EA Sports has revealed some of the new features that will be coming to the Ultimate Team game mode in FIFA 23.
Over the last few weeks, EA has been releasing detailed deep dives that reveal some of the brand new features that are coming to the most popular game modes for FIFA 23. EA has talked about Gameplay, Career Mode, Pro Clubs and now, EA has released their deep dive into FUT 23, with lots of new features being unveiled.
EA has confirmed that in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team, the chemistry system has been overhauled, with a new way to measure chemistry that allows more creativity in squads. EA has also made a new game mode for FUT 23, called FUT Moments.
* Click here to subscribe to Level up! The Esports and Gaming Show, the podcast is available on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.*
FIFA 23 is set for a worldwide release on Sunday, September 30, 2022. Let's take a look at what's new in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team.
FIFA 23 Ultimate Team - FUT Moments
Earn rewards in FIFA 23's brand new scenario-based single-player game mode, FUT Moments. For players who may not have the time to play full games or for players who just want to play a shorter game mode, FUT Moments allows you to play shortened gameplay moments, featuring flexible game lengths and squad requirements.
The game mode will be updated regularly throughout FUT 23 with new scenarios, ranging from skill training to re-creating real-life scenarios. To play FUT Moments, you select a Story that will be based on Seasonal Themes, FUT Campaigns, or real events from football’s past or present.
Stories will vary in time length, with some available throughout FUT 23's cycle, whilst others have time limits. Each story is made up of chapters, and you must earn stars to unlock further chapters and finish the story.
To complete a chapter, you must complete the Moments - one to three challenges that you must complete to earn Stars. You can earn more stars by completing a Moment with a higher difficulty, and if you don't complete the challenge in the time limit, you must start again.
The Stars earned in the challenges can then be exchanged for rewards such as players and packs to help build your FUT squad. Rewards can be found in the FUT Star Gallery, where you can also find loan items available to help you with the squad requirements needed to complete some challenges.
FIFA 23 Ultimate Team - FUT 23 Chemistry Revamped
FIFA 23 will see an overhaul to the chemistry system in FUT, allowing players to build more creative squads than ever before. As well as adding new features, EA has also removed some as well.
EA has removed overall squad chemistry in FUT 23, with the focus only on building the maximum chemistry for individual players. Position links have been removed, with players now able to link regardless of their position on the pitch, and the loyalty system has been removed.
Players will now be given chemistry based on 'Chemistry Points', with players being able to gain up to three points and be judged on a scale from 0-3. There are three primary factors that go into determining the chemistry score for each player in your starting XI - Preferred Position, Chemistry Threshold and Manager Bonus.
Preferred Position means players can only get their chemistry score above zero if they are in their preferred position. Players will also only contribute to other players' chemistry scores if they are in their preferred position.
Chemistry Threshold means if a player who is in their preferred position has the same club, country/region or league as another player, both players' chemistry scores will increase by one. If you had three players in the same team from the same club, country/region or league, they will all increase to three chemistry points.
Chemistry Threshold is the primary way to build chemistry scores. And lastly, Manager Bonus means that players who share the same country/region or league as the manager will see their chemistry score increase by one, if not at three out of three already.
As long as they're in their preferred positions, ICONs and FUT Heroes will always be on full chemistry in FUT 23. ICONs will boost players with the same country/region by two chemistry points, whilst Heroes will boost players with the same league by two chemistry points and the same country/region by one.
Another new feature in FUT 23 is alternative positions. Bronze, Silver and Gold base cards will all have one primary position and up to three alternative positions.
For example, in FUT 23, Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe's primary position is at ST, but he can also play at CF and LW. With a position modifier applied, the Frenchman can now be played in his alternative positions without impacting his chemistry score.
Position modifiers have all been combined into one consumable item in FUT 23 to make it easier to use. There's also been a change to formations and positions in FUT 23, with EA removing the RF and LF positions from the game.
This now means the 4-3-2-1 and 3-4-2-1 formations in FUT will feature CF positions where the RF and LF used to be. Chemistry styles will also be slightly different in FUT 23, with players at one chemistry receiving a small boost, players at two chemistry receiving a medium boost and players at three chemistry receiving a full boost from chemistry styles.
FIFA 23 Ultimate Team - Squad Building Challenges (SBCs)
The new Chemistry system means changes to Squad Building Challenges (SBCs). Players will now be asked to build squads with either a total chemistry of all players combined or chemistry points per player between 0 and 3.
FIFA 23 Ultimate Team - Objectives
Objectives will also have a slight change to squad requirements in FUT 23. For example, the objective may require a maximum of three Brazilian Players and a team chemistry of exactly thirty-three.
FIFA 23 Ultimate Team - Live FUT Friendlies
The chemistry update will also apply to Live FUT Friendlies in FUT 23. FUT Friendlies also supports cooperative gameplay in FUT 23, with three ways to play.
- Free for all: these events support 1v1, 1v2, 2v1 and 2v2 gameplay.
- Co-Op only: these events only support 2v2 gameplay. You won’t be able to access these events if you’re not pairing up with a friend through the Co-Op lobby.
- Solo only: these events only support 1v1 gameplay. You won’t be able to access these events if you’re in a Co-Op lobby.
FIFA 23 Ultimate Team - Cross-play
Cross-play has been confirmed to be in FIFA 23, with the new way to play entering FUT.
- Cross-play will be available in all 1v1 modes, including invite modes like Play a Friend.
- Cross-play won’t be available in 2v2 Co-Op modes.
- Cross-play will function on platforms of the same generation, meaning PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Google Stadia can play against each other, and PlayStation 4 and Xbox One can play against each other
- You can opt-out of cross-play if you want to only play against your platform.
- In 1v1 matches in FUT, you’ll be able to play against players on the same platform generation in FUT Rivals, FUT Friendlies, FUT Champions, Play a Friend and FUT Online Draft.
The Transfer Market is also impacted by the addition of cross-play, with PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One all sharing the same market. PC and Nintendo Switch will continue to have their own separate Transfer Markets.
Leaderboards will also now feature one global leaderboard, combining all players from all platforms, and a local leaderboard that combines one platform (PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.).
FIFA 23 Ultimate Team - FIFA World Cup 2022
The men's FIFA World Cup 2022 is coming to FUT 23, with themed and dynamic content expected. This will include special FIFA World Cup player items, with EA set to release more information on this in the coming weeks.
FIFA 23 Ultimate Team - FUT Stadium
FUT 23 features more customisation options than ever before, with tiers 1, 2 and 3 featuring an all-new roof design, with lighting colour matched to your Stadium Theme. There will also be animated baseboards and mega screen textures, animated TIFOs, moving Pitch Props, new smoke effects and more lively crowds with increased dynamic motion in our Crowd Cards and Flags.
FIFA 23 Ultimate Team - Additional Updates
FIFA 23 will now allow players to change their club name as many times as they want, with players no longer having to rely on just one change. EA have also removed the 'delete club' option from FUT 23.
What are your thoughts on FIFA 23 Ultimate Team? Let us know in the comments below!
FIFA 23 is developed by EA Vancouver and EA Romania and will be available worldwide on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Stadia, PS4, and Xbox One on September 30. Early access for FIFA 23 Ultimate Edition begins on September 27, 2022.