The Grounds is a brand-new introduction to FC 27, and I am quite excited to check out this movie. It somewhat looks like the old-school Volta mode that we used to have, but there are plenty of new elements that have been teased in the official trailer.
Finally, we have proper information about how the mode will operate, what to expect, and whether it’s for you or not.
FC 27 The Grounds overview
What is The Grounds?
It’s a virtual football playground that is built to be highly social. You share the playground with your buddies, just like you do in real life. Spread across three different authentic districts that represent the cultural hub of football, you can find influence from the UK, France, and Argentina.
To begin your journey, you create a footballer, decide the position, and start to explore. Whether you are playing on the streets or in the very professional mecca in the stadiums, the grounds are your go-to mode if you want some fun and socialization.
There are three core objectives of this mode:
- Enjoy the football experience by discovering the districts and what they have to offer.
- Find new ways to play, compete, and connect with the community.
- Progress your avatar and club with your own unique customization and personalization options
Game modes
Since The Grounds is an expanded Clubs experience, you can have things as casual or competitive as you want.
- Casual side: Kickabouts and drop-kick targets, which are relatively easy.
- Middle: 1v1 to rush and small-sided football challenges.
- Competitive side: 11v11 events and 11v11 rush games where you can participate.
To make things easier, all Club activities will be integrated into one big mode called the Clubhouse, which makes it easy for you to manage your avatar.
It’s not necessary for you to always participate in 11v11 matches. Contests can take place 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, or even in the Rush mode if you like.
Progression
The Grounds will have exclusive objectives available for players to complete. Completing them will help you unlock different rewards that can be used to customize your avatar. Some of these objectives can be done in the more casual matches. For the rest, you might need to try out the more competitive games.
Not all content will require you to do matches, since there will be drills to complete, too.
Amps
To customize your avatar, you can utilize something called Amps. These will provide you with playstyles and stat boosts inspired by your favorite footballers. Amps come in two categories: Standard and Signature. They have four tiers for each category; the higher the tier, the better the results.
For example, if you apply Kylian Mbappé as an Amp, you’ll get unique stat boosts, playstyles, and perks inspired by him. These will be active as long as Mbappé remains your Amp. You can always swap your choice to apply different boosts and buffs to your avatar.
Moreover, you can always pick from different PlayStyles to determine how your player operates on the field.
Cosmetics and football culture
No two avatars are the same, and you can ensure that with the use of cosmetics. Experience branded apparel and kits you can equip on your avatar. Similarly, the three districts of The Grounds will have authentic design and influence from the UK, France, and Argentina.
Like Ultimate Team, The Grounds will also have plenty of seasonal content throughout the course of the year. For example, there will be European Nights and Screaming Grounds in October, Thunderstruck in November, and so on. How EA Sports implements this remains to be seen, but I am quite excited.
Coupled with the gameplay changes that EA Sports has proposed, things look promising as of writing. However, I will be reserving my impressions until I get to test all these modes later in September.
