FIFA Playtime lets you track how much money and time you’ve spent in the football sim

Electronic Arts has released a new update for FIFA 21 which implements a feature that will make it easier to track the amount of time and money spent throughout its selection of modes.
Known as FIFA Playtime, this new feature is designed to “enable players to have more control and visibility over how they play.” They are essentially a selection of tools that allow users to place parental controls on how much time and money is spent on the game, preventing excessive purchases in controversial modes such as Ultimate Team.
“FIFA Playtime gives you an overview of the amount of time you’ve spent in FIFA 21 and lets you set limits on how you play,” EA explains. “You’ll be able to choose how many matches you can jump into, the amount of FIFA Points you purchase and the number of FUT Packs opened with FUT Coins or purchased with FIFA Points.”
Related: PS5 vs Xbox Series X
“The integration of both tracking and limits in FIFA Playtime is grounded in research that shows that having access to more information helps players feel comfortable with how they play. When combined with smart prompts to guide choices, players were able to better find a comfortable balance in their gaming. We will continue to evolve and adapt these tools and resources to give you even more ways to shape your gaming experience.”
EA has said this isn’t a way of protecting players from themselves, and you will be able to surpass limits that have been set, you will simply receive a notification letting you know when such a level has been reached. This feels like a way to combat controversy surrounding Ultimate Team as a gambling system, which has been given attention by a number of governing bodies across the globe in recent years.
Related: Fuser Review
By implementing FIFA Playtime, Electronic Arts can say it is taking steps in making FIFA 21 a responsible experience for everyone involved, while also not hurting the obscene profits of its annual entries. On the flipside, the rare instances of parents monitoring their childen’s gaming habits will likely find some benefit to the new update. Just don’t let them near your bank details and you’ll probably be fine.
FIFA 21 is out now on current-gen consoles, and will be making its way to PS5 and Xbox Series X on December 4. Here’s what we thought of the new entry in our review: “FIFA 21 is an often great football game packed with content and modes. The few gameplay tweaks that are here make for a better overall experience and keeping Volta around adds some variety. Sadly, the redesign of career mode focuses on the wrong features and feels like a wannabe Football Manager without any of the depth.”