Offside or On-the-Side?
Electronic Arts has announced it has begun a “thorough investigation” into allegations that one of its employees has sold rare FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) cards directly to players in the FIFA 21 community.
In what has been dubbed by the internet as #EAGate, (because of course it has), multiple Twitter users posted images – as collated by Eurogamer – that allege to show evidence of deals made between FIFA players and at least one EA employee via direct messaging services.
The supposed transactions revolve around the direct selling of FUT “Icon Moments” – incredibly rare cards based on legendary footballers such as Pele, Zinedine Zidane, and Ruud Guillet. One tweet shows an alleged transaction that features one Icon Moment and two Team of the Year cards changing hands for a total of €1,000 (roughly $1,200 USD). Another example allegedly shows three Icon Moments and two Team of the Year cards selling off-market for €1,700 (or around $2,000 USD).
This morning, Electronic Arts released an official statement regarding the scandal, announcing that it was in the process of launching a thorough investigation into the situation. “We understand how this creates concern about unfair balance in the game and competition,” said the publisher on Twitter…
…because sometimes a punchline just writes itself.
FIFA 21 rocked by “EAGate” scandal after employee is alleged to have sold cards [Eurogamer]
— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) March 10, 2021
