Is FIFA 23 Ultimate Edition worth it at its full price?

FIFA 23 Ultimate Edition is a player's most premium gaming experience. It's the most expensive version of the upcoming release, but the additional costs come with additional rewards.

In such cases, it always becomes a dilemma as to when a person should go for the more premium options and, more importantly, if the additional rewards are worth it.

FIFA 23 will be the series' last release which will have the iconic name as the license expires next year. This year's game has been promised to be bigger than ever, with a FIFA World Cup license likely.

EA Sports will also be introducing HyperMotion 2, a refinement of the system introduced last year. The developers claim that there will be more than 600 new animations based on real-life movements. This will greatly enhance the realism of the game, which will surely make the overall experience better for everyone involved.

TPC players will also be able to enjoy the current generation this time, with full cross-play available on Ultimate Team mode. Let's take a look at what extra items Ultimate Edition owners will get for the $20 they will have to spend.

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FIFA 23 Ultimate Edition bonuses include several items, including an early access period

For those unaware of last week's latest developments, FIFA 23 will be released worldwide on September 30. The game will be launched on all major platforms, including Google Stadia and Nintendo Switch (legacy version). However, players can play it starting September 27 if they own the Ultimate Edition.

The Ultimate Edition comes with 72 hours of early access, including all game modes. Players can choose to start a career with their favorite football clubs early, or they can get an early taste of the Ultimate Team mode if they want to. This is in stark contrast to the early access of EA Play which is limited to just 10 hours.

The early access isn't the only bonus that players will get. Those who purchase the Ultimate Edition before August 21 will get a FUT Heroes World Cup card when the grand event starts. The item will be untradeable, but players can avail it at no extra cost starting November 11.

Additionally, players who pay the premium will get a Ones to Watch (OTW) card in FIFA 23 on September 30. These are special cards that receive boosts to their stats based on certain conditions. These cards are usually given to footballers who are part of a major transfer, and there will be some really interesting options based on the activities so far.

There are additionally some more bonuses like a Team of the Week 1 card, loan pick of FIFA Ambassadors, and a Kylian Mbappe FUT item which will be available for five matches. These rewards are also available with the Standard Edition of FIFA 23, and overall, the items won't have much impact, unlike the two earlier mentions.

One huge advantage players will get with Ultimate Edition is the addition of 4600 FIFA Points. This is the game's premium currency, which can only be bought with real-life money.

It can be extremely useful, especially later on when major events like Team of the Year and Team of the Season packs are available. Based on an individual's luck, they could get some amazing things from it.

Additionally, those who love to invest their time in Career mode will have a local home-grown talent with world-class potential in their academy. The value of this ultimately boils down to the club players are starting with, as clubs like Manchester United or PSG will have no shortage of options.

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Should you buy the FIFA 23 Ultimate Edition at full price?

The answer depends on what mode the player is potentially interested in. If somebody wants to get the game to purely play the career mode or other offline offerings, paying $20 extra won't make much sense.

However, Ultimate Team is the fan-favorite mode of most players in the world. The rewards they can get would vary depending on their luck, but getting a good OTW card can be a great founding pillar for their squad. FUT Heroes cards are usually decent, to begin with, so that's another avenue for some more rewards.

Hence, FIFA 23 Ultimate Edition is worth it if someone is planning to invest time in the online mode. Furthermore, if a player has FIFA 22 and EA Play, they can even combine the two to get additional discounts, which brings the final price further down from its original $89.99 valuation.