EA Sports is removing two controversial combat online toxicity, which has become an increasingly prominent problem for a game with a sizable multiplayer community. FIFA 21 will be the latest game in the long-running franchise, which has been developed and published by EA and features the most robust suite of teams and licensing options, and more when compared to competitors, who can sometimes struggle to acquire rights to actual team logos or stadium locations.
The FIFA series is also among FIFA remains an absolute all-star for EA and for the millions of players who enjoy its offerings.
One thing EA Sports and consumers can agree on is reducing the level of toxicity in future FIFA games, which is exactly what the company is attempting to do by removing two goal celebrations. FIFA 21 will see the departure of both the "Shush" and the "A-OK" celebrations, as revealed in a report from Eurogamer on the decision. The Shush celebration is notable for just how maligned it is among FIFA fans, as it is both infuriating in general and can be used to waste time on top of that frustration. Its removal is a smart decision from EA to help reduce toxicity, as players proved in FIFA 20 they couldn't be trusted with the celebration.
The A-OK celebration, on the other hand, isn't as obvious a removal target. However, the gesture that it incorporates into it - a person connecting their index finger and thumb in a circle, and letting the rest of their fingers extend straight outwards - has been used in hate symbology in the past, and gestures like the A-OK celebration have been removed from some titles, most notably Warzone. It's possible EA is simply trying to get out ahead of any potential controversy by removing the celebration beforehand, which seems like a smart move given FIFA 20 had dozens of celebration options total - one isn't likely to be missed, especially one with potentially problematic associations.
Ultimately, FIFA 21 will need to make more changes than just a few removed celebrations to combat online toxicity, especially since it's become so ingrained in the game's, and gaming in general's, culture. Still, taking steps to remove some of the more obvious feel-bad moments is a great way to help prevent players from getting discouraged, and it's a praiseworthy move from a company that doesn't exactly have a sparkling history of executing them.
FIFA 21 releases on October 9, 2020 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. A PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X launch will happen at a later date.
Source: Eurogamer
