For what is effectively the biggest promo every year on the EA calendar, there have been plenty of moments where they have messed up big time.
From players being unable to pack specific players, or being accidentally given an item they shouldn’t have received, the list is huge across the 16 years of Ultimate Team.
Here, at the Sporting Loft, we present the biggest mistakes EA have ever made during Team of the Year.
The TOTY Messi incident
A SBC was released in EAFC24 called the 86+ player pick, in which players would submit a squad to receive a selection of four cards that they could pick one from.
However, in the short period this SBC was available the probability of packing TOTY Messi skyrocketed.
It seemed as if one in every four players were receiving the item in their picks, far exceeding any TOTY pack weight that had been available in game.
Whilst it was quickly removed and reinstated with a far lower pack weight, the damage was done and players began complaining about how drastically the playing field had shifted by a single EA mistake.
Free De Jongs
EA typically grant in game rewards for players connecting their EA and Twitch accounts together who watch live broadcasts of pro events.
One of the awards granted in FIFA 20 would be a TOTY Frenkie De Jong card, with the idea that only a handful of people would receive this huge reward.
However, hundreds of players were given in game messages that they had received a De Jong card without actually being given the item.
Eventually due to pressure from the player-base all players who were given the successful message were granted a De Jong card, dramatically reducing is rarity and price within game.
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Wrong version
A issue that appears to replicate itself year on year is EA forgetting which version of card is meant to be in packs at one time.
Whilst a player has been given a special card, their standard card is meant to be out of packs until the period of promotion has ended.
Yet with TOTY many players experience packing a regular version of a card instead of receiving the massively boosted special version.
A simple look at EA’s notice board and complaints will see hundreds if not thousands of requests for compensation as players seek their special item after yet another slip up.
Server overload
With the most popular event of the year, the player-base typically is interested in being the first to pack a special card or open all their saved packs.
Yet without fail, EA will experience extreme server problems and many will have to wait to enter Ultimate Team whilst others can get ahead with packs and gameplay.
Whilst its often unforeseen issues that cause these problems, the fact that it occurs every year provides a major problem for players and is a major mistake for EA.
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