EA Sports FC 25 has officially launched its first-ever Premium Pass, marking a significant shift in the gaming landscape for the popular football simulation franchise. As of April 24, 2025, players can purchase this new feature, which offers exclusive rewards and enhanced gameplay options across various modes.
The Premium Pass is available for 500,000 Ultimate Team (UT) Coins or 1,000 FC Points, which equates to approximately $10 or £9. The introduction of this paid season pass comes just in time for the highly anticipated Team of the Season (TOTS) event, which began at 8 AM UTC on the same day. This event celebrates the best-performing players from the real-life football season, and EA is eager to engage its player base with exciting new content.
With 40 tiers to climb, the Premium Pass promises a wealth of rewards for dedicated players. Among the most coveted prizes is the Immortal Icon Franck Ribery, a 96-rated player card that fans are eager to add to their Ultimate Team. Additionally, players can unlock TOTS Flashbacks, including notable names like Kenny Lala and Federico Chiesa, as well as TOTS Honourable Mentions such as Dries Mertens and Lisandro Martinez.
One of the standout features of the Premium Pass is the inclusion of tradeable packs. Unlike previous season passes, which primarily offered untradeable rewards, the Premium Pass allows players to sell their rewards on the transfer market, providing a new layer of strategy and potential profit. This change has sparked discussions among the community, with some praising the new model and others expressing concerns about the monetization of gameplay.
Critics argue that the Premium Pass adds another layer of cost to a game that already includes microtransactions, particularly within the Ultimate Team mode, which has long been a topic of contention among players. "This is honestly a new low," one player commented on social media, reflecting the sentiment of those who feel the game is becoming overly commercialized. Another added, "Having players exclusive to the paid season pass is extremely greedy and is not the path to go down."
However, supporters of the Premium Pass argue that the model is common in many games today. "People saying 'greedy' as if every other game doesn’t have a paid pass already," a player defended on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "EA have done it the right way too, instead of paying with only real money, they give you a way to access it without spending real money." This sentiment highlights the ongoing debate within the gaming community regarding the balance between monetization and player accessibility.
The Premium Pass is designed to be additive, meaning that it does not replace the existing free season pass, which continues to offer rewards for players who choose not to spend additional money. EA has committed to ensuring that the rewards in the standard season pass will not be diminished by the introduction of the Premium Pass, a move aimed at maintaining goodwill among its player base.
As players engage with the new season pass, they will have the opportunity to earn Season Points (SP) that can be used to unlock rewards in both the Premium and Standard Passes. At level 20 of the Premium Pass, players receive a significant boost of 10,000 SP, allowing them to progress further in both ladders. This feature incentivizes players to invest time in the game, whether they choose to purchase the Premium Pass or not.
EA has stated that they will be monitoring player feedback closely to ensure the Premium Pass meets the community's expectations. The company aims to provide a balanced experience for all players, regardless of their investment in the game. The launch of the Premium Pass coincides with EA's new financial year, and the performance of this feature will likely influence future developments in the franchise.
As EA FC 25 continues to evolve, the introduction of the Premium Pass represents a bold step forward in the franchise's approach to monetization and player engagement. With the TOTS event now live, players are eager to dive into the action and see what rewards await them.
Ultimately, the success of the Premium Pass will depend on how well EA can navigate the fine line between offering enticing content and maintaining a fair gaming environment. As fans await the next installment of the franchise, the community will be watching closely to see how this new feature impacts gameplay and player satisfaction.
