After some FIFA fans stamped their feet and grumbled that EA was going “woke” amid reports that women would be added to EA FC 24‘s Ultimate Team, the developer has stood firm in its decision to include women in the popular game mode for the first time.
During the official reveal livestream on July 13, EA confirmed that women would be a part of the EA FC 24 Ultimate Team experience, in which male and female soccer players can play against and with each other on the pitch. And in an interview with IGN, EA producers John Shepherd and Sam Rivera defended that move, saying they want to grow the sport and “unite the world around football.”
“We have a vision of connecting not just the 150 million fans we have now, but a billion fans,” Shepherd said. “We want this game and this brand, this club, this ecosystem, to welcome everybody. In terms of our decision around how we’re integrating women’s football into Ultimate Team, we feel really strongly about that.”
Related: FIFA players cry foul on EA FC because they can’t handle women in their game
For the fans who want a more “authentic” experience, Shepherd pointed to the Kick Off mode, which allows players to choose real-life clubs and rosters to go head-to-head.
Rivera was more pointed in explaining the purpose of Ultimate Team.
“Ultimate Team is a fantasy mode,” Rivera said. “You don’t see Mbappe playing with all the Icons. It’s Ultimate Team—fantasy football is what’s happening there.”
I have a feeling this defense won’t alter the beliefs of many of the fans who feel women have no place in Ultimate Team alongside men. But it is an encouraging sign that EA seems resolute in going forward with this campaign, which, while potentially unpopular, will certainly expose numerous fans to the talented female players, clubs, and leagues that have never had the opportunity to be included in such a popular game mode.
EA FC 24 is set to release on console and PC on Sept. 29.
