EA has released a new patch for Star Wars: Squadrons on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Update 4.0 brings with it two new ships, the introduction of custom matches and a variety of bug fixes. Of

Fundamental to the game is opening loot boxes, known as packs — which consciously appropriate the Panini aesthetic — from which you acquire new, random players. The chance of receiving, say, Lionel Messi, is microscopic — but theoretically possible. You can earn packs in-game or purchase them with real money.

The effect is that Ultimate Team feels more like a freemium game lodged inside a $60 title. Everything that this entails is the nub of much dismay in the FIFA community. Yet there is still a buzzing industry of YouTubers cracking open pack after pack, Patreon accounts offering trading tips

The tool may also give you a clearer idea of how much you spend on points. The game won't be able to track the total real-world value of the points you purchase. Consoles handle the in-game payment process, and you can buy points with a physical gift card. EA only knows how many points you've added to your account, so you'll need to do the math to figure out how much that’s worth in actual money. Points you buy outside of the game will count towards whatever limit you set.

Microtransaction mechanics such as FUT packs have been extremely lucrative

There may be some good news on the way for Mass Effect fans. On Friday, series publisher EA sent an email to publications like PC Gamer, asking them to keep an eye out for some “awesome” series-related news on the BioWare Blog tomorrow at 11AM ET.

As for what that news could be, we suspect the company will announce a remaster of the first three Mass Effect games. Rumors of an original trilogy remaster have been circulating since May when VentureBeat’s Jeff Grubb said the package was one of the surprises EA planned to push out before the end of March

The PS5 updates EA has planned for Star Wars: Squadrons are more modest. The PS5 will target the same resolution and frame rate as the PlayStation 4 Pro version currently does. EA hasn’t mentioned VRR or 120FPS support for PS5.

The situation for EA’s current lineup of sports titles is on the more complicated side. On December 4th, EA will release the next-gen versions of Madden NFL 21 and FIFA 21. If you already own those on a current-generation console, you’ll get a free upgrade once they become available. In the meantime, you’ll be able to play Madden NFL 21

Game Pass Ultimate members will have another big title to check out on their Xbox at no extra cost when EA Play becomes a perk on that service next Tuesday. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order will be available to EA Play subscribers on that date too.

November 10th is also when Microsoft will release Xbox Series X and Series S (you can check out Engadget's reviews of both consoles now). If you were lucky enough to lock in a pre-order for a Series X or Series S, you'll have a solid single-player Star Wars game to leap into on day one