UFL vs EA FC 24: 5 major differences between the games

With the UFL open beta being live for gamers to test out between June 7 to June 9, gamers finally have some insight into how the upcoming football simulation title compares to EA FC 24. While the game is still in the beta phase and lacks the refinement needed to compete with the giants of the genre, there have been plenty of takeaways from this release.

Gamers who have been used to spending their time in EA FC 24 and previous FIFA titles took to the UFL beta to witness what the game had to offer, and there were several key differences that made it an entirely unique gaming experience. While the game itself had mixed reviews, it offers plenty of new features and promises for the future.

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These are the key differences between UFL and EA FC 24

1) UFL is free to play

This will arguably be the biggest appealing factor of the upcoming franchise, as it will be entirely free to play unlike EA FC 24. Despite the latter now being free to play for PlayStation+ users on that particular console, future games in the series will still be sold at full price, while UFL will attract fans who want a more accessible and affordable option.

The developers have also marketed their title as a "fair to play" game, promising that there will be no "pay to win" elements that give players an edge for participating in microtransactions. This has been a major complaint for many who play the games made by EA Sports, as spending money on Ultimate Team can often get you a much better team on the virtual pitch.

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2) Obtaining new players

The game has a unique market (Image via UFL)

The transfer market is the very essence of Ultimate Team in EA FC 24, as it allows gamers to purchase players to add to their squads. Fans can open packs that provide them with either untradeable or tradeable items, and they can sell the latter in the transfer market. This market is always evolving, with prices fluctuating based on new releases and other factors.

That said, UFL is entirely different. There is still a store where fans can purchase players for their teams, but this is not a live market system. The value of the players never changes, and gamers can buy and sell them for the same price whenever they want with in-game currency.

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3) In-game progression

The players can be upgraded via skills (Image via UFL)

There are several ways to consistently improve your team in both UFL and EA FC 24. While the latter has in-game currency like coins which are earned by playing the game, or FC Points which are earned via microtransactions, the former is entirely gameplay-based. The beta for the game introduced new currency types like CP and RP, both of which are earned by playing games and performing well.

Fans can use their earned CP to buy new players, but high-level players also require a certain level of RP (reputation points) to be unlocked. Every player also has a skill tree where they can be assigned new skills by leveling them up in-game. This is similar to Evolutions in EA FC 24, but unlike EVOs, you don't have to wait for your player to meet the requirements of a new EVO. Instead, every player can be leveled up over time and assigned new skills and traits.

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4) Skins vs Card types

There are plenty of regular promos and events in the world of EA FC 24 Ultimate Team that introduce new cards to the game. As the year progresses, these get better boosts and the game's meta evolves. However, this feature is entirely different in UFL, where gamers can unlock special skins for their team's players which don't affect their stats or performance at all.

There are various types of skins based on rarity, with some being player-specific and locked to one particular athlete as well. While these skins look visually impressive and make your squad look more diverse, they have no in-game benefits. However, they do provide some perks when it comes to the currency you earn for using that specific player, allowing you to earn CP and RP much faster.

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5) Gameplay

The gameplay is always the deciding factor for what makes or breaks any football simulation title. This is arguably where UFL differs from EA FC 24 the most. The former resembles eFootball in a lot of ways when it comes to the feel of the game on the virtual pitch, with an added emphasis on realism and creating smart passing-based plays instead of the skill move-based approach of EA titles.