The positive is that it appears EA listened to my cries for an enhanced Volta Arcade, so I acknowledge the fact that it's become an exciting battle royale version filled with silly mini games and FIFA 23 Coins obstacle courses that evoke the best parts of Fall Guys. It's still a bit risible being only available at weekends but.

Quelle surprise! Ultimate Team has received the greatest amount of attention. In addition, the team-training mode I've wanted to find has finally arrived in the form of FUT Moments. Moments provides bite-sized pockets of FIFA gameplay that reward players with challenging challenges that determine your physique and determine how different cards can work together.

It's not yet ready but there's huge potential to record the lives of players and recreate iconic moments of football history with this game mode. The current collection includes highlights from glorious times of Jurgen Klopp and Kylian Mbappe. But in the next game, it'll be thrilling to see how EA's team is able to do together with other greats of the game like Pele and "King" Kazuyoshi Miura.

There are also sweeping changes to the chemistry system. Chemistry will no longer be affected by a player's place in the formation in relation to other players, which allows for greater diversity between nations and leagues. It's unlikely to change anyone's strategy too much however it's great to know that you're able to bring in wildcard players and have more options for them to be connected to top division players.

Trying to find the perfect midfielder who can hit that sought-after "33" chemistry feels similar to playing a Squad Building Challenge now, which seems to be deliberate. Squad Building Challenges are still an excellent way to spend several hours doing nothing, but EA's 'sudoku for football nerds' ideal for playing on the companion app away from the choppy menus for consoles.

As a dark signpost of the licensing battles for football to be fought, FIFA has lost the J1 League license this year this year, meaning that there will be no King Kazu. It also led to a shift to an intriguing Bronze as well as Silver Australian A League team that features the fearsome striking force that is Hibs forward Martin Boyle and the aptly called David Ball. Much like last year my team that was a bit underdog caused several rage outbursts from opponents with million-coin ensembles and FUT 23 buy Coins exposed Ultimate Team as a gilded farce.