One of the most exciting factors of a new FIFA release is the changes and upgrades to the previous version.
FIFA 23 is no exception as EA Sports and football's governing body FIFA combine for the last-ever game in partnership.
The Sporting News goes through all the new additions to football's most famous video game.
What changes and new features are available in FIFA 23?
Ultimate Team chemistry
In previous FIFAs, players in Ultimate Team would only have chemistry with players if they were positioned near them on the pitch in the starting XI.
For example, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson did not add to the chemistry of a FUT team because they were positioned at right-back and left-back respectively.
In FIFA 23, players will combine for chemistry based on the same parameters - club, league and nation - but they will gain chemistry no matter where the connected player is playing on the field.
There will also be no more manual position changes of players, with individual players now being listed with up to three positions if they play in them during real-life games.
Women's football
Most notably, women's soccer players and clubs will be available to play in this year's edition.
Both the French and English women's leagues will be available to play, promoted by the first female cover athlete Sam Kerr, who plays for Chelsea FC.
HyperMotion 2
EA Sports is also promoting the use of HyperMotion 2 technology, which the video game company claims will bring "more realism every time you step onto the pitch" with 6,000 unique animations to replicate realistic player movement throughout a match.
That surpasses the over 4,000 new animations introduced with FIFA 22.
World Cup mode
FIFA 23 will feature a World Cup mode to coincide with the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar coming in November.
This will include both a men's and women's tournament.
Cross-platform play
Finally, EA Sports has developed FIFA 23 to support cross-platform play between consoles.
However, this will only apply to consoles of the same generation, meaning PlayStation 4 users can only play against those on Xbox One, while those on PlayStation 5 can play against opponents on Xbox Series S/X.
PC players will be pooled in the next-gen consoles with PS5 and Xbox Series, while the Nintendo Switch version does not support cross-platform play.
New clubs and leagues
FIFA 23 will mark the long-awaited return of Juventus to the game. The Italian giants were previously licensed by Konami and were known as Piemonte Calcio in recent FIFA releases.
Women's football is also getting a much greater presence in FIFA 23 with clubs from the Women's Super League and Division 1 Arkema set to be added for the first time.
Fans of the English fifth-division will finally be able to play as those clubs too with the Vanarama National League joining the game.
It's also likely that every national team that has qualified for the 2022 World Cup will be included in the game meaning a few new international sides are set to feature.
Where can I buy FIFA 23?
How to pre-order FIFA 23 Standard, Ultimate or Legacy editions
FIFA 23 can be pre-ordered through EA Sports directly by clicking the link here - with the link taking you to the EA Sports shop in your region of the world.
The game can also be pre-ordered via video game retailers and some electronics stores, including Epic Games (US), EB Games (AU) and GAME (UK).
How to buy FIFA 23 once the game is released?
FIFA 23 will be able to be purchased at most video game retailers and electronics stores that sell video games.
The game can also be bought via EA Sports shop in either physical or digital form.
What is the cheapest way to buy FIFA 23?
There are two ways consumers can get a 10 per cent discount to purchase FIFA 23.
- If you have a subscription to EA Play, if you purchase the game digitally through EA Sports' website.
- If you own FIFA 22, open the game and hit the 'pre-order FIFA 23' button, where you have to purchase the Ultimate edition to get the discount.
Note: Both discounts are separate and cannot be combined.
FIFA 23 price: How much will the Standard, Ultimate and Legacy editions cost?
The prices for the game based on the console and edition are listed below with costs listed for USA, Australia and UK.
EA Play subscribers can get 10 per cent off these prices if they pre-order.
| Console | Edition | US$ | AU$ | UK£ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 & Xbox X/S | Standard | $69.99 | $109.95 | £69.99 |
| PS5 & Xbox X/S | Ultimate | $99.99 | $149.95 | £89.99 |
| PS4 & Xbox One | Standard | $59.99 | $99.95 | £59.99 |
| PS4 & Xbox One | Ultimate | $99.99 | $149.95 | £89.99 |
| PC | Standard | $59.99 | $99.95 | £59.99 |
| PC | Ultimate | $99.99 | $119.95 | £79.99 |
| Google Stadia | Ultimate | $89.99 | $89.99 | £79.99 |
| Nintendo Switch | Legacy | $39.99 | $59.95 | £34.99 |
FIFA 23 Standard Edition vs. Ultimate Edition
As with previous versions, FIFA 23 will boast three different editions that fans can purchase: the Standard Edition, the Ultimate Edition, and the Legacy Edition.
The Standard Edition will cost $59.99 (£59.99), consistent with most major video game releases.
The Ultimate Edition will cost $99.99 (£89.99), but allows the user to access the game three days earlier on the pre-release date. It also comes with the following:
| Benefits | Standard | Ultimate |
|---|---|---|
| Team of the Week 1 Player item (untradeable) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Kylian Mbappe loan item | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| FUT Ambassador Loan Player Pick | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Career Mode Homegrown Talent | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| FUT 'Ones to Watch' Item | — | ✔️ |
| 4,600 FIFA Points | — | ✔️ |
| FIFA World Cup FUT Hero (on pre-orders) | — | ✔️ |
| Three Days Early Access (on pre-orders) | — | ✔️ |
The Legacy Edition will cost $39.99 (£34.99) and is a call-back to previous versions, featuring updated rosters, but "without any new development or significant enhancements," EA Sports confirmed. This is mainly for the Nintendo Switch, which only comes in Legacy Edition. It will not come with the new HyperMotion 2 technological enhancements or any of the new gameplay modes. Essentially, this is FIFA 22 with a few minor upgrades.
