FIFA 23 was released by the entertainment software self-control (USK) from the age of zero, but that will change with EA SPORTS FC 24. As has become known, the USK classifies the game with an age rating of 12 years – for the first time in the history of FIFA or EA SPORTS FC. The reasons for this are “pressure to act”, “in-game purchases and random objects” and “chats”.
The former refers to limited-time “offers” available in FIFA Ultimate Team in the form of Lightning Rounds or Squad Building Challenges (SBC). The second, i.e. in-game purchases, include the loot boxes. The USK also takes into account possible chats that can pose fundamental risks with cyberbullying or threats. The fact that this adjustment of the age rating is only now taking place is due to the reformed USK statutes, which have been in effect since the beginning of the year and now provide for so-called usage risks.
EA SPORTS has now also confirmed the new classification and informed the “Gameswirtschaft”: “Although there were no significant changes to our game mechanics, Madden NFL and EA SPORTS FC received higher age ratings and new descriptors in Germany this year, since the local Legislation has set new rules for the USK classification procedure.” The company wants to support all measures “to select the right computer and video games for their families”.
Austrian court declared loot boxes illegal
The packs in FIFA Ultimate Team in particular are heavily criticized year after year. Recently, an Austrian court declared such loot boxes illegal. The PlayStation manufacturer Sony then had to pay back 338.26 euros to one of the plaintiffs because the payment process had taken place via the PSN store. “A bang for the entire video game industry,” commented the managing director of the litigation financier Padronus, Richard Eibl, at the time.
Also lawyer Dr. At the time, Oliver Daum said in an interview with kicker eSport that this judgment was “a wake-up call for game providers”. However, it is unclear whether potential imitators in Germany would be successful with their lawsuit. That depends on whether the Austrian argument “also applies to the German legal system”. In any case, the topic of loot boxes has come up again in EA SPORTS FC 24 – even before the game was released.
