After 30 years of working together, EA Sports will be doing away with the FIFA title for its football game.
Here's a look at why the "FIFA" title held back the esteemed game publishers.
What's the story?
Following the announcement of EA Sports' separation from the FIFA brand last year, there's been plenty of questions surrounding the surprising split.
Since then, EA has announced its plans with the new branding and ideas for their new EA Sports FC venture, with the publisher's CEO revealing in February last year how the game was held back by the footballing body.
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Let's take a closer look at how EA Sports was hindered by FIFA...
How were EA held back by FIFA?
It's been known for a while now that the EA Sports FIFA series will be drawing to a close. EA is dumping FIFA and branching out on its own with EA Sports FC.
EA announced way back in May 2022 that the long-running EA Sports FIFA series will end after the release of FIFA. The publisher confirmed its football gaming series with their first instalment launching this year.
Speaking to the Mirrror, Vice President of Brand at EA, David Jackson said the break will allow the publisher to deliver on player expectations, and alluded to the series being held back by FIFA in the past:
"EA Sports FC is our future vision. I think we've done a very good job and had a great relationship over time with the FIFA organisation, but now's the right time for us to set a new path and chart our own path forward, be able to meet players expectations where they are, and we feel we can do that best through the lens of our own platform," he said.
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EA's CEO Andrew Wilson was vocal about the publisher being hindered by FIFA when speaking to gaming publication VGC.
Wilson stated that FIFA had precluded EA from expanding its games into modes beyond traditional 11v11, or "broader digital ecosystems", and suggested that the only value EA got from the licence deal in a non-World Cup year was the "four letters on the front of the box".
The new EA Sports FC will have authenticity, innovation, and the idea to create new and engaging experiences for their customers as focal point, while providing the same features offered in previous FIFA games that players have grown to love.
Looking back at how EA and FIFA got divorced, a New York Times report last year revealed that FIFA was asking EA to double their $150 million (R2.9 billion) the publisher was already paying annually for the rights to its brand name, for the next decade!
At the time, EA were reportedly already questioning the value of their partnership with the footballing body, with publisher also wanting more rights/licences.
With EA eager to grow their football game franchise, they appeared to be frustrated in FIFA's reported lack of contribution to the game, and will be excited to launch EA Sports FC 24, with the FIFA shackles off.
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