The wait is over for football fans — early access to the highly anticipated Fifa 23 video game is here.
Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe and Chelsea FC Women star Sam Kerr are the latest and last stars to grace the cover of the popular EA Sports and Fifa series.
In May, it was announced that the partnership between the gaming developer and football's governing body, which first began in 1993, would end with Fifa 23.
However, instead of looking to the future, we'll take a closer look at everything we know about the final iteration, including its price, when it will be released and what's new.
When will 'Fifa 23' release in the UAE?
The latest release will be out on Friday at 8am on PlayStation and Xbox. It will be available on Saturday on distribution platform Steam. However, those who pre-order the game will have early access from today.
How much does the game cost?
The price of the video game depends on the version purchased and for which console.
The standard version is $59.99 on PlayStation 4, and $69.99 on PlayStation 5, while the Ultimate Edition is $99.99.
On the Xbox, the standard for the Xbox series X and S is $69.99 or $89.99 for the Ultimate Edition.
Those who prefer to play on a PC can purchase the game for $70 for the standard or $90 for the Ultimate Edition on Steam, while Stadia will also carry the standard version for $69.99.
Where can I buy 'Fifa 23' in the UAE?
Fifa 23 will be available on PlayStation, Xbox, PC and Google Stadia, where it can be downloaded digitally.
However, those looking to purchase a physical copy, stores such as Carrefour, Lulu, Jumbo, Virgin Megastore, Sharaf DG, Toys R Us, Emax, Geekay Games, Amazon.ae and Noon.com will sell the game in the UAE. Prices vary between device type and retailer.
What's new in the game?
One of the biggest changes to the game is the addition of women's football, meaning that players can play as women's club teams for the first time. Both the men and women will also feature in the game as a lead-up to the World Cup in Qatar, as well as the women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year.
As with past versions, there are new changes for this year's game, including the addition of HyperMotion Technology, which was first introduced in last year's Fifa 22. Called HyperMotion 2, this feature has captured even more data through motion-tracking suits, making for more realistic football movements and motions during gameplay.
While HyperMotion was used during an 11 v 11 match in Fifa 22, this time around, it was used to capture two full 90-minute games and five training drills — one for the men's game and one of the women's.
Cross-play between Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC and Stadia players, as well as Xbox One and PS4 players will be supported at launch.
Another fun new addition is the news that characters from the hit Emmy-winning Apple TV+ show Ted Lasso will be playable characters. This means that one of the teams that can be played is AFC Richmond. Even better? Anyone with the game can download this feature free of cost.
Ted Lasso, played by Jason Sudeikis, can also be a playable manager in Career Mode, while AFC Richmond can be swapped into the Premier League or any other league in the game. But that’s not all, AFC Richmond can be played in Kick Off, Online Friendlies and Online Seasons along with the Career Mode.
Scroll through the gallery below to see more of the World Cup 2022 stadiums in Qatar
