FIFA 23 will turn soccer players into Marvel superheroes
Bend it like Banshee
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EA will dress up some of the most famous footballers of the past in skin-tight spandex, as part of an upcomingMarvelcrossover with FIFA 23.
A handful ofFIFA 23’s players will be reimagined as Marvel superheroes for the game’s Ultimate Team mode. Their FUT Hero Cards – in-game collectibles that first featured inFIFA 22and present iconic moments of players’ careers – will be illustrated by Marvel artists in the style of classic superhero characters.
EA has revealed five of the special FUT Hero Cards so far, including those for the US’s Landon Donovan, Ivory Coast’s Yaya Touré, Portugal’s Ricardo Carvalho, South Korea’s Park Ji-sung, and Italy’s Claudio Marchisio.
Superpowered feet
Each player has been illustrated wearing a Marvel-esque costume, although the inspirations behind some are easier to identify than others. Donovan’s picture is heavily reminiscent of Captain America, while Ji-Sung’s new strip looks similar to Iron Man’s armor. Touré’s design mentions the Wakandan palace, The Citadel, although his costume doesn’t look directly inspired by any single character fromBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever.
While Marvel is busy bringing more of its classic characters toDisney Plus, EA’s getting a little more creative. Could a superpowered Landon Donovan take onShe-Hulkin a fight? Probably not, but he’d probably score a few more goals on the pitch.
According toan EA FAQ, the special designs will roll out on November 11 when FIFA 23’s post-launch World Cup mode is released. Two FUT Hero Cards will be available for each player – a base version, which includes a standard photo of the player and will be included in the game at launch; and the special World Cup version that features better player stats.
The Marvel FUT Hero Cards will only be available for 21 players, however. We can expect to hear which other players will get the superhero treatment in the run-up to the game’s release on September 23. Other in-game items will be included in the collaboration, too, including tifos, kits, and balls. A tie-in comic book will even be released down the line.
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Callum is TechRadar Gaming’s News Writer. You’ll find him whipping up stories about all the latest happenings in the gaming world, as well as penning the odd feature and review. Before coming to TechRadar, he wrote freelance for various sites, including Clash, The Telegraph, and Gamesindustry.biz, and worked as a Staff Writer at Wargamer. Strategy games and RPGs are his bread and butter, but he’ll eat anything that spins a captivating narrative. He also loves tabletop games, and will happily chew your ear off about TTRPGs and board games.
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