EA Sports FC 24 is just FIFA 24 with a new name, right? From what I've been shown of the game so far, the answer to that is both 'yes' and 'no'. The game's logo is designed around the triangular player marker that FIFA titles have always used, and looking at the gameplay in the broadest of contexts, it looks the same. It's realistic, but it still has an art-style (think of how different The Last of Us, Spider-Man, and Halo all look despite aiming for their own versions of photorealism), and EA Sports FC 24 has the same art-style as FIFA 23. The controls are the same, the mechanics are the same, the rules (obviously) are the same. So is it the same game? I think the best way to describe it is that it feels like FIFA 26.
FIFA is the same game every year - whether people love or hate the game, they'll probably agree on that. It's not really, though. As well as the roster updates (I'm very much looking forward to Tonali and hopefully Barnes, Disasi, Chiesa, Thuram, and literally any left back being added to Newcastle), there are small tweaks to the formula each year. Last time, it was the upgrades to power shots. The year before, it was HyperMotion. Go back through each FIFA, and there's always a small addition that improves the game and becomes part of the furniture, but is overlooked at the time. EA Sports FC isn't just adding a piece of furniture though, it's adding a whole extension to the house.
None of these are all that significant on their own, despite what EA will tell you. Combined however, they seem like quite the upgrade on what came before. First up is the continued use of HyperMotion, which can now capture footage from actual matches and implant them into the game itself. The example it has touted is Haaland's goal against Dortmund in the Champions League, where he leapt into the air and stamped the ball down into the net, but skill moves from Vini Jr. are also shown off. It's unclear whether these moments are to be captured throughout the season and added within a matter of days like Ultimate Team cards, or stored in a database to add next year. If it's the former, that could be a defining difference between FIFA and EA Sports FC.
The other big player is Playstyles. EA Sports is pushing this as a new addition, but this idea has been in FIFA for a long time, known as Traits. Certain players have Flair, Early Crosser, Speed Dribbler, et cetera. There are 33 Traits in FIFA, and EA Sports FC promises 34 Playstyles, which feels like a lateral move. However, the Playstyles also have Playstyles Plus, which upgrade them into a much better version, and seem to have a greater impact on minute to minute play rather than just changing parts of the game.
For example, it's hard to notice a lot of Traits, but one of the new Playstyles allows defenders to slide in and wrap their legs around the ball, keeping possession. Those with Free Kick Playstyles won't just be better at them, the guiding line will extend longer so players can take advantage of the increased ability. There are also Playstyles like Blocker or Bruiser which mean defenders will behave differently even when not controlled by you, giving you a sense of personalisation. There are more running stances, Playstyles can be swapped in Ultimate Team, and greater chance for control - fake shots can even be cancelled into skill moves now, another small change with a big difference.
The big question is whether or not EA Sports FC can sustain this, and my bet is 'no'. While it's possible that some features could have been held back from FIFA 23, or rushed forward with the forced rebrand, or even that EA got lucky to have a big overhaul at a time when it needed to win back the crowd, this cannot happen every year. FIFA is the same game every year because it's hard to make it all that different. EA Sports FC 24 brings a host of good ideas, but it doesn't leave a lot of room for EA Sports FC 25. I still think EA's long-term future is to turn its annual sports sim into an evolving live-service game with battle passes, but without that it will be expected to provide significant updates each year, and sooner or later it will find itself wanting.