For FC 25 Coins, this will be some positive news among the many controversies the franchise has had in recent years tied to the loot box system FC games have in place. The ability to play the game via EA Play and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will mean that fans who are concerned about these controversies won't necessarily have to commit to a purchase of FC 25 directly. For EA, the sales that this new venture is likely to generate for FC 25 is most likely reason enough for the company to pursue it, although earning back some good faith from FC fans could be a motivating factor as well.

FC, the officially licensed soccer game series from Electronic Arts, is well-known for its heavy and often controversial microtransactions. The FC Ultimate Team game mode's FC packs remain at the heart of the ongoing conversation about loot boxes and gambling, yet are undeniably highly lucrative for EA. Now it appears that EA is considering expanding microtransactions, at least in FC 25. EA has recently added premium cosmetic purchases for FC 25's Ultimate Team to FC 25.

A May 1 update to FC 25 added a surprise to the game that few expected. Within the FC 25 Ultimate Team store is a new tab labeled Stadium. From the Stadium tab, players are able to make individual digital item purchases directly with either FC 25 Ultimate Team coins or FC points. For the first time, EA is offering players an option to buy in-game cosmetics without forcing players to purchase randomized packs that may or may not give players what they want.

Available at the moment are four different items. These items are a tifo, a stadium theme, a home kit, and an away kit. There's also an option to purchase all four items in a single, discounted bundle. It's all very innocuous and regular, something that those familiar with live service games would expect to see in a digital content store. At first glance, it seems like a step in the right direction considering the lack of options otherwise available to players and general frustrations toward FC.

The pricing, in terms of real money, also isn't necessarily extreme. If 100 FC points is roughly equivalent to a dollar, then none of the purchases individually costs more than $3. The bundle for everything is also 700 points, so no more than $7. Considering these are small microtransactions, it does seem like a lot, but for buy Fut 25 Coins players who may very much want certain microtransactions, it's not outrageous.