Soccer video game company Electronic Arts confirms it will stop making FIFA branded titles for their iconic franchise as from July 2023
EA Sports FIFA was one of the most prominent and bankable brands in gaming history.
However, the high cost of licensing was the biggest reason why the decision was made to halt their partnership with football’s governing body – FIFA.
EA will still continue making soccer video games, but from July 2023 – they will come under a new brand title – EA Sports FC.
In response to the latest development, FIFA has also hinted at plans to release its own rival games, stating that “The Fifa name is the only global, original title.”
EA Sports published the first FIFA game in 1993 and has been behind the success of the iconic franchise ever since.
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While the gameplay aesthetics and core modes of the franchise will be maintained, the recent change will likely see the title offer a broader range of other experiences, beyond just the ability to play or what gamers have become accustomed to in recent years.
Vice President of EA Sports David Jackson explained that the studio thinks it’s time to move in a different direction in order to build a “brand for the future”.
“The world of football and the world of entertainment is changing, and they clash within our product.
“In the future, our players will demand of us the ability to be more expansive in that offering. At the moment, we engage in play as a primary form of interactive experience. Soon, watching and creating content are going to be equally as important for fans.
“Under the licensing conventions that we had agreed with Fifa 10 years ago, there were some restrictions that weren’t going to allow us to be able to build those experiences for players,” he told BBC.
The FIFA franchise has been largely successful due to detailed licensing agreements with the governing body, that allowed for accurate representations of team kits, players’ faces, and stadia to be seen on screen.
Gamers has equally been able to play as Premier League teams like Chelsea for years, while rivals soccer video gaming franchises like Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer, offered fictional teams like West London Blue.
EA has also said they will continue to offer real-world experiences, having already signed up about 19,000 athletes, 700 teams, 100 stadiums, and over 30 leagues for future games featuring the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, and UEFA as well.
However, there be one final FIFA release, FIFA 23 – which is set to be released later in the year.
The new EA Sports FC will most likely arrive in late 2023.
Although the details of the new experiences EA Sports FC plans to bring are still unclear at the moment, Pulse sports promises to bring you news of further developments subsequently.
