EA Sports has dropped yet another high-stakes gamble into the Ultimate Team ecosystem of EA FC 26 with the release of the 93+ Icon Player Pick SBC - and it's been the talk of the community for all the right and wrong reasons. With a jaw-dropping price tag of 800,000 coins, this SBC promises elite-level rewards with nine segments to complete: 91, 90, 90, 89, 89, 89-rated squads among them Fut 26 Coins. In return? Three chances at a legendary, game-changing icon. Or, at least, that's the dream. Reality has been much more chaotic.

Let's break down the entire drama, from immortal hype to outright L's, and see if this monstrous SBC is a dub or just another bait for fodder.

The Cost of Greatness - 800K or Bust

First, let's talk economics. This isn't just an expensive SBC - it may be the most expensive icon pick in FIFA/EA FC history. At nearly a million coins, most players are dumping their entire fodder stacks and even trading in active squads just to submit it. The expectations? Sky-high. When you're spending more than what most 94-rated icons are worth, you expect value. Unfortunately, many found disappointment at the end of the grind.

Players joked that "you're not opening an icon pick, you're mortgaging your club." And in many cases, they weren't wrong.

Horror Stories and Duplicate Disasters

Right out the gate, many players reported devastating results. Imagine turning in 800K worth of fodder and being handed three duplicate icons. That's exactly what happened to one unlucky player who pulled Rooney, Angra, and Yashin - all dupes. Not a single usable option. That level of pain sparked outrage across social media, with players begging EA to implement dupe protection for high-tier SBCs.

Another example? A player submitted everything, hoping for Maradona or R9, only to get Puskas, Angra (again), and Zamrotta. Puskas might be decent, but when you're aiming for legends like Pele, Dinho, or Gullit, it feels like a slap.

The most common theme across hundreds of picks? Seeing Shavy, Rooney, Angra, and Zamrotta over and over and over again. These cards, while decent, feel like placeholders at best and straight-up Ls at worst.

Immortal Cards: High Hopes, Low Pull Rates

The inclusion of Immortal Icons - a new tier introduced in EA FC 26 - initially sparked massive excitement. These are not just boosted versions of legends, they're meta-shifting cards designed to be truly endgame. But how often are they actually appearing?

Spoiler: Not often.

Yes, there have been bangers like 95 Dinho, 96 R9, and 94 Bale, all considered Ws. One lucky player pulled R9 - a 15 million coin, extinct card - and literally rebuilt their entire squad from scratch after the pick. Another saw Pele alongside Maradona in the same pick, a dream scenario. But these cases are exceptionally rare.

For the vast majority of players, Immortal cards were either missing entirely or showed up as dupes. And when you spend 800K only to get a card you already own, the Immortal shine fades fast.

Meta Cards or Mid Tier Fodder? The Debate

Some pulls caused debate. For instance:

·Buffon - Great stats, iconic, but underwhelming considering goalkeepers rarely make an impact in-game.

·Shavy - Technically a very usable CM, but appears far too frequently, killing excitement.

·Zamrotta - Solid, but with so many top-tier fullbacks available, not worth 800K.

·Ribery - Popular pull, and valuable, but many players already unlocked better versions via the Premium Pass.

·Zico - A surprise W for many, especially since he can receive Finesse Pass, turning him into a top-tier CAM.

·Blanc - Decent, but 350K on the market, making him a mid-value pull in this context.

·David Beckham - Flashy, nostalgic, but not a meta-breaker.

·Vieira (Birthday Version) - One of the better pulls, especially if you need a CDM anchor.

·So many of these players fall into a gray zone. They're technically good. But when your investment equals nearly the price of a TOTY Mbappe, you're not looking for "technically good." You're looking for game-changers.

Best Pulls So Far: The True Wins

Some lucky legends emerged from the chaos. Here are a few of the biggest Ws from the 93+ Icon Pick:

·96 R9 - Still 15 million coins, still the best striker in the game.

·95 Ronaldinho (Dinho) - 5M+, top-tier creativity and flair.

·96 Pele - What more needs to be said? Peak icon.

·94 Bale (Immortal) - Explosive winger, rarely seen, but a massive W.

·94 Matteus - Though his price dropped to 450K, he's still extremely usable.

·These picks keep hope alive. They also fuel the FOMO that keeps people submitting even after getting burned.How Many Ls Are Too Many?

It's almost become a meme now. "Another Angra? Another Shavy? Another Rooney?" The saturation of mid-icon fodder in what's supposed to be an elite SBC is alarming. YouTuber shareplays and streamers have showcased pick after pick delivering the same underwhelming results. While some viewers tune in hoping to see that mythical R9, more often than not, they're witnessing 800K vanish into mediocrity.

In one shareplay session, a player opened eight 93+ icon picks back to back. The results? Maybe two were close to Ws. The rest? Fodder festivals featuring the same familiar faces.

Is It Worth It? The Verdict

For most players, no.

Let's be blunt: 800,000 coins is simply too much for what's effectively a roulette wheel with very few winning numbers. The lack of dupe protection, the high rate of mid-tier icons, and the low pull rate of Immortals make this SBC a high-risk gamble. Yes, the highs are euphoric - R9, Pele, Dinho - but the lows are brutal and far more common.

In reality, the average return seems to be around 300-400K in value, far below the input cost. And that's not even factoring in the emotional toll of seeing your dream card pop up — only to realize it's a duplicate.

The Community's Take

Players have been vocal:

·"Worst SBC value of the year."

·"EA needs to add dupe protection yesterday."

·"Fun to watch, painful to complete."

·"It's R9 or Bust. And most of us busted."

·Even popular content creators who thrive on the hype of new packs have openly criticized the structure and value of this SBC. Many are now advocating for dynamic picks, where the SBC cost adjusts based on market trends, or implementing token systems where players can save for guaranteed top icons.

Final Thoughts: Hype Without Balance

EA FC 26's 93+ Icon Player Pick SBC is a perfect encapsulation of Ultimate Team's modern era: flashy, expensive, and unpredictable. It plays directly into the gambling mechanics of the game - spinning the wheel with dreams of R9 or Ronaldinho, but often walking away with Shavy or Buffon EA FC Coins.

If you're sitting on massive fodder and coins and love the thrill of the gamble? Sure, send it and enjoy the ride. But for most players, this SBC isn't worth it. It's a lottery ticket wrapped in disappointment - and until EA rebalances the odds or reduces the price, that's unlikely to change.

TL;DR: EA's 93+ Icon Player Pick is flashy, expensive, and packed with dupes. A few players hit the jackpot with R9 or Dinho, but most walked away with 800K worth of regret. Proceed with caution - or better yet, wait for EA to fix the odds.