Electronic Arts investigating into allegations that one of its employees has sold rare FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) cards -

[anti SJW]

Story Here.

From Destructoid.

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Electronic Arts has announced it has begun a "thorough investigation" into allegations that one of its employees has sold rare FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) cards directly to players in the FIFA 21 community.

In what has been dubbed by the internet as #EAGate, (because of course it has), multiple Twitter users posted images - as collated by Eurogamer - that allege to show evidence of deals made between FIFA players and at least one EA employee via direct messaging services.

The supposed transactions revolve around the direct selling of FUT "Icon Moments" - incredibly rare cards based on legendary footballers such as Pele, Zinedine Zidane, and Ruud Guillet. One tweet shows an alleged transaction that features one Icon Moment and two Team of the Year cards changing hands for a total of €1,000 (roughly $1,200 USD). Another example allegedly shows three Icon Moments and two Team of the Year cards selling off-market for €1,700 (or around $2,000 USD).

This morning, Electronic Arts released an official statement regarding the scandal, announcing that it was in the process of launching a thorough investigation into the situation. "We understand how this creates concern about unfair balance in the game and competition," said the publisher on Twitter...

...because sometimes a punchline just writes itself.

FIFA 21 rocked by "EAGate" scandal after employee is alleged to have sold cards [Eurogamer]


Hope this causes a ban on this crap worldwide.

 

[OJ Simpson]

I mean, there's always been a sense that the big streamers and youtubers who are into this stupid shit get nice little booster packs and free coins to gamble with from the devs, if it's so easy to do for the employee's, why not take it behind the scenes and try to hustle for some easy money? It's a risk but it's all about the money.

Just like the inkling gamers had around review sites being bought and paid for, or at the least given preferential treatment for a better review/review score, I'm sure there's something behind the claims.

 

[Bins]

Yong covered this last night. A good point he brings up is that while we, the enlighten ones, are dumbfounded how someone could spend $1000 on a digital card, the buyer is getting a sweet deal. The chance for those cards are listed as < 1%, meaning they could be up to 1 in a million or even billion, it's unknown since they will not give the real rates.

Good on what I'm assuming is someone in a third world country getting that bag at the expense of a major corporation

 

[remiem]

Why does anyone still play Fifa?

More though, why does anyone pay for digital products that can easily be rescinded or, if you get banned, lose the access too forever.

 

[biggest big boy]

it was me

 

[Marissa Moira]

Why does anyone still play Fifa?

More though, why does anyone pay for digital products that can easily be rescinded or, if you get banned, lose the access too forever.

The answer to both questions are Brazilians and Turks.

 

[The Valeyard]

Why does anyone still play Fifa?

More though, why does anyone pay for digital products that can easily be rescinded or, if you get banned, lose the access too forever.

Not to mention that none of the cards carry over to the next game, so you need to get your favourite players all over again.

 

[Salubrious]

Yong covered this last night. A good point he brings up is that while we, the enlighten ones, are dumbfounded how someone could spend $1000 on a digital card, the buyer is getting a sweet deal. The chance for those cards are listed as < 1%, meaning they could be up to 1 in a million or even billion, it's unknown since they will not give the real rates.

Good on what I'm assuming is someone in a third world country getting that bag at the expense of a major corporation

I'll be honest; I play Fifa and watch other streamers/whales play.

$1700 is a "bargain." You can legit spend $10K and not get even the cards necessary to sell for coins to buy these in the transfer market.

Why does anyone still play Fifa?

More though, why does anyone pay for digital products that can easily be rescinded or, if you get banned, lose the access too forever.

Not to mention that none of the cards carry over to the next game, so you need to get your favourite players all over again.

As someone who admittedly bought a few Fifa points during the COVID depression stage, let me explain it this way.

1) The better cards do make a noticeable difference.

2) Because time = money. In order to grind a few packs for weekly rewards, especially as a beginner like me, you may have to grind 20 hours for $40 worth of packs. That's $2/hour. Instead of grinding for less than minimum wage and losing large chunks of time, which is an oppotunity cost, you can spend the money instead. Which is how these games are basically set up and predatory. Especially when you are a beginner and playing with really bad cards.

I don't regret buying Fifa points this year, because I really needed something to get out of the funk, but now that things are starting to open up again, it's not something I'd recommend for the future.

 

[Megatardingo]

I'll be honest; I play Fifa and watch other streamers/whales play.

$1700 is a "bargain." You can legit spend $10K and not get even the cards necessary to sell for coins to buy these in the transfer market.





As someone who admittedly bought a few Fifa points during the COVID depression stage, let me explain it this way.

1) The better cards do make a noticeable difference.

2) Because time = money. In order to grind a few packs for weekly rewards, especially as a beginner like me, you may have to grind 20 hours for $40 worth of packs. That's $2/hour. Instead of grinding for less than minimum wage and losing large chunks of time, which is an oppotunity cost, you can spend the money instead. Which is how these games are basically set up and predatory. Especially when you are a beginner and playing with really bad cards.

I don't regret buying Fifa points this year, because I really needed something to get out of the funk, but now that things are starting to open up again, it's not something I'd recommend for the future.

How much cash do you sink into lootboxes? How do you feel after spending that cash into it? Have you ever stopped and counted how much cash you sank throughout the years into fifa cards? Does it feel bad when the new game comes and you don't get to carry over your old cards? Legitimately curious.

 

[Salubrious]

How much cash do you sink into lootboxes? How do you feel after spending that cash into it? Have you ever stopped and counted how much cash you sank throughout the years into fifa cards? Does it feel bad when the new game comes and you don't get to carry over your old cards? Legitimately curious.

This is my first and only year doing it.

It feels good for now. Like I said, I had nothing else going for me.

Another thing is that I basically spent my "entertainment" money for the year. For example, the usual $40 you spend at the bar on a Friday night? Bars are closed. $25 for a movie and popcorn? Movies were closed. Et cetera.

It's a good point that if you spend the money, it's gone when the year is up. But another way to think of it is that it lasts a year. $40 at the bar only lasts that night.

And at least all the cards can be sold for other cards. Look at what DSP is doing with Scopely (allegedly). If he spends $140 on pulls and misses, he's just out that money. Ultimate Team is a "little" more generous in that you can sell cards for coins to buy other cards.

 

[Megatardingo]

Another thing is that I basically spent my "entertainment" money for the year. For example, the usual $40 you spend at the bar on a Friday night? Bars are closed. $25 for a movie and popcorn? Movies were closed. Et cetera.

It's a good point that if you spend the money, it's gone when the year is up. But another way to think of it is that it lasts a year. $40 at the bar only lasts that night.

And at least all the cards can be sold for other cards. Look at what DSP is doing with Scopely (allegedly). If he spends $140 on pulls and misses, he's just out that money. Ultimate Team is a "little" more generous in that you can sell cards for coins to buy other cards.

My counterpoint would be that instead of buying a couple of cards you could buy more games (which in my opinion sounds like a better bang for your buck even if it's entertainment) or even stuff for other hobbies. I get that you're not going broke from it but I was just wondering if pulling the lever felt like throwing your money into the trash and lighting it on fire specially considering those games are more often than not created so that you have to keep pulling the lever rather than enjoying them fully so it reaches a point where you either spend inordinate amounts of money to keep having "fun" or you just cut your losses realizing it's just garbage game design and regret what you already put in.

But maybe it's like you said, the 40 bucks on drinks that are gone that night are equivalent to the 40 bucks in card packs that'll be gone in a year. I'll still refuse categorically to encourage that type of business though, I don't want all my games pozzed with gambling machines and funnels to have you sit at em.

 

[Salubrious]

My counterpoint would be that instead of buying a couple of cards you could buy more games (which in my opinion sounds like a better bang for your buck even if it's entertainment) or even stuff for other hobbies. I get that you're not going broke from it but I was just wondering if pulling the lever felt like throwing your money into the trash and lighting it on fire specially considering those games are more often than not created so that you have to keep pulling the lever rather than enjoying them fully so it reaches a point where you either spend inordinate amounts of money to keep having "fun" or you just cut your losses realizing it's just garbage game design and regret what you already put in.

But maybe it's like you said, the 40 bucks on drinks that are gone that night are equivalent to the 40 bucks in card packs that'll be gone in a year. I'll still refuse categorically to encourage that type of business though, I don't want all my games pozzed with gambling machines and funnels to have you sit at em.

That is a very fair counterpoint.

I still have a backlog of games to play already. Plus I bought basically an entire home gym during COVID-19 as well, lol.

 

[Quintex96]

Why does anyone still play Fifa?

More though, why does anyone pay for digital products that can easily be rescinded or, if you get banned, lose the access too forever.

cuz its footie innit?

Jokes aside, Fifa is the quintessential normie game, for Europe and SA at least. People that buy Fifa games are either clueless parents buying them for their kids that love football or guys in their late teens-early 30's buying them to play with their mates after work on weekdays. The whole lootbox thing doesn't bother them, they don't care for other games. You ever try explaining the lootbox shit or exact same repackaged game argument to them and you can physically see their eyes glaze over as their mind goes to literally anywhere else. They are completely complacent with how these games are and don't want to ask questions. They are perfect consumers in every sense of the word.

 

[iceteayo]

Yong covered this last night. A good point he brings up is that while we, the enlighten ones, are dumbfounded how someone could spend $1000 on a digital card, the buyer is getting a sweet deal. The chance for those cards are listed as < 1%, meaning they could be up to 1 in a million or even billion, it's unknown since they will not give the real rates.

Good on what I'm assuming is someone in a third world country getting that bag at the expense of a major corporation

I bet Yong would pay $1000 for a bag of Kojimas spit.

 

[The Last Stand]

Yong covered this last night. A good point he brings up is that while we, the enlighten ones, are dumbfounded how someone could spend $1000 on a digital card, the buyer is getting a sweet deal. The chance for those cards are listed as < 1%, meaning they could be up to 1 in a million or even billion, it's unknown since they will not give the real rates.

Yet they are not egregious or a form of gambling. Ultimate Team is more rigged than the actual casinos.

 

[SSF2T Old User]

Remember when games were fair and balanced and not based around grindy bullshit mechanics (unless you were playing an RPG)?

Remember when you could UNLOCK cool and special content for free that companies included in their games as fun little bonuses (especially without forcing a DLC for additional costs)?

Remember when playing a game to completion was about the satisfaction and enjoyment, not about how big your ePenis is because you got the ULTRA SUPER RARE HYPER DELUXE icon.jpeg?

 

[Prophetic Spirit]

Anything which have microtransactions is shit.
This isn't the exception btw.

 

[anti SJW]

I heard with Madden, they change the players ratings in the cards over the season, depending on how how the player really plays. I bet they do the same with FIFA.

So you could be excited to pull a rare player ftom a pack, only to have the player rating drop next week.

 

[Salubrious]

I heard with Madden, they change the players ratings in the cards over the season, depending on how how the player really plays. I bet they do the same with FIFA.

So you could be excited to pull a rare player ftom a pack, only to have the player rating drop next week.

There are speciality cards usually referred to as "live" cards, that can increase based on team or individual performances. But those are speciality cards.

The "base" gold cards stay the same all season. Most of the cards stay the same. But Fifa has specific "What If" or "Headliners" or "Road to the Final" cards.

No matter what, ratings never go down. The worst case is your "live" card doesn't get a +1 or +2 upgrade because of bad real life play.

 

[José Mourinho]

Virgin FIFA vs. Chad Football Manager

I hate this Ultimate Card bullshit