Electronic Arts has unveiled all editions of its upcoming EA Sports FC 27, and its top-tier version surprisingly costs about 50% more than GTA 6‘s $99.99 price point. What makes EA Sports FC 27‘s pricing even more interesting is that EA appears to be adopting a similar strategy as GTA 6 to encourage players to buy its most expensive edition.
Rockstar Games faced backlash when GTA 6‘s Ultimate Edition was revealed. Many players criticized the decision to lock some stores behind a paywall, calling it a greedy move. EA is now facing a similar, though seemingly stronger, reaction with the upcoming installment in its EA Sports FC franchise.
EA One-Ups GTA 6’s Ultimate Edition Price
Revealed on July 23, EA Sports FC 27‘s Ultimate Plus Edition is officially the most expensive entry in the franchise, carrying a hefty $149.99 price tag. Its biggest selling point is a wide range of digital in-game bonuses, including seven days of early access, five consecutive Premium Season Passes, and 10,000 FC Points. That said, EA appears to be using a new tactic to upsell its game.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.
After GTA 6’s Locked Stores, EA Introduces a New FOMO Strategy
FOMO, short for “fear of missing out,” is a marketing tactic that creates a sense of urgency around making a purchase. GTA 6‘s Ultimate Edition leaned into this strategy by suggesting that players who bought the Standard Edition would miss out on several exclusive features. EA Sports FC 27 is now taking a similar approach, but instead of locking content behind a paywall, it is using limited-time availability to drive purchases. According to EA’s official marketing, the Ultimate Plus Edition will only be available from July 23 through August 31.
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Image via EA -
Image via EA -
Image via EA
At first glance, EA Sports FC 27 appears to have crossed a line that GTA 6 didn’t. However, Take-Two Interactive, the company behind the Grand Theft Auto franchise, has already embraced the $150 price point. The next NBA 2K installment is already available for pre-order, and its Ultra Edition costs $149.99. With both publishers now offering $150 premium editions, that price point could soon become the new standard, at least for annual AAA sports franchises.
Games like NBA 2K and EA Sports FC rely heavily on microtransactions to generate revenue. Take-Two’s recent financial report reinforces that, revealing that 78% of its fiscal 2026 net bookings came from recurrent consumer spending, including in-game purchases. In the case of FC 27, while a $50 price increase is significant, the included perks could still offer good value for dedicated players who would otherwise spend even more on microtransactions to get similar benefits.
EA and Take-Two are not the only companies to release expensive editions of their games, and the $150 price point is not entirely new to the gaming industry. However, most of these ultra-premium releases have been sporadic and uncommon. Games like EA Sports FC and NBA 2K, on the other hand, receive annual installments, and they could potentially make the $150 price tag the new standard without needing to justify the increase, thanks to their loyal player bases. Whether this trend will expand beyond these franchises remains to be seen.
- Released
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November 19, 2026
- ESRB
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Rating Pending – Likely Mature 17+
