Is FIFA Esports Pay-to-Win?

FIFA is one of the top grossing games in the world with its Ultimate Team mode generating $1.62 Billion USD in 2021. Electronic Arts (EA) has made improvements towards monetization in the wake of governments trying to shut down predatory microtransactions. The UK called for legislative action against the sale of loot boxes in July 2020 and any form of microtransactions akin to lootboxes are akin to gambling. Japan, China and the Netherlands also have regulations in place to control such microtransactions. But it continues to be a problem with pay-to-win mechanics being an integral part of FIFA.

Microtransactions in a game priced at $60 for the base edition and $100 for the Ultimate edition is questionable to begin with, but Ultimate Team being used as the flagship mode for competitive esports is nothing short of unfair and a bridge too far for many players.

At the highest level of competition, the skill difference between players is minimal. If luck or money play the smallest of roles in determining the winner of a competitive match, FIFA might not fall under the label of a “competitive” esport. AFK Gaming reached out to Indian FIFA esports professional Ankur "JauntyTank" Diwakar to discuss the current state of FIFA esports in the country, its monetization practices and the economic barrier of entry for players who want to play the game competitively.