This year's TOTY (team of the year) event in FC 25 has sparked a lot of discussion among us players. With this major event underway, everyone's experiences and feelings are intertwined, especially regarding pack openings, SBCs, the Evolution system, and game updates.
It feels like this year's TOTY is more impactful and engaging than ever before.
In the early stages of TOTY, many of us, myself included, faced the frustrating situation of not packing the desired cards. Both EA and the players were a bit anxious, especially long-time players like myself and my friends, who openly admitted that the pack opening experience was far below expectations. However, we encouraged each other, believing that things would eventually improve. A key difference between this year's TOTY and last year's lies in the SBC content. Compared to last year's SBC rewards, this year's prizes are significantly richer and more practical. Cards like Stam and Vieira, with their excellent value for coins, have become core components of many of our squads. Their inclusion not only boosts our squad's overall strength but also prompts us to reassess whether our FUT coins are worth further investment.
What's particularly noteworthy is the dazzling design of this year's SBC system, with a more appealing balance between card strength and price. I remember discussing with friends how even though my squad wasn't perfect across all positions, the additions of Stam and Vieira immediately fortified my defense. This design allows us not only to acquire useful players through SBCs, but also to further refine our squads at reasonable prices. For many of us, this is undoubtedly a highlight of the TOTY event.
Besides SBCs, another pleasant surprise was the release of the Zidane pack. Before its release, we generally speculated that Zidane's card might be a lower-rated, cost-effective but not top-tier version. However, the release of the Zidane pack defied all expectations. Its strength is comparable to top-tier cards, especially in the attacking midfield and central midfield positions, greatly enhancing the card's value. Although this Zidane card was exclusively available to veteran players, which caused some regret among newer players, it can also be seen as a reward for our long-term dedication. The impactful effect of this card proves that EA is constantly trying to innovate during TOTY, not just aiming to attract attention.
In terms of the Evolution system, the TOTY event has also brought many new opportunities. Through Evolution, we can transform some relatively ordinary players into powerful cards at the TOTY level. Especially those players with outstanding stats in certain areas, such as goalkeepers like Onana or midfielders like Rodman, can receive significant boosts through Evolution. While exploring the Evolution system with my friends, we discovered that it can make some less common players more valuable, which is a major highlight of TOTY. The addition of the Evolution system not only gives us more customization options but also effectively lowers the acquisition threshold for some cards, especially for those of us with limited budgets, as we can obtain top players through Evolution, greatly enhancing the game's fun and engagement.
However, the appeal of TOTY is not limited to cards and events themselves; the overall game updates also play a crucial role. The recent major game update was advertised as the "biggest gameplay patch ever." Although some of us were initially skeptical of this exaggerated claim, the feedback after experiencing the update has been generally positive. Especially the feel of passing and dribbling is smoother and more natural after the update, the overall game pace is improved, and the enjoyment of attacking is greatly enhanced. However, this change has also brought some imbalances in defense. Some friends reported a lack of control in defense, with defenders often leaving gaps, making defending in matches more difficult. Overall, the updated game feels more attack-oriented, which is exciting but also makes some players feel uncomfortable with the defensive aspects.
In addition to the in-game adjustments, one of the biggest highlights of TOTY is the addition of legendary players. The cards of Maradona and Beckenbauer were leaked through data mining. Although these cards have not been officially released yet, their inclusion undoubtedly brings huge anticipation to us veteran players. The addition of these legendary players not only symbolizes EA's further enrichment of game content but also reminds us that the return of classic players may mean a richer card pool and more strategic options. As part of the TOTY event, the release of these two cards greatly boosts our enthusiasm for the game.
Even so, there's still some time before the end of the TOTY event, and we are full of anticipation for the trends in the coming days. According to the current SBC information, the inclusion of players like Bale, Kimmich, and Salma, if their value is reasonable, may prompt us to invest a lot of resources to complete these SBCs. For EA, the next few days are the final sprint. Whether they can further increase game activity through new cards and events will directly affect our satisfaction and the final evaluation of TOTY.
This year's TOTY is more exciting than in previous years, especially in terms of card quality, SBC design, and the Evolution system, all of which have brought us many surprises. Although there are some controversies, especially regarding the adjustments in defense and updates, it can be seen that EA is striving to optimize the game experience while catering more to our needs and expectations. In the coming days, our expectations for new cards and new events remain high, and EA will continue to bring us more surprises and challenges in this annual feast.
