To fans’ delight, EA Sports has confirmed that Icon SBCs are returning for FIFA 21‘s Ultimate Team mode.
After there was confusion in FIFA 19, following some overpriced releases and the backtracking on the release of Icon Moments SBCs, they were removed for FIFA 20 and replaced by Icon Swaps, which allowed more people to get Icons but made getting the best ones nigh on impossible.
While Icon SBCs were far from perfect, they gave players a way to grind to their ‘Ultimate Team’ and are the best way to get Icons that FIFA has seen since the card type’s inception.
However, that does not mean that Icon Swaps are gone for FIFA 21. Both will be returning for the new game, with some stipulations and changes. You can read all about them on EA’s website, but below are the highlights.
- The first Icon SBCs will be introduced from late November onwards.
- Icon SBCs will be available long term, but not permanently.
- Specific versions of Icons will only become eligible for SBC release after they’ve been released in packs for a period of time.
- After an SBC expires, it may be re-released at a later date. The challenge requirements and rewards may also be updated.
- Icons may be used as requirements in SBCs.
- There will be a greater mix between Icon and pack rewards in Swaps, with an increased number of pack rewards.
- Packs rewards will be made available at lower Player Token values to allow more players to engage with the program.
- No specific version of an Icon (e.g. Base) released through an SBC will be released again through Icon Swaps, and vice versa.
We’ll have to wait until the full game is out for all the details on what Icons will be released and when, but it already sounds better than last year.
For more on FIFA 21, be sure to search for Twinfinite once it is released.
