Rumors of an open-world mode in EA FC 27 have been around for a while, and while we’re still less than halfway through the cycle for EA FC 26, that’s no reason we can’t start looking ahead to what might be waiting for us at the end of the year.
If you’ve heard the news that a new mode is coming and you’re curious about what it will mean, we’ve got you covered. From locking down what we know for sure to some educated guessing about what we are likely to see, here’s what you need to know so far about FC The Grounds.
What Is FC The Grounds?
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For sports gamers who diversify the sports they play, it will be extremely familiar, as games like NBA 2K and WWE 2K have already laid out the groundwork for what an online, open-world-style mode looks like. It is highly likely that the final version of FC The Grounds that ships with EA FC 27 will be very similar to these modes in the 2K franchises.
That means that when you load into The Grounds, you will find yourself in an online arena where your pro player character can freely walk around from area to area. The different areas within a region will feature the various minigames and online modes available to The Grounds players, meaning you navigate to what you want to play in the open world instead of a menu. Think of it as playing Grand Theft Auto Online if the only thing you could play in GTA Online were the various sports on offer.
Playing in the online mode provides you with experience you can use to level up your player at the same time you play, and options for gaming will likely range from simple minigames to modes that more closely resemble a standard game of EA FC with tweaks.
What We Know About FC The Grounds And How It Will Work
With the next EA FC game not set to arrive until the fall, usually around September, there is still quite a bit of time to wait for the chance to get our hands on the final version of The Grounds, even as part of early access and any potential beta testing. In the meantime, we can assess what we do know to begin painting a picture of what to expect when it arrives:
- The Game Will Feature National Districts: The online mode will feature a variety of online regions you can visit, known as districts, each modeled around one of the largest footballing nations in the world. So far, it has been revealed that there will be districts for England, France, and Argentina. While it’s not confirmed the extent to which gaming experiences will differ within the regions, you can expect the visuals around each to provide unique settings in an effort to make each district feel like its own place and worth checking out.
- Game Passes Are Here: In news that is likely so expected at this point among gamers that you’d be far more shocked to not hear about it, it has been confirmed that the mode will feature game passes you can purchase with real-world money. Like all online modes, you’ll never be too far from an opportunity to throw down some cash if you want, with game passes providing you access to unique cosmetics to wear in The Grounds and other pro player-based modes.
- It Will Integrate With Other Pro Modes: Speaking of those other modes, The Grounds will make use of your created pro player. This means that leveling up can take place in The Grounds and be carried over into other game modes or vice versa. This saves gamers from the hassle of maintaining several different avatars in the different modes, each with its own leveling needs.
What Do We Know About EA FC The Grounds Mini-Games?
The games that populate the online mode will play a big part in whether it goes down as a hit with gamers or just another failed attempt to inject juice into a stagnated franchise. Here’s what we know so far about the minigame modes, from reporting by Football Gaming Zone:
- Balloon Ball: A soccer-based take on dodgeball sees players trying to avoid the balloon balls on the field of play or face elimination. To take out opponents, players can fire soccer balls at the balloon balls. Players need to stay aware of the balls around them while also staying on the offensive to put pressure on opponents and become the last one standing with one of their three lives to become the Balloon Ball champion.
- Closest To The Pin: A combination of golf and lawn bocce, as the name implies, the goal of the game is to finish with your ball closest to the center of the target out of all competitors. Players have the full assortment of passing options available to them when taking a turn, but a good shot is not safe until the round is over, as opposing players can knock your ball away with their own shots, leaving you on the outside looking in as they claim the lead.
- Draw The Line: A game that is all about teamwork and movement, Draw The Line tasks teams with creating representations of geometric shapes with the passes they play. To make it more challenging, players may be faced with obstacles to work around, forcing gamers to get creative with the type of passes they hit when drawing their shapes.
- Foot Tennis: Just like the real-world game, players compete solo or in doubles, playing tennis with a soccer ball, hitting the ball back and forth over the net, trying to score on the opposing team. Games are played to ten with extended rallies earning a double-point designation, meaning it’s even more important to close out effectively when you find yourself locked down in an extended point.
- Kickabouts: This mode is the FC The Grounds take on Volta mode, with short-sided games taking place in enclosed arenas. With just a handful of players and the ability to use the arena itself to help you beat opponents, Kickabouts is all about fast-paced action and individual skills to create the space you need to fire home a goal.
- Rush: As the name implies, Rush is a form of soccer that is all about high-speed action. Games are played with five players on each team, and none of them are keepers. Rush dials back a lot of the rules of a standard football match, which — combined with the small sides and unprotected nets — means this is a mode that is all about getting the ball in the net early and often to outscore the other side.
What are your thoughts on FC The Grounds? Does this sound like a fun new addition you’ll get plenty of play out of when EA FC 27 hits PCs and consoles this fall, or is it just another distraction you’d rather have the resources for poured into making existing modes better?
