EA Sports have unveiled a star-studded cover to the debut edition of their eagerly-awaited football video game series - yet fans have been left a little underwhelmed.
The likes of Bukayo Saka, Enzo Fernandez, Son Heung-min, Erling Haaland and Pele feature on the Ultimate Edition of FC24, which is due for release later this year.
Details are thin on the ground for the new IP, which is seen by many as the spiritual successor to the historic FIFA series following EA’s departure from the tie-in with the game’s global governing body.
FIFA is still set to produce its own series but fans will get a first glimpse of FC24 on July 13, with exclusive rights to the Premier League, LaLiga, Ligue 1 and Serie A among the leagues reportedly nailed down.
Monday’s release of the Ultimate Edition cover saw EA flex their exclusive-rights muscles as they brought out a host of star names from past and present, including Ronaldinho and Johan Cruyff, plus greats of the women’s game such as Leah Williamson and Sam Kerr.
However, fans online were left baffled by the suspect quality of many of the likenesses.
Looks more like Rashford
— DEMETRIIUZ (@Demetriiuz) July 10, 2023
I am not buying or playing this game until you fix Saka’s face scan
— 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧 (@BallinKy_) July 10, 2023
😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/Kg7pzNmzq7
— Will (@willreyner) July 10, 2023
"What do you think?"
— Dcampion (@DCampion_) July 10, 2023
ME: pic.twitter.com/gO2DLlOMm1
Bruh that’s Sukayo Baka https://t.co/d6Fxdntl5f pic.twitter.com/yHAsfl9Hxt
— Ball Talk (@Ba11Talk) July 10, 2023
The design of Arsenal star Saka in particular raised eyebrows.
It has been suggested that Manchester City’s Haaland will be the cover star of the standard edition of FC24, with more details (and perhaps a better rendering) to be revealed later this week.
