Select players who took part in the beta test for FIFA 23 and had preloaded the Ultimate Edition of the game reportedly gained brief access to the entire experience in late August 2022, nearly one full month before launch. A new update to the game seemingly caused the FIFA 23 application to launch, granting players access to every mode in the game, including FIFA Ultimate Team.
As soon as this was discovered, keen players began uploading player stats and details online – as well as screenshots of unannounced kits for teams Liverpool and Burnley. While EA quickly realised the problem and seemingly removed Ultimate Team functionality, plenty of content managed to leak before the gap was plugged.
In the wake of the leak, EA has reportedly chosen to ban players caught streaming the game or posting clips – despite the leak coming directly from EA itself. If you’re one of the lucky few players who gained access to the game early, it’s best to lie low and refrain from posting anything on social media.
While the game has technically been rendered unplayable once again, it’s unlikely EA will be able to prevent players from accessing the game completely. Should a player have received the update and removed their console from online connection, the offline portion of FIFA 23 may still be fully playable.
If you head online, expect to see plenty of leaked screenshots detailing new stats and improvements for players. While it’s impossible to really spoil a game like FIFA 23, this leak does suck some of the joy out of upcoming EA-led announcements, including player and team ratings, as well as new Kits coming to the game.
Those keen to hop into the upcoming football sim with fresh eyes will likely want to steer clear of online FIFA communities for the next few weeks, as players pour over the newly revealed stats.
FIFA 23 will officially release on 27 September 2022 for preorder customers, while everyone else will be able to access it on 30 September 2022.
