The age recommendation for the video game "EA Sports FC 27" has been raised to 16 for random prizes

EA Sports FC 27, the new episode of the Electronic Arts football video game, known for years as FIFA, has come with a significant change in age classification, which will henceforth be the recommended age for over 16 years , as there are purchases within the game that can offer random rewards.

The change has focused on an increasingly common mechanics: paying the chance to get it without knowing in advance what prize it will receive,which can be paid directly with real money, or through a virtual currency purchased in advance.

Between video game, money and chance

That same mechanics has fueled the debate aboutlootboxes , which the player pays and gets a prize for, but he doesn't know beforehand what he's going to get, he can get content that's of interest to him, or a less valuable one in the game.

This does not make EA Sports FC 27 a gaming video game. The fact is that this reward system shares with certain gambling a basic feature: you pay for an opportunity, and the result depends on chance.

Julen Linazasoro, founder and coordinator of the Macsonrisas association, who has been working with young people for more than ten years on the responsible use of technology, has warned, in an interview with Radio Euskadi, that these mechanics can promote trends and problematic behaviors among minors.

The concern, therefore, lies in the boundary between the monetization of a video game and the use of risk-based mechanics, through which companies earn additional revenue, while players have new incentives to stay in the game and make more purchases.

More than 560 million euros in Spain

The economic aspect of this phenomenon is also significant. According to the data mentioned in the interview, last year more than EUR 560 million was spent in Spain on such surprise or random content.

For companies, in-game purchases make it possible to generate revenue beyond the sale of the initial video game, but for players, the system means paying for a prize that is not guaranteed, and they don't know in advance what content they will receive.

PEGI 16 doesn't mean it's forbidden for minors.

Thefact that EA Sports FC 27has this classification does not mean that the sale of video games to minors is prohibited, or that it cannot be used by children under the age of 16.

Through the PEGI system, families and consumers are informed of the recommended age for each video game and the specific content or mechanics that can be found in the game.

News from the new FC 27

In addition to this change, EA Sports FC 27brings new developments to the new annual release of the saga, one of which is The Grounds, an open world where players can create their own character's story and combine street football with an interactive city.

The new section will also include changes in the way you play, race mode, and the filing market, which will include functions based on artificial intelligence . EA Sports FC 27 will arrive on various platforms on the 25th.