EA Axes Player Trading From FIFA 15 Ultimate Team

Electronic Arts has announced it will disable player trading in FIFA 15 Ultimate Team as part of a broader initiative to crack down on coin trading.

In a message issued to its fans, EA noted that while players legitimately trade cards amongst each other, the process "became one of the methods used by coin sellers to sell and move coins."

It added: "Account phishers also abused Trade Offers by moving stolen players and coins after wrongfully gaining access to unsuspecting FUT player accounts."

Therefore, in the Ultimate Team mode in FIFA 15 (which is due for release from September 23) this trading feature will not be available.

The removal of player trading will also bring an end to the practice of “bid bumping,” EA said, where players tried to trick others into bidding far more than sellers wanted for a player.

EA's latest measures come weeks after the corporation released an open letter to FIFA fans, in which it warned that coin traders and cheaters who were undermining the experience would be tracked down and banned.

As well as removing trading, EA has stated it will reduce the maximum number of transfer targets that can be set in Ultimate Team, along with an upper-limit of 50 bids at a time.

Furthermore, EA will now require mandatory Origin login verification any time players try to use the web app version of Ultimate Team.

"It was a tough decision, but this is the right step towards improving security, showing cheaters the red card, and keeping FUT safe for all FIFA fans," the company added.

The FIFA 15 release date falls on September 23 in North America, September 26 in the UK, and September 25 around the rest of Europe.