EA Sports Releases Free-to-Play 'FIFA 14' for iOS

I hate the freemium model: I'd much rather pay for something once and know it's paid for. Some of the IAP prices these freemium apps charge are scandalous

I really don't see a problem with the freemium style. EA really nailed this one.

$6.99 -- buys you a football. Just one. If you kick it into the crowd, they keep it and you have to buy another one. That's quite realistic: real quality footballs cost WAY more than that.

$9.99 -- buys you a footballer -- just a goalie, though. Strikers start from $14.99, defenders cost $13.99. Also, it's $4.99 per game for their wage; $4.99 per footballer. Starting wage. The better they get, the more it'll cost to keep them, of course! (props to EA for realism)

So, you've got your team, and you've got your football. But you need a pitch to play on, don't you! $24.99 for a football field. To rent. Per match.

Lose a game? Oh dear, you're in trouble. Your sponsors don't like it when you lose. Pay a fine of $4.99 to appease them. Losing games = losing money; it's only fair.

Draw a game? Hmm, not very good. One point won't get you very far in the Premiership. A mere fee of $2.99 will allow your PR guy to help you not lose money or sponsors.

Win a game? Congratulations! People are REALLY interested in your team. Now you can get some sponsors! A mere $9.99 to take up a new sponsor.

And the GREAT thing about sponsors is that they each give you 4 virtual 'Ballcoins' for purchases* which can be used in the game!**

*'purchases' include the following two options: ball boy, mascot dressed as a giant squirrel.
**one use only. You must pay $2.99 in order to use the 'Ballcoins'.

Average Joe:

"Wow Fifa for free...fantastic!"
<downloads and plays>
"Wait...so I have to pay $2.99 every time my team wins?"

Death to IAP.

Yay for freemium!

More of this freemium IAP CRAP. When is Apple going to allow us to, at the very least, EXCLUDE IAP apps from search results?

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What sort of iAPs could be in this I wonder?

$3.99 - Fundementals skill pack! Allows your players to dribble the ball across the whole field!

What about $5.99 for being able to kick a ball to the goal?

****** you EA games.... What the hell are you doing????

"TOUCH CONTROLS!"

What other kind of control would work on an iPhone?

It's amusing (and somewhat saddening) to see all the ill-directed IAP hate in this thread.

if EA released the full game for $4.99, no one would complain. Instead, they release a fully-functional game for free, with a $4.99 IAP if you want to use all of the game modes instead of a subset of them, and people are like "IAP sucks! EA is the devil!"

Either way, it's $4.99 for the full game. If you don't want the locked features, then you get it for free instead of $4.99.

Isn't this what everyone says IAP should be like? One-time upgrades to unlock more content?

Now, anyone who wants to rag on ultimate team, I'm right there with you. But that's not new for FIFA 14, so it's a wash compared to last year's game.

What sort of iAPs could be in this I wonder?

$3.99 - Fundementals skill pack! Allows your players to dribble the ball across the whole field!