FIFA 23 — launching on September 30 — has dropped a new Pro Clubs deep-dive trailer. EA Sports has revealed the newest features coming to FIFA’s Pro Clubs mode, with a slight focus on the Volta Football (street) mode. This year’s iteration comes with shared seasonal progression, drop-ins, new skills and customisation options, and more. This would also be the final EA Sports entry to carry the ‘FIFA’ moniker, as EA has severed licensing deal with the global footballing federation. FIFA 23 launches on all major platforms including PS5, PS4, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One, and Windows PC.
FIFA 23 Pro Clubs: Shared Season Progression
For the longest time, the Volta — akin to FIFA Street — mode has had a progression system, allowing players to make their character better through skill move points and matches won, eventually heading into the new season. This year, FIFA 23 has fused it with Pro Clubs, where points earned during seasons can be used to purchase special items such as tattoos from the Volta store and equip them for their custom character. Likewise, any points earned in Volta can be tallied up with the Pro Clubs’ progression.
FIFA 23 Pro Clubs: Drop-Ins
FIFA 23’s Pro Clubs’ Drop-Ins, as the name suggests, lets you jump into a friend or recently played opponent’s match, and take control of a player. This year, EA intends to bring more kits and stadiums, and reduce the in-game match time to four minutes (lowest), creating a faster experience as you swap out between lobbies. A golden goal mechanic is also being introduced, eliminating the need for penalties and moving on to the next match. “You get in, you score a magic goal, and then you’re back in the ecosystem readying to go up again,” says the video narrator.
FIFA 23 Pro Clubs: Perks
Perks serve as the basis for individual progression, though for a while, players have been complaining about the grindy mechanics to attain them. With FIFA 23, EA Sports has increased the number of levels, while reducing the amount of XP/ time required to progress through them. The developers have also added four new perks, as revealed in the video. On the defensive side, there is a ‘Chase Down’ ability, which activates the moment you lose ball possession, causing your player to drop everything and run back for a tackle. Then there is the ‘Interceptive’ perk, which allows you to make blocks on opposition passes.
Furthermore, the ‘Chance Creation’ perk takes effect only once, creating better composition within your team, and resulting in accurate driven passes. The ‘Poacher’ perk, however, activates when inside the penalty box, boosting your teammates’ finishing and shooting stats.
FIFA 23 Pro clubs: Skill Games
Past iterations of FIFA Pro Clubs had a long stalling time, causing you to wait on the menu screen until one of your friends comes online. This time, EA has added skill games, while waiting in the lobby, which many might recognise from the loading screen before any single-player match. Players can play with bots and try to earn substantial points within a given timeframe. You could also compete with your teammates in the segment, to earn those bragging rights. A portion of the points earned here would add to your Pro Clubs progression system as well.
FIFA 23 is out September 30 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X. Purchasing the Ultimate Edition or subscribing to EA Play Pro gets you three-day early access from September 27. FIFA 23 Legacy Edition will be available on Nintendo Switch.