EA FC vs FIFA 17: Why does the Outdated Feel Better?

Despite more than eight years gone, a vast number of people still long for the sort of excitement FIFA 17 delivers compared to the modern EA Sports FC games. It's not just the technology, but also emotions and philosophy. As e-football went from being a CD you owned to a subscription you paid for, the experience also felt like a house you owned vs a rented quarter you stayed in. Hence, the feeling.

FIFA 17 represented the best graphics and the penultimate game of the CD era when it came to football. One inserted a disc, installed and boom - the game is his. Forever. Even if all servers are shut down, one had the freedom to play completely offline.

These days, modern EA Sports FC titles (latest being EA FC 26) exist as rented subscription models. The experience never feels personal but rather forced to be updated. If you wanted a "streets never forget" footballer who recently retired at your team next season, you'd never have him until his card is revamped by EA as  a "hero" or "icon". You pay for the new subscription and you get the new team! If you don't pay the subscription, you're essentially left behind while the player base migrates forward.

Game vs Money Generator

It becomes all the more obvious when you look at the monetary aspects of a game. Ultimate Team in FIFA 17 still felt secondary to the game we owned and played against our friends. Today, the FUT is pretty central to the gaming - not just as a mode but as a business model. In fact, FUT accounts for a large portion of EA's revenue. Loot boxes, seasonal objectives, card packs - everything transformed the game into a live-service loop.

FIFA 17, on the other hand, feels “clean.” You could build squads, play matches, and progressed through Career Mode only for the love of the game! Rewards didn't matter, just like other games.

Completion vs Continuity

FIFA 17 was a finished product. There were meaningful changes like the Frostbite engine and "The Journey" wherein we could play a version and lead a virtual player's journey wherever we could. Modern FC games, on the other hand, consider continuous progress in mind. Every gameplay has a core loop which stays stagnated, year after year. While they have better animations and are technically more realistic, the FIFA 17 clearly feels like an identity from a distinct part in time.

The newer FC games forces us to upgrade and stay competitive, sometimes despite our will to do so. The community resets every year and to be a part of it, there is a compulsion. There are times when we don't wish to play but have to pay for the recurring service every month and keep up with the "updates".

The Emotional Difference: Play vs Engagement

Considering all the factors, this makes FIFA 17 a game we play and EA FC a game that drives us to play. When it comes to FIFA 17, we play it whenever we want and enjoy the beautiful game for the reason we fell in love with it. EA FC on the other hand, nudges us with rewards, gems, points, seasonal objectives etc to keep playing; much like a corporate deadline. Sure, we love the game but it doesn't mean usual football fans make it a routine obsession like work or gym. For this reason, FIFA 17 feels like a distant home: a place where everything felt honest. A game felt like a game; not an endless loop which reminded us when to play and when to pay.

[Authored by Shreyan Laha]