In FIFA 21 Ultimate Team you can now see the contents of packs in advance for a short time. However, there is a catch: You need a lot of patience
Since 18 June 2021 the “Festival of FUTballs” is running in FIFA 21 and publisher EA surprisingly reduces the gambling factor of the Ultimate Team packs. In the official Pitch Notes (yes, that’s what the patch notes are really called) EA introduces the new preview packs, thanks to which you can see all the items included in the pack before you buy them.
Here’s the catch: Firstly, the preview packs are only available as part of the FUT event. You also can’t look at all the packs and pick the best one, as you have to decide after looking at the pack: Buy the pack with FUT Coins or FIFA Points, or wait 24 hours to inspect the next pack.
Look first, then buy: In principle, the idea behind a Lootbox preview is commendable. However, as so often, the devil is in the detail: Who wants to wait 24 hours for the next preview pack? If you buy the previously previewed pack, you don’t have to wait a day to inspect the next one.
Preview packs are limited in time
For now, the new preview packs are only available as part of the FOF event, which is expected to run until 16 July 2021. The preview feature does not apply to other packs, such as rewards from Division Rivals or other events.
It is currently unknown if and in what form the preview packs will return. It was only announced in March 2021 that German lawmakers will take tougher action against lootboxes in the future.
It is therefore possible that this is also a test case that will be applied more widely at a later date. The fact that contents or even opportunities of such loot boxes are disclosed is already a reality in some games with similar mechanics.
Dient Valve as a role model?
Lootboxes have long been criticised. For some years now, more and more countries have therefore been trying to put a stop to gambling. At the end of 2019, France tried to ban lootboxes in CS:GO. Valve reacted and gave players the opportunity to see the contents of Lootboxes in advance. Players use a scanner, which displays the contents of the Lootbox. The catch? The box only releases the scanner when it is opened. A paid key is required for this.
The system met with much criticism because Valve exploited a loophole. It is similar with the preview packs in FIFA 21. You see the content of the pack, but you have to wait 24 hours for the next preview if you don’t like the content.
What do you think about preview packs in FIFA 21? Does EA defuse the gambling around the lootboxes or do preview packs worsen the mechanics? Write us your opinion in the comments.
