EA Sports FC 27 given new age rating for first time in franchise history, it will impact millions

Earlier this week, Kylian Mbappe was announced as the cover star for both the standard and ultimate editions of EA Sports FC 27, but another detail on the game’s new-look case has also got people talking.

As seen in a picture that has circulated online over the past week, the new PEGI 16 rating can be seen in the bottom left corner of this year's front cover.

For context, the Pan-European Game Information body (PEGI)'s age ratings are displayed on games sold in the UK and 34 other European countries to indicate their suitability for children of different ages.

In the past, all of EA's football-related titles have received a PEGI 3 rating, but stricter guidelines for classifying a game's age rating have now been introduced, with microtransactions and loot boxes playing a major factor behind the changes.

In fact, earlier this year, PEGI decided that any game containing loot boxes or similar gambling mechanics will receive a minimum PEGI 16 rating by default.

PEGI defines “paid random items” as “all in-game offers to purchase digital goods or premiums where players don’t know exactly what they are getting prior to the purchase”.

Of course, the Ultimate Team mode in EA Sports FC 27 will allow players to open packs in a bid to improve their squad, although buyers are unaware of which players they will get as it is completely randomised.

A screenshot taken from Smyths Toys' website on Friday shows the PEGI 16 rating has been included on the front cover of the standard edition of EA Sports FC 27, which is priced at £64.99.

Kylian Mbappe is the EA Sports FC 27 cover star. Image credit: Smyths Toys

Speaking on the age rating changes, PEGI director Dirk Bosmans said: "We are confident that these ambitious updates to PEGI’s classification criteria will provide parents and players with more useful and transparent advice that better reflects the overall experience that players can expect from the video games they play.”

So what impact will this actually have? As a result of the latest rating, customers under the age of 16 will be prevented from walking into a shop and purchasing EA Sports FC 27.

Ultimately though, parents will have the final say when it comes to whether their child can play the game.

What's the biggest new feature on EA Sports FC 27?

The headline feature from EA's upcoming release is "The Grounds". As explained on the EA FC website, players will be able to explore a social football playground where the streets meet the stadium.

"From Kickabouts and 1v1s to teaming up with friends in Clubs, connect with renowned football mentors, improve your abilities, and express yourself on and off the pitch."

In short, it will be an open-world multiplayer mode that will allow you to roam an entire city. Oh, and the great Alex Hunter is also set to make a triumphant return to the series, six years after his last appearance.

Cam Weber, the EA president, has previously given an insight into what to expect from a virtual open-world playground that has featured in titles such as NBA 2K.

“Our teams are hard at work on a couple of new projects,” Weber explained at a summit in 2024.

“They are building unique, new experiences; virtual open world playground space, where you, your friends and the fan community can come together to experience avatar-based collective play – both competitive and casual.

“These new experiences will have creativity, connection, self-expression and emergent gameplay at the forefront. Now we are talking about two distinctly different experiences for FC [25] and our American football franchises."