A trap dressed as freedom
Trinta anos depois do seu nascimento, a franquia FIFA chega ao fim com uma última edição que captura, melhor do que nunca, a essência do futebol real — mas que carrega consigo as contradições de sempre. O FIFA 23 é ao mesmo tempo um feito técnico genuíno e um produto comercial que hesita em renovar-se verdadeiramente. Na transição para o EA Sports FC, a questão que persiste não é de nome, mas de intenção: será que uma nova identidade trará uma nova coragem criativa?
- O FIFA 23 exige paciência e inteligência tática em vez de velocidade e truques, tornando o jogo mais próximo do futebol real — mas alienando quem procurava espetáculo fácil.
- A tecnologia HyperMotion 2 melhora colisões e movimentos dos jogadores, mas a evolução é modesta demais para justificar o preço de oitenta euros cobrado a quem já tinha o FIFA 22.
- O modo Ultimate Team, principal fonte de receita da EA, sofreu uma reformulação da química que, na prática, empurra os jogadores para as microtransações que a comunidade critica há anos.
- O modo Carreira permanece quase intocado, com a presença de Ted Lasso a funcionar mais como jogada de marketing do que como inovação real.
- A chegada do crossplay entre plataformas e a maior representação do futebol feminino — com Sam Kerr na capa — surgem como sinais genuínos de abertura, ainda que tardios.
- Com a transição para EA Sports FC em 2023, a franquia enfrenta a sua maior interrogação: um novo nome será suficiente para resolver os problemas que o FIFA 23 não quis — ou não soube — corrigir?
O último FIFA da história chegou em 2022 carregando trinta anos de domínio no mercado das simulações desportivas. Depois de 1993, a franquia tornou-se sinónimo de futebol digital, mas esta edição marca o fim dessa era. Em 2023, chegará o EA Sports FC — uma mudança de nome que promete recomeço, mas herda problemas por resolver.
No campo do jogo em si, o FIFA 23 representa uma evolução real. A simulação recompensa o pensamento posicional e a construção coletiva em vez do drible individual. Ter Mbappé não garante vitória fácil — é preciso paciência, circulação de bola, inteligência. A tecnologia HyperMotion 2 torna os contactos físicos mais convincentes, e os lances de bola parada ganharam uma nova camada de controlo e precisão. Os remates de potência, ativados com dois botões em simultâneo, têm impacto visual, mas a mecânica ainda precisa de afinação.
O modo Ultimate Team, que gera a maior fatia de receita para a EA, passou por uma reformulação do sistema de química — aparentemente mais flexível, mas que na prática dificulta os desafios de construção de equipa e empurra os jogadores para os pacotes pagos. Uma nova funcionalidade chamada Moments recria cenários reais de futebol, mas funciona sobretudo como estratégia de envolvimento comercial.
O modo Carreira mantém-se quase inalterado. A inclusão de Ted Lasso como treinador jogável é uma parceria de marketing sem impacto real na experiência. As equipas femininas de Inglaterra e França chegaram ao jogo, e Sam Kerr tornou-se a primeira mulher a aparecer na capa — gestos de inclusão bem-vindos, ainda que as seleções femininas não possam ser usadas no modo Carreira.
O FIFA 23 é um bom jogo de futebol. Mas a oitenta euros, posicionado como lançamento completo, sente-se leve. Os dois modos centrais da franquia receberam retoques cosméticos em vez de reconstrução profunda. A questão que fica suspensa é simples: quando o EA Sports FC chegar, trará consigo a coragem de inovar que o FIFA 23 prometeu mas não cumpriu?
The final FIFA game ever released arrived in 2022 as a monument to thirty years of digital football. Beginning in 1993, the franchise had dominated the sports simulation market with an iron grip, but this edition marked the end of that reign. Next year would bring EA Sports FC, a rebrand that promised fresh ground but carried the weight of unresolved problems from its predecessor.
On the surface, FIFA 23 achieves something remarkable: it captures the texture of actual football better than any game before it. The developers have engineered the simulation to reward patience and positioning over flashy dribbling and reckless sprinting. A player holding Kylian Mbappé cannot simply run past defenders at will. Instead, the game demands what might be called chess-like thinking—moving the ball sideways and backward, probing for gaps, building attacks through collective movement rather than individual brilliance. This shift toward realism is genuine and felt in every match.
The HyperMotion 2 technology, heavily promoted before launch, does improve how players collide and how their bodies respond to contact. Tackles look more convincing. Defenders plant their feet differently depending on momentum and angle. Yet the leap forward is modest. The graphics are sharper, the physics more refined, but nothing revolutionary enough to justify the price tag for players upgrading from the previous year's version.
Set pieces received meaningful attention. When taking a free kick or corner, players can now choose exactly where on the ball to strike it, controlling both the force and direction with precision. This opens dozens of new possibilities for delivery. Power shots—activated by holding two buttons simultaneously—deliver thunderous strikes accompanied by slow-motion flourishes, though the mechanic needs refinement. The timing window is unpredictable, and defenders often intercept before the shot even leaves the player's foot.
Ultimate Team, the mode that generates the most revenue for EA Sports, desperately needs overhaul. The chemistry system underwent radical change, shifting from a 0-to-100 scale to 0-to-33, with each player contributing only three points. This sounds progressive—it allows squads mixing players from different leagues and nations without penalty—but it has a darker consequence. Squad-building challenges became harder, forcing players toward the microtransaction packs that have plagued the mode for years. A new feature called Moments places players in real-world scenarios, like Sporting's dramatic late-game victory over Tottenham, rewarding success with stars that unlock cosmetic rewards. It is marketing dressed as gameplay.
Career mode, the offline alternative for solo players, remains largely untouched. Players can manage their favorite club through season after season, but the simulation lacks the depth of dedicated football management games. A third-choice goalkeeper can be sold for millions without friction. This year, Ted Lasso from the Apple TV+ series appeared as a playable manager, a pure marketing gesture that changes nothing about how the mode actually functions. The inclusion of women's teams from England and France's top divisions is welcome, though these squads cannot be used in Career mode, limiting their utility.
Two genuine improvements emerged. Crossplay finally arrived, allowing PlayStation, Xbox, and PC players to compete against each other regardless of platform—though Nintendo Switch remains isolated in its own ecosystem. Women's football received expanded representation, with Sam Kerr becoming the first woman to grace a FIFA cover, signaling a shift toward broader inclusion.
The central tension is unavoidable: FIFA 23 is an excellent football game when examined in isolation. The gameplay is refined, the presentation is polished, and the variety of modes offers something for different play styles. But at a price point of at least eighty euros, positioned as a full new release rather than an update, it feels thin. The two pillars of the franchise—Ultimate Team and Career—received cosmetic adjustments rather than the serious reconstruction they require. For players who bought FIFA 22, the upgrade feels incremental, a yearly roster update dressed in new packaging. As the franchise prepares to shed its name and become EA Sports FC, the question hanging over everything is whether a rebrand will finally deliver the leap forward that FIFA 23 promised but did not quite achieve.
Citações Notáveis
The game demands chess-like thinking—moving the ball sideways and backward, probing for gaps, building attacks through collective movement rather than individual brilliance.— Game design philosophy in FIFA 23
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why does a game that's supposed to be about football feel like it's fighting against fun?
Because the designers decided that real football isn't fun—it's methodical. You can't just sprint down the wing anymore. You have to think three passes ahead.
That sounds exhausting.
It is, for some people. But if you want to feel like you're actually playing football and not arcade pinball, it works. The problem is everything around that core game—the menus, the modes, the way they push you toward spending money.
Ultimate Team again?
Always Ultimate Team. They changed the chemistry system to let you build weirder squads, which sounds good, but it made the challenges harder, so now you need better cards, which means you need to buy packs. It's a trap dressed as freedom.
And Career mode?
Hasn't really changed in years. You can manage Ted Lasso now, which is funny for about five minutes, but it's the same game underneath. No real consequences, no real depth.
So why buy it?
Because if you want to play football on a screen, this is still the only real option. It's the best game of its kind. It's just not as good as it should be for the price.