EA has announced their new game, EA Sports FC which would be replacing their FIFA games. This is a result of the EA and FIFA partnership coming to an end after almost three decades.
This partnership has been one of the most successful commercial relationships in sports, however, now it is over. While the current deal is said to end after this year’s World Cup in Qatar, some adjustments have been made.
FIFA has even promised that the non-simulation games already under production will launch ahead of the 2022 World Cup. The 2022 World Cup is said to start in Qatar in November this year. According to them, they currently have plans to create a new gaming model and expand its streaming service, FIFA+.
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EA Ends Its Partnership with FIFA
While changes would be made to the upcoming games aren’t sure. The game itself should not have a lot of changes, because most famous clubs should still be playable. That’s because of the separate licensing deals signed individually. Although it should be noted that the World Cup itself and other FIFA events would no longer be included.
“I can assure you that the only authentic, real game that has the FIFA name will be the best one available,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in the statement.
He also said, “The interactive gaming and e-sports sector is on a path of unrivaled growth and diversification. FIFA’s strategy is to ensure we can make the most of all future options and ensure a wide range of products and opportunities for gamers, fans, member associations, and partners.”
“We’re thankful for our many years of [a] great partnership with FIFA,” EA CEO Andrew Wilson said. “The future of global football is very bright, and fandom around the world has never been stronger.”
Will there be a new FIFA game anytime soon?
While the announcement of the new EA Sports FC has been made by EA Sports, FIFA 23 will still be released. It will also be the last FIFA video game from EA Sports. Back in October reports by Reuters suggested that EA had made a “significant offer” to FIFA for an eight-year exclusivity. This exclusivity period was across all of FIFA’s gaming and esports rights. However, Fifa was not willing to lock up all of its gaming and esports rights with just one publisher.
Over the years, we’ve seen a lot of Fifa games made by EA Sports. Last year, they even launched Fifa 22, their latest Fifa game. It is the 29th installment in the FIFA series and was released worldwide on 1 October 2021. The game is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S|X consoles.
Fifa 22 also introduced the new HyperMotion Technology which uses motion capture data collected from 22 real-life players. According to the developers, the game uses this data to generate life-like player movements and animations. This new “HyperMotion” feature is currently only available on the 9th Generation consoles and Stadia versions of the game.
Well with that said, what do you think about EA Sports ending its partnership with Fifa? Do let us know your thoughts by dropping a comment down below.
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