EA's bestselling football video game gets 16+ age rating due to loot boxes

ByTom Richardson

BBC Newsbeat

EA FC is one of the most popular video game series in the world, and reliably tops the UK charts each year.

And as the trailer for the latest instalment of the annual football simulator dropped this week, one new addition drew a lot of attention.

A 16+ age rating.

Previously, the game had been marked as 3+, meaning its content was considered suitable for most players.

But last month the scope of those age ratings expanded to cover elements of the online experience including in-game purchases and mechanisms designed to encourage repeat play.

In the case of EA FC, one of its most popular features has come under the new rules.

Ultimate Team, commonly referred to as FUT, is one of the main modes of the EA FC series.

Players can spend money on virtual card packs containing a random selection of star footballers to build a dream squad.

It is possible to trade the cards and build up in-game "coins" without using real money, but it is generally seen as a slower and less effective way to play.

Earlier this year The Pan-European Game Information body (PEGI), announced it was overhauling its age-rating system used in 38 countries including the UK.

It made the decision to brand any game containing so-called loot boxes - "paid random items" - as a PEGI 16 by default.

EA FC falls under the new rules due to the inclusion of FUT, earning it the higher rating.

Critics have compared FUT and similar modes in other games to gambling, with recent research finding they "blurred the lines".

Electronic Arts, the game's publisher, has pushed back on the claims and stressed players don't need to spend money to participate in FUT.

The UK government chose not to bring loot boxes under the Gambling Act 2005, external, saying there was no evidence of a "causative link" to harms.

Despite the criticisms, FUT and other loot box-style modes remain popular.

According to EA's latest financial report, , externalFUT was responsible for a "substantial portion" of the $5.5bn annual revenue it made from selling add-on content for its games.

A PEGI rating prevents underage customers from walking into a shop and buying a product considered unsuitable for them.

In reality, the vast majority of video game purchases are now made digitally, although most major online stores provide safeguards.

In-game, most platforms and titles offer parental controls, and EA FC automatically restricts purchases on accounts belonging to players under 13.

Before the new rules were brought in, the decision on a game's rating was based on its content, rather than its online features.

Ultimately, the decision on whether under-16s can play the new edition will rest with parents.

UKIE, the trade body for the British Games Industry, said "PEGI ratings exist to give parents, players and retailers clear, independent guidance on the content of a game".

"The rating system is kept under regular review to reflect how games and their features evolve, and this update means parents can be confident the same protections apply here as with any other game carrying that rating," a spokesperson said.

The new headline feature of EA FC 27 is "The Grounds" - an open-world area where players can hone their skills and get tips from "mentors" including cover star Kylian Mbappé and Lioness Chloe Kelly.

Alex Hunter, the character first introduced to the series in FIFA 17, returns this year as one of the experienced players dishing out advice.

EA has also promised gameplay tweaks to attacking movement and the behaviour of computer-controlled opponents.

As in previous years, it plans to reveal more details about those changes in the run-up to the game's release, which is expected to land around September.

The introduction of a new Ultimate Plus Edition - which grants players a host of perks and access to the game one week before its official release - also raised eyebrows because of its £139.99 price tag.

EA is currently in the process of being bought for $55bn by a group of investors led by Saudi Arabia.

BBC Newsbeat has approached the company for a comment on the PEGI rating and criticisms of the Ultimate Plus Edition price.