The buzz surrounding the launch of every new EA Sports game is usually accompanied by a wave of leaks with details about highly anticipated player modes. As expected, nothing has changed significantly in that regard this year, especially with the release of the FC 25 in the offing.
Several weeks ago, Electronic Arts announced Friday, September 27, 2024 as the release date of the EA Sports FC 25. The game is expected to be available for purchase on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S, Steam on Windows PC and Nintendo Switch platforms. Eligible players who purchase the FC 25 Ultimate Edition can jump into the game early, starting September 20th with Early Access. Subscribers to EA Play also enjoy a 10-hour free trial before the worldwide roll out of the much-awaited video game.
A First Look at Icons and Heroes Tested for FC 25
Throughout June and July, the developer has spent time providing fans with an initial look at the newest entry in the enduring franchise. Included in the pre-release information is the introduction of Real Madrid star, Jude Bellingham as the cover athlete. EA has also tipped a new upgrade to the Ultimate Team and Career mode.
Perhaps the biggest update has come from a leak suggesting the inclusion of newer legends to FC 25’s Icons and Heroes. Although there has been no official statement suggesting the validity of the info, they come from Fut Scoreboard, a popular Twitter (now X) account famous for accurate EA FC leaks.
In the list provided by Fut Scoreboard, about a dozen names are currently in the testing phase for FC 25. What this means is that not all these names may eventually feature in the game’s final release. Many sources also predict that EA will be passing over player favorites like Adriano, David Villa and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in its Icons and Heroes this year.
That said, below are footballing stars who are rumored to be in testing as new FC 25 Icons and Heroes.
Predicted List of Icons
Italian legend Buffon became the first star confirmed to make it onto the EA Sports FC 25 Icons list after appearing on the cover of the game’s Ultimate Edition. Arguably the most awaited inclusion is World Cup winner Diego Maradona whose name has been skipped in the previous 31 editions.
Here are the predicted Icons for FC 25:
- Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)
- Gareth Bale (Wales)
- Julie Foudy (USA)
- Diego Maradona (Argentina)
- Arjen Robben (Netherlands)
- Michel Platini (France)
There are also unconfirmed reports on the inclusion of Romário, Franz Beckenbauer, Mesut Özil and Alfredo Di Stéfano as icons in the upcoming installment. Nonetheless, all Icons existing as of the release of FC 24 will be retained in the newly launched edition, including the most recent female legend additions.
Additionally, FC 25 is set to introduce Icon Player Careers. This game mode allows you to select an icon and play with them in a modern-day team. However, the catch with Icon Player Careers is that you can only place a legend into a team they once played. So, you can insert Zinedine Zidane into today’s Real Madrid squad and take full advantage of his abilities.
Predicted List of Heroes
On the other hand, there are also several Heroes predicted to be undergoing testing in preparation for the FC 25 release. Heroes are celebrated footballers with outstanding careers for club and country. These are the names of the stars pitched to be tested for the game:
- Eden Hazard (Premier League)
- Maicon (Serie A)
- Sergio Agüero (Premier League)
- Jaap Stam (Premier League)
- Shunsuke Nakamura (Scottish Premiership)
- Francesco Totti (Serie A)
- Marek Hamsik (Serie A)
- Arda Turan (La Liga)
- Guti (La Liga)
Expectations Ramp Up for EA FC 25
Renowned as the developers of Tetris, the third best-selling video game of all time, Electronic Arts pulled the plug on its 30-year-long deal with FIFA in 2022. That divorce birthed a rebrand from EA Sports FIFA to EA Sports FC, starting with the FC 24 edition. Fortunately for the California-based video game company, it saw a 2% uptick YoY as FY2024 revenue soared to $7.562 billion. This is an indicator that the broken deal between EA and FIFA hasn’t impacted the brand’s finances.
Currently, FC 24 is used in esports competitions like the popular ePremier League and in special prize pool tournaments at sports betting sites. Many top bookmakers have typically used EA Sports association football-themed video games to simulate matches for betting markets or even to determine odds. However, the release of FC 25 in September will automatically make the new game EA’s flagship product globally. All these large-scale use cases will also help the company drive up revenues and fend off its closest competitors.
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