FIFA 22

Gameplay and Core Innovations

FIFA 22 introduced HyperMotion Technology, a major gameplay innovation exclusive to the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia versions. This system used a machine learning algorithm fed with over 8.7 million frames of advanced match capture. The data was collected from 22 real players wearing motion capture suits during a complete, high intensity match. The result was intended to generate life like player movements and animations in real time for actions such as tackles, aerial duels, and on ball actions.

Beyond HyperMotion, the game offered several established modes. Career Mode allowed players to guide a player or manager through a 15 year career. A new create a club option let users design a new team with customized kits, crest, and stadium. This mode also introduced a leveling system where experience points unlocked player skills and perks. VOLTA Football, the street football mode, added three new signature abilities players could trigger. Power Strike, Pure Pace, and Aggressive Tackle would temporarily boost a player avatar's specific attribute. The VOLTA Arcade also introduced new online mini game modes for up to three players. Pro Clubs returned for 11 versus 11 online team play, where each player controls their own custom avatar whose physical stature, like height, affected in game abilities. These avatars improved over time by playing matches.

The Expansive Ultimate Team Ecosystem

Ultimate Team remained the dominant and most discussed mode in FIFA 22. Players build squads from a vast array of collectible player cards. The base card kinds included Bronze, Silver, and Gold, each with Common and Rare variants. The mode expanded its special card roster with the debut of FUT Heroes, celebrating cult figures like Mario Gómez, Tim Cahill, and David Ginola with boosted stats. Icon cards, representing legends like the newly added Iker Casillas, Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, and Cafu, were the rarest finds. The probability of getting an Icon card from a player pack was below one percent.

The card pool was constantly refreshed with promotional items tied to real world events and football competitions. Major annual promotions included Team of the Year, celebrating the best 12 players of the year, and Team of the Season, for the best players in the world's most important leagues. Other promotions included Rulebreakers, FUT Birthday, FUT Future Stars, and cards for UEFA club competitions like Road To The Knockouts. These promotions improved player statistics, from physical to skill attributes. A pack preview feature, returning from FIFA 21, allowed players to see the contents of Silver and Gold player packs before purchasing them.

The mode's monetization through loot boxes, or player packs, faced significant criticism. A report estimated that acquiring a top promotional card like a Team of the Year Kylian Mbappé could require buying an average of 847 Jumbo Rare Player Packs. This was estimated to cost nearly 1.7 million FIFA Points, or roughly 13,500 euros. To earn enough points without spending money, a player would need to play continually for over three years. The report described the design driving in game purchases as predatory, manipulative, and aggressive.

Licenses, Additions, and Removals

FIFA 22 boasted an extensive license portfolio with over 30 leagues, 700 clubs, and 17,000 real players. It added two major competitions. The Indian Super League and its eleven teams were included for the first time, as was the new UEFA Europa Conference League. New stadiums like Benfica's Estádio da Luz, FC Porto's Estádio do Dragão, and Cádiz's Nuevo Mirandilla were added. An update in January 2022 added Brentford Community Stadium, ensuring all 20 Premier League clubs had their real stadiums in the game.

Notable absences persisted due to licensing deals. Juventus, Roma, Atalanta, and Lazio appeared under generic names like Piemonte Calcio and Roma FC, with custom kits and badges but retaining the real players' likenesses. Bayern Munich and Barcelona had player and kit licenses but used generic stadiums. In a historic inclusion, Wrexham A.F.C. was added as the first non league team in the series since FIFA 08, following the club's takeover by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Following geopolitical events, EA removed all Russian national teams and made Russian and Belarusian players ineligible, except those in foreign leagues. This removal came with the game's 1.22 patch. The Japan women's national squad was also removed. In separate actions, Manchester United's Mason Greenwood was removed from the game following sexual abuse allegations, and Diego Maradona was suspended due to a legal dispute over image rights.

Presentation, Editions, and Ambassadors

The game's presentation saw changes in its English commentary and reporting team. Stewart Robson, a former Arsenal player, replaced Lee Dixon as co-commentator alongside Derek Rae. Former Arsenal women's player and pundit Alex Scott replaced Alan McInally, providing in game score updates in Career Mode. The soundtrack was praised by critics as one of the most comprehensive playlists in recent years.

FIFA 22 launched in two editions. The Standard Edition was priced at 59.99 dollars on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and 69.99 dollars on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Pre orders included a Team of the Week player item and a Kylian Mbappé loan item. The 99.99 dollar Ultimate Edition offered additional bonuses like 4,600 FIFA Points, an untradeable ‘Ones to Watch’ player item, and Dual Entitlement for a free upgrade between console generations. Pre ordering the Ultimate Edition granted four days of early access, allowing play from September 27.

The game's official ambassadors included well-known players like Son Heung Min, David Alaba, Christian Pulisic, Phil Foden, Alphonso Davies, and Trent Alexander Arnold. These ambassadors were featured on loading screens, in Ultimate Team packs, and in advertising. For the Japanese market, television presenter and singer Yūka Kageyama was appointed as an ambassador.

Reception, Sales, and Competitive Scene

Critical reception was split by platform. Versions for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC received generally favorable reviews, with praise for HyperMotion's gameplay improvements and next gen visual effects. Reviewers noted players reacted more realistically to strong passes and agile players felt more flexible. Conversely, the Nintendo Switch version was heavily criticized for being largely unchanged from FIFA 21, which itself was similar to earlier editions.

Commercially, FIFA 22 was a major success. In its first week, 77 percent of sales were digital downloads, a jump from 62 percent for FIFA 21. By December 2021, EA reported over 9 million copies sold globally with more than 460 million matches played. It was the top selling game in 17 out of 19 European nations tracked by analyst GFK, ahead of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The competitive scene was organized under the FIFA 22 Global Series, a set of online tournaments hosted by EA Sports exclusively on PlayStation 5, where players participated in teams of one or two for cash prizes and in game rewards.

Legacy and Server Sunset

FIFA 22's legacy is defined by its technological leap for the franchise on new consoles and the continued dominance of its Ultimate Team economy. The game's online services had a defined lifespan. The servers for the Stadia version were shut down first, on January 18, 2023. The online servers for all other platforms, including PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, were ultimately discontinued on November 4, 2024, marking the end of its official competitive and online play lifecycle.