Virtual Bundesliga Moves Open Championship to FC 27 Ultimate Team Mode

The Virtual Bundesliga is making a big change. The VBL Open is moving into FC 27's Ultimate Team mode.

This is a problem. Ultimate Team is rated PEGI 16. It's built around card packs. That means microtransactions are part of the equation.

The old format was free and leveled. Everyone competed on equal footing. That's gone now.

Here's the kicker. The Bundesliga hasn't confirmed whether purchased cards will count toward squads. If they do, this becomes pay-to-compete.

EA's Ultimate Team mode makes billions every year. It's popular. But it's also controversial. Putting a competitive league inside it raises questions.

Young players who want to go pro now face a PEGI 16 barrier. Parents and regulators will notice.

The VBL was a path for new talent. This change could close doors instead of opening them.