EA Sports FC 27 Unveils New $150 ‘Ultimate Plus’ Edition

First came the “Deluxe” Edition, followed by the “Ultimate” Edition. Now, EA has introduced the “Ultimate Plus” Edition for EA Sports FC 27. Priced at $150, this edition is more than double the cost of the base game and signals a trend toward even higher prices for EA’s lucrative sports franchises, which are soon to be under Saudi ownership.

This new price point is $50 higher than the Ultimate Edition of Grand Theft Auto VI and $20 more than the Super Deluxe Edition of Borderlands 4. Interestingly, it matches the price of the EA Sports MVP Bundle for College Football, which includes an entire second game, Madden NFL, while the EA Sports FC Ultimate Plus Edition does not. So, what’s included in this new offering?

The details are intricate enough that a chart has been created to clarify the benefits for fans. The primary feature is four additional premium season passes, each valued at $10. The rest of the price increase comes from bonuses linked to the game’s gambling-influenced “pay-to-compete” model.

This package offers 10,000 FC Points over five months, compared to the 6,000 Points available over three months with the regular Ultimate Edition. Big spenders will also receive a Hall of FUT Player Pick and enhancements for the existing EA Sports FC 26 while they await the Early Access launch of FC 27 on August 31 (the full release is set for September 6 for standard players).

This announcement follows a recent backlash from EA College Football players regarding the paywalling of progression mechanics. EA responded by making these features available to all, but indicated that similar options may remain locked behind microtransactions in future titles. “Our goal for live service plans in CFB 28 and beyond will be to deliver valuable features and content with greater transparency and communication,” EA stated earlier this month.

Meanwhile, EA’s impending sale to Saudi Arabia and a group of private investors is expected to finalize soon. The European Union has already approved the deal, and there’s little indication of any last-minute challenges from U.S. lawmakers. This $55 billion leveraged buyout will place significant debt on the Battlefield publisher. Speculation suggests that EA may resort to generative AI and workforce reductions to manage costs associated with this debt. The company is also actively seeking new methods to incorporate advertisements into its games.

Finding ways to charge dedicated sports fans premium prices for their favorite annual titles could be another strategy in their playbook.