FIFA and EA Sports end 30-year partnership, EA Sports FC confirmed as new name

FIFA 23 will be EA Sports’ latest FIFA video game, with the developer moving to EA Sports FC next year, Electronic Arts has announced, as trademark applications revealed last October.

EA is parting ways with world football’s governing body FIFA after a nearly three-decade partnership and ending one of the world’s most successful video game franchises that generated billions of dollars in sales. It marks a split in one of football’s most successful and lucrative partnerships, after the parties failed to strike a new licensing deal.

Licensing fees for the game earn FIFA around $150 million (approximately Rs 1,158 crore) a year – the largest commercial income of its $7 billion (approximately Rs 54,066 crore) total revenue from 2019 to 2022 – although FIFA took a defiant tone in a statement released hours after the loss of that revenue was announced.

FIFA was seeking at least double the $150 million it receives annually from EA Sports, The New York Times reported last October, adding that there were varying expectations as to what should be included in a new agreement.

EA made a “meaningful offer” to FIFA for an eight-year exclusivity period on all FIFA gaming and esports rights, but the world football body was unwilling to lock in all of its gaming and esports rights with a single publisher, Reuters reported. in October.

However, the two entities have reportedly adjusted to maintain the partnership until the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 next summer, with FIFA granting another short-term extension to EA Sports to launch a new FIFA 23 title later. This year.

But even before the end of the partnership with EA Sports, FIFA has promised a “number of new simulation-free games” to be launched ahead of the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup which kicks off in Qatar in November. These new football video games are developed by third parties. -party studios and publishers, said FIFA.

“I can assure you that the only real authentic game bearing the FIFA name will be the best available to football players and fans,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

That said, EA has been producing a FIFA game for nearly 30 years and for generations of young people, FIFA has meant a video game rather than a sporting institution.

Although EA Sports FC cannot include FIFA content, including the World Cup, it retains 300 licensing partners, including top-tier football competitions such as the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga and the League of Nations. champions organized by UEFA.

The licensing deals will help EA retain most of the world’s famous clubs and stars with their teams and leagues, whether it’s Lionel Messi of Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina, or Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United and Portugal.

EA’s announcement showed the strength of these partnerships with warm comments from Premier League, UEFA and La Liga leaders, while a coordinated release of tweets from dozens of football clubs used the slogan “We are in the club” to align with the EA Sports FC brand.

“We are grateful for our many years of excellent partnership with FIFA,” said EA CEO Andrew Wilson. “The future of world football is very bright, and fans around the world have never been stronger.”

Wilson promised “even more innovative and authentic experiences for growing football audiences”, while future rival FIFA spoke of creating “new interactive experiences for fans around the world”.

“The interactive gaming and esports industry is on a path of unprecedented growth and diversification,” Infantino said. “FIFA’s strategy is to ensure that we can make the most of all future options and secure a wide range of products and opportunities for players, supporters, member associations and partners.