FIFA 21 to introduce a tool that will reportedly limit how much money and time players can spend on the game

EA Sports revealed yesterday that a new tool called FIFA Playtime will be arriving soon in FIFA 21, according to FIFA 21‘s latest patch notes.

EA didn’t provide details about the new tool, though. The devs just said FIFA Playtime is a tool that “enable players to have more control and visibility over how they play” and will be accessed through the game’s main menu, Ultimate Team, and VOLTA Football mode.

Eurogamer, however, reported today that FIFA Playtime will keep track of the amount of time you spend in FIFA 21, how many FIFA points, the game’s virtual currency, you’ve already spent and can spend in the future, and can limit the number of matches you play. It’ll be implemented today on PC and on Tuesday, Nov. 17 for consoles, according to Eurogamer.

This could be a game-changing tool, especially for parents who want to control how much money their kids spend in FIFA 21 Ultimate Team. FIFA Playtime will arrive at a time when EA is under pressure from multiple governments because of FIFA points.

With FIFA points, you can open FUT packs, which are Ultimate Team’s loot boxes. Since FIFA 19, the FUT packs have shown the card pack probability, but the percentages to pack a good item are often low. The Netherlands Gaming Authority recently gave EA three weeks to remove Ultimate Team packs from the game since it sees them as a form of gambling.

FIFA Playtime, however, won’t let you know how much you have spent in terms of real money because the transaction is made by the platform provider (Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo) and the details are allegedly not shared with EA.

“Play should always be fun, so we’re amping up the information and tools to help you play on your terms,” EA said, according to Eurogamer. FIFA Playtime is a part of EA’s Positive Play project, which says that gaming should always be “fun, fair, and safe for all.”