With Team of the Season marking the end of FIFA 22's cycle, it's time to look ahead to FIFA 23.
The brand new game will be the last entry in the series as we know it, with FIFA and EA Sports going their separate ways following release.
With that in mind, we want to take at how the often-forgotten Career Mode could prove to be EA's most valuable game mode.
FIFA 23 Career Mode
We have very little information regarding what could feature in FIFA 23 Career Mode, but we'd be amazed if we saw major changes.
With FIFA 23 the last FIFA game developed by EA Sports, it remains to be seen just how revolutionised the game will be, or if it may become an awkward mid-point as the two companies explore future options.
With EA Sports FC and FIFA 24 kicking off a brand new competition in the football gaming sphere, could Career Mode prove to be the key to unlocking a host of untapped potential?
Reviving Career Mode
Career Mode may not be a dead game mode, but it certainly doesn't receive as much love as it deserves.
Whilst this may be due to the fact that the offline mode doesn't draw in revenue like Ultimate Team, Career Mode still has plenty of benefits.
Career Mode acts as the perfect entry point for all players, especially those who aren't comfortable jumping onto Ultimate Team straight away.
The offline mode also provides the perfect place for offline players to enjoy FIFA, with a large portion of FIFA's audience not hell-bent on spending their way to the top in Ultimate Team.
Instead, Career Mode is the foundation and core of FIFA, and both EA Sports and the new developer of the FIFA series would do well to remember that.
Career Mode Doesn't Die
Unlike Ultimate Team, Career Mode doesn't have a cycle.
That means that the mode can continue to feel fresh and exciting throughout the year, enticing fans back to the game when their interest is dwindling elsewhere.
Right now, the Career Mode hype lasts for a couple of months before the limited new features lose their initial shine.
A total overhaul of Career Mode could prove vital to the success of future games, with new systems, more customisation options and a general better player experience guaranteed to keep people coming back for more.
Career Mode feels like this mode of untapped potential, with so much scope for development.
Online Competition
FIFA faces stern competition in the upcoming months and years, with UFL, Goals, eFootball and even EA Sports FC providing much-needed competition for everyone's favourite football franchise.
With many of these games targeting a free-to-play market, Ultimate Team's concept will no longer feel unique to FIFA.
Instead, similar modes with a free access point could turn heads, leaving Ultimate Team struggling to compete.
Why pay £60 for something you could get for free? This is where Career Mode comes in.
Focussing on modes outside of Ultimate Team will allow FIFA to develop a further USP that free-to-play games cannot offer.
A rich, varied and exciting offline Career Mode would attract plenty of players, especially those who aren't interested in online play.
With so much emphasis placed on the competitive nature of football gaming, Career Mode offers a more relaxed and thoughtful experience.
A Race to the Top
With FIFA and EA Sports FC set to do battle at the top of the football gaming scene in 2023, there will need to be a clear identifier between the two.
With 2K Games rumoured to have shown interest in taking up the FIFA developer mantle, we're almost certain that the company behind the recent WWE and NBA games would focus on offline play just as much as online.
Making money is - understandably - the name of the game, but investing in offline modes and inviting new players in could prove to be the key in winning the football gaming war.
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