FIFA 22 unlock time: Here's when it launches

kylian mbappe controlling the ball in the air in fifa 22

(Image credit: EA)

When does FIFA 22 unlock on Steam? Well, for those who paid a premium to start playing as early as possible, that time has already passed. But for the rest of us who've resisted the temptation to fork out extra cash to play the game early through EA Play or the Ultimate Edition, we have a short wait left before our fix of EA virtual football.

Frankly there isn't much to be excited about this year, as once again PC players are getting the short end of the FIFA 22 stick on PC. That's because the major changes—like the new 'Hypermotion' technology that provides AI-driven animations and interactions—is limited to next-gen consoles only. At least there are the preview packs that totally solve the game's loot box controversies.

But if that's not enough to put you off and you're intent on starting a new Career Mode, building a new Ultimate Team, and doing whatever is going on in those Volta minigames on PC, here's when you can play the new FIFA.

FIFA 22 release times

If you're an EA Play subscriber or you bought the FIFA 22 Ultimate Edition, you'll already be playing. That's because you'll have been able to take advantage of a ten-hour trial that carries over to the full game from last week on EA Play, and you'll be well on your way to Ultimate Team glory as an Ultimate Edition owner, which gave players full access on Monday. Something to note for next year if the wait is too painful for you right now.

If you pre-ordered or intend to buy the Standard Edition, FIFA 22 unlocks globally at 8am BST on Steam. The Origin time is currently not listed.

Here's how that breaks down across timezones:

Los Angeles: 12 am PT
New York: 3 am ET
London: 8 am BST
Sydney: 5 pm AEST

Don't see your timezone listed? Just click this link for a handy converter.

It's a bit different if you're playing on consoles: FIFA 22 Standard Edition unlocks at midnight if you're not on PC.

When FIFA 22 does finally unlock, you may start grinding for FIFA 22 Hero and ICON cards in Ultimate Team, or persuading your chairman to buy the players with the highest ratings to catapult your squad to glory. Either way, just don't compare the motion capture with your console friends.

UK — After collecting and devouring piles of print gaming guides in his younger days, Harry has been creating 21st century versions for the past five years as Guides Writer at PCGamesN and Guides Editor at PC Gamer. He has also produced features, reviews, and even more guides for Trusted Reviews, TechRadar and Top Ten Reviews. He's been playing and picking apart PC games for over two decades, from hazy memories of what was probably a Snake knock-off on his first rig when he was seven to producing informative guides on football simulators, open-world role-playing games, and shooters today. So many by now he steadfastly refuses to convey information unless it’s in clickable online form.