EA slipped up recently when they allowed some players to access the full version of FIFA 23 on Xbox One for a limited period of time a whole month earlier than they were supposed to do. The mistake allowed Xbox players to access information that hadn’t been released publicly, including unannounced football kits, but those that posted that leaked FIFA 23 information on social media or streamed it have faced account bans.
How did Xbox players access FIFA 23 a month early?
Xbox One players who had been a part of the recent FIFA 23 beta test and had already preloaded the Ultimate Edition of the game were able to access and update the game to a full two-hour trial version recently, according to VGC. This allowed them to play modes like FIFA Ultimate Team and other online modes that gave away information like player ratings. They even revealed Liverpool’s third kit and Burnley’s away and third kits, none of which have been officially revealed by the football clubs. The online servers have since been turned off and EA’s official statement claims all access has been revoked, including to offline modes:
Yesterday we unintentionally gave a small number of players access to a two-hour trial of the Xbox One version of FIFA 23 that shouldn’t be available yet. Not all content was final. We’ve removed that access, and we’ll be ready to welcome everyone in at launch in September.
— EA SPORTS FC Direct Communication (@EASFCDirect) August 31, 2022
“Yesterday we unintentionally gave a small number of players access to a two-hour trial of the Xbox One version of FIFA 23 that shouldn’t be available yet. Not all content was final. We’ve removed that access, and we’ll be ready to welcome everyone in at launch in September.”
FIFA 23 players who streamed the game before its release date face account bans, as do players who post leaked screenshots or game clips to social media if they leave Xbox account information that makes them identifiable. EA has also been trying to remove as much leaked information from social media as possible with DMCA strikes, although there are some still out there. As EA claims that “not all content is final”, take these leaks with a pinch of salt until the game is released into early access on September 27.
In other gaming news, the new James Bond Project 007 game may not be released until 2025. Elsewhere, the Facebook Gaming app will be shutting down soon.
