday season. Since the introduction of Futmas in FIFA 15, Electronic Arts (EA) has delivered seasonal content that has evolved significantly over the years. With each iteration, EA has attempted to keep players engaged by offering Squad Building Challenges (SBCs), objectives, and promotional packs tailored to the holiday spirit. Let’s explore the history of FIFA’s winter promos, from their humble beginnings to their current iteration in EA Sports FC 24.

FIFA 15: The Birth of Futmas

Futmas debuted in FIFA 15 with simple offerings compared to today’s standards. The promotion primarily included promo packs, like Mega Packs, and a limited-time Futmas Cup. Players could compete in the cup to earn Mega Packs, which, despite being basic by today’s standards, were highly regarded at the time.

The Futmas Cup – A Missed Opportunity?

The Futmas Cup allowed players to win repeatable rewards based on their performance. Players fondly remember it for its competitiveness and the satisfaction of earning tangible rewards like packs for every win. This feature’s removal in later years left a noticeable void, as newer modes like Division Rivals or FUT Champions lacked the replayable incentive structure.

FIFA 17: SBCs Revolutionize Futmas

The transformation of Futmas began in FIFA 17, with the introduction of daily SBCs themed around shirt numbers corresponding to the date. For example, on December 16th, players with jersey number 16 were featured in SBCs. This innovation set the stage for more dynamic content.

• Daily SBCs: Three players were available each day, offering budget, mid-tier, and premium options.
• Advent Calendar Style: Content dropped at midnight, adding a festive, countdown-like feel.

Players praised this system for its creativity and accessibility, as it provided valuable cards that fit well into squads without breaking the bank.

Notable Cards from FIFA 17 Futmas

One standout SBC was Daniele De Rossi’s card, which offered incredible defensive stats at a time when the meta still accommodated slower-paced players. This release underscored the value of well-balanced SBC content.

FIFA 20: The Shift to Winter Wildcards

As EA began rebranding their winter promos, Futmas gave way to Winter Wildcards in FIFA 20. This rebranding introduced position swaps, enhanced stats, and unique traits to players, offering new ways to build squads.

Key Highlights

• Position Swaps: Cards like a Striker Fabinho and Center-Back Casemiro caught the community’s attention.
• Winter Wildcard Swaps: A precursor to today’s Evolution content, swaps allowed players to exchange earned tokens for packs, players, or special items.

However, this era also marked a shift towards more premium content that leaned heavily on microtransactions.

FIFA 23: A Return to Form

FIFA 23’s Winter Wildcards brought back the fun and creativity players craved. Notable updates included:

• Daily Logins: Simple tasks rewarded players with valuable packs and wildcard tokens.
• Mystery Packs: A nod to the Futmas Cup days, players earned unique items like Rudolph-themed players through mystery objectives.
• Evolutions: Some of the most exciting content came from Evolution cards, which transformed underused players into competitive options.

The inclusion of Kevin De Bruyne’s 93-rated SBC and fun objectives like “Crossing Crusader” showcased EA’s commitment to engaging content.

EA Sports FC 24: Modernizing the Winter Promo

The transition to EA Sports FC brought fresh ideas while keeping the essence of winter promos alive. The Winter Wildcard Evolution allowed players to enhance specific cards, pushing creativity and squad-building to new heights. Highlights of the 2024 iteration included:

• Rude Hullet SBC: A must-complete due to its incredible versatility.
• Gabriel Martinelli SBC: A dream card for Arsenal fans with elite stats and unique traits.

This year’s promo also stood out for offering accessible grindable objectives, like the Crafting Completionist challenge, which allowed players to work towards high-value rewards through consistent gameplay.

Frequently Asked Questions Futfc.gg About The Evolution of FIFA Winter Promos: From Futmas to Winter Wildcards

Final Thoughts

FIFA’s winter promos have grown from simple pack-based offerings to robust events filled with SBCs, objectives, and creative themes. While some years leaned heavily on monetization, the best moments have always been about accessibility, creativity, and rewarding players for their time.