EAFC 25

EA Sports has quietly made a big change to how players experience its most popular football game. For the first time in the history of the series, FC 25 now includes a paid season pass. Known as the Premium Pass, it's available for around $10 or can be unlocked with in-game FC 25 Coins. The catch? It's packed with content that’s not just cosmetic but actually tradeable and valuable in the game’s economy.

Anyone who’s played  FC 25 Ultimate Team knows how much of the grind revolves around packs, market flips, and lucky draws. The Premium Pass adds another way to collect powerful FC 25 Cards, including high-profile names like Franck Ribéry in a special “Immortal Icon” version, and rare Evolution upgrades that can level up FC 25 Cards already in your squad. That sounds great at first. But it also raises a bigger question: is EA edging even closer to letting players buy their way to a stronger team?

Technically, none of the new rewards are locked behind real money. The whole Premium track can be purchased using FC 25 Ultimate Team Coins, which players can earn by simply playing the game. But let’s be honest, not everyone has the time or patience to grind for half a million FC 25 Coins. Most players are going to take the faster route and spend actual cash. And once they unlock those tradable rewards, they can flip them for more EA FC 24 Coins and potentially buy the next Premium Pass without paying again. In theory, it creates a self-sustaining loop, if you’re good at the game or smart on the FC 25 Transfer Market.

Still, not everyone is happy about the new addition. FC 25 is already a full-price title. FC 25 Ultimate Team, the mode most affected by the new pass, is widely seen as one of the most heavily monetized parts of any sports game. Now there’s another layer added on top. Some players feel the balance is tipping too far toward money over merit.

It doesn’t help that EA introduced the pass right at the start of a new financial year. The company recently lowered its earnings forecast, pointing to weak performance from both FC 25 and its upcoming Dragon Age title. Dropping a new revenue stream just before reporting those numbers doesn’t feel like a coincidence.

EA insists the Premium Pass is “purely additive.” In other words, nothing was taken away from the free track to make room for it. For now, that’s true. But players are right to stay cautious. The gaming world has seen features like this slowly expand in future releases, turning into a standard instead of an option.

In the end, the real test will come from the community. If enough players feel like the new system still respects their time and effort, the model might stick, and even grow in EA FC 26. True, the game might feel more pay-to-win, and the truth is, not everyone has the time to grind millions of coins just to keep up, some of us just want to enjoy the game.
EA has taken a bold step. Time will tell if it pays off and the community's reaction will likely shape the publisher's decision no matter which direction it goes.