EA has done it again, with FIFA 23's Nintendo Switch game being essentially a reskin of FIFA 19.
The FIFA franchise's outings on the Nintendo Switch have been a long-running joke in the gaming industry, with each yearly release being little more than a reskin of the year prior.
And that has been going on for five years now and remains true for the recently released FIFA 23 Legacy Edition, meaning that the FIFA 23 game that Nintendo Switch users receive is FIFA 19 in all but name, with only superficial changes to kits and up-to-date squads providing any markable difference.
It's a fact that EA even admits to (though probably not enough to turn away those that don't know better), with a line tucked away in the FIFA 23 product description that reads:
"FIFA 23 Legacy Edition will feature the same gameplay innovation from FIFA 22 without any new development or significant enhancements."
While the FIFA 22 production description reads:
"FIFA 22 Legacy Edition will feature the same gameplay innovation from FIFA 21 without any new development or significant enhancements."
While the FIFA 21 product... well, you probably get the point. It's been like this for the last four years, with the Legacy Edition costing $39.99 (£34.99), a price tag hardly worthy of the clear lack of effort on EA's part.
FIFA 23 Legacy Edition Is A Meme
There has been one bright light to come out of what is undoubtedly EA's most egregious money-grab among many strong contenders, and that is Simon Cardy of IGN's reviews of this grubby card trick of a game.
For this year's title, which he charitably gave a 2/10, he writes:
"I could copy and paste my review like I did two years ago, but unlike some of the folks at EA I don’t take much satisfaction in reusing material. Oops, I think that’s what I said last year, actually. I struggle to care at this point."
There is one, admittedly small glimmer of hope here, in that this is EA's last rodeo with the FIFA trademark, with the company unable to cut a deal with the world's football federation for the continued use of the name. Surely, next year the release of the first game of a new franchise would be a truly unique experience for gamers, even on Nintendo Switch?
Anything else would be low - even by EA's standards - but then again, it's clear their respect for Nintendo Switch owning fans of the beautiful game has long gone.
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