Pro Clubs has been one of the most popular game modes in EA Sports' FIFA series. But with fewer changes being made each year, the mode needs to be revived with major updates.
The Pro Clubs game mode is the most social way of playing FIFA, it allows players to create and control their own virtual pro with friends, with up to 22 players able to play in one game at a time. Since Pro Clubs' introduction in FIFA 09, a massive and loyal fan base has followed, with many people only buying any FIFA title solely for this one game mode.
But since around FIFA 19, Pro Clubs has been largely copy-and-paste each year, and the community is starting to get annoyed. When crossplay was introduced at the beginning of FIFA 23 in every game mode apart from Pro Clubs, the hashtag #SaveProClubs trended on social media, with many players upset at the neglect their favourite mode was facing, especially with Pro Clubs probably being the game mode that would've benefitted the most from the introduction of crossplay.
And more recently, the same hashtag did the rounds again as lots of players took to social media to call out EA after Pro Clubs was left unplayable, with matchmaking 'broken' for just under a month. It's frustrating to see a game mode that was once one of EA's priorities see little love over the last few years, and there's lots of speculation as to why, but what could EA do to revive Pro Clubs ahead of EA Sports FC's release?
How EA Sports FC could save Pro Clubs
Pro Clubs was first introduced in FIFA 09, but you could only control real teams and real players who were all the same rating, so nothing like the Pro Clubs we know today. The game mode has evolved so much over the years, but it's constantly filled with bugs that can ruin the gameplay, or not even let you enter a game.
The upcoming EA FC 24 is a big game for EA. It's their first football game without the FIFA title since the two ended their partnership last year, and if EA isn't able to improve the Pro Clubs game mode, it opens up a huge opportunity for rival games to steal a huge chunk of EA Sports FC's potential audience.
If future games like FIFA 24/25, eFootball, UFL and Goals are able to make a working, Pro Clubs-like game mode, there's no reason for players who buy EA's game solely for this game mode to stay when there are other options out there. So, there could be a lot riding on Pro Clubs in EA Sports FC for EA.
Here are some ways that EA could improve Pro Clubs in EA FC 24 and why it could make the game mode great again.
Bring Back accomplishments
FIFA 10 was where we really started to see Pro Clubs find its feet, where players could create and use their virtual pros whilst they completed accomplishments to improve their attributes and unlock new traits and celebrations.
You could even scan your real face to make your in-game pro look like yourself. Why is this no longer a feature?
Yes, the current growth system in FIFA 23 is still good, but you can quickly hit your potential and leave yourself with no room for improvement just a few seasons into your Pro Clubs career. This is why if EA was to reintroduce an accomplishment system in Pro Clubs, it could make it much more fun whilst offering a bigger grind to becoming an incredibly high-rated player.
Accomplishments give players the ability to improve their virtual pro's traits and stats by completing position-specific tasks in-game or in a training arena, which again, no longer exists. For example, if players scored from more than 30 yards out, they would earn a +1 to their long shots. If you then completed 30/30 shooting accomplishments, you would then unlock a special trait.
It also could make the rating system better if this was introduced. Right now, you could play every Pro Clubs game as a striker and earn lots of skill points, but you could then use all those skill points to turn your virtual pro into a 90-rated goalkeeper, despite having never played a game in goal.
With accomplishments, actual goalkeepers could improve their stats by completing goalkeeper-specific accomplishments which I think would make the game more realistic and fun.
Real teams and real players
As an extra feature in Pro Clubs, the ability to control and use real teams and players against other people who do the same could be a great way to add some freshness to the game mode. If you don't have time to play Pro Clubs a lot and turn your Virtual Pro into a high-rated player, you could control real players and teams whilst still being able to play with up to 22 friends at a time.
And, with real players being in the game, it could be a cool way for players to upgrade their Pro Clubs squad with real players rather than a bunch of AI players. For example, when you move up a division, the team captain could choose a position they want to improve in their squad and choose from a selection of real-life players to play in their XI.
Fortnite-like Microtransactions
It's no secret that Ultimate Team is the biggest game mode in FIFA 23 and that receives the most attention and updates from EA, and a big reason for this is because of the in-game purchases. A large part of EA's income comes from in-game purchases like FIFA Points, so if EA could introduce some sort of Store in Pro Clubs, although it would be controversial, it at least could force the publisher to give the game mode more attention.
Unlike FUT which is pretty pay-to-win, Pro Clubs could benefit from Fortnite-like microtransactions, where players could purchase exclusive kits, boots, celebrations and more like Fortnite do with skins.
Crossplay
If Crossplay isn't included in Pro Clubs from launch in EA FC 24, it could prove to be a massive problem. Not having the ability to play with or against others in Pro Clubs on FIFA 23 annoyed lots of players, and rightfully so.
If it's not enabled when EA Sports FC is released, I think a lot of that loyal Pro Clubs fanbase will start to lose interest. EA has had over a year to implement crossplay into Pro Clubs, so if it's not included, it gives off the vibe that the game mode isn't important to the publisher.
Crossplay is the one feature that fans have been crying out for, it seems like a no brainer for EA to try its best to make it work.
