After over two decades of partnership, EA Sports and FIFA have confirmed that they will part ways after the Women's World Cup next summer, with the iconic game being rebranded.
Millions of fans around the world have grown up playing FIFA and will have to get used to the new name for the series: EA Sports FC.
Football, meet Future 🤝
We’re proud to be partnering with #EASPORTSFC to expand the future of the beautiful game. More to come July 2023. You ready? pic.twitter.com/CFIfWzFUHh— Nike Football (@nikefootball) May 10, 2022
In a press release this evening, EA Sports CEO Andrew Wilson said:
“Our vision for EA SPORTS FC is to create the largest and most impactful football club in the world, at the epicenter of football fandom. For nearly 30 years, we’ve been building the world’s biggest football community - with hundreds of millions of players, thousands of athlete partners, and hundreds of leagues, federations, and teams. EA SPORTS FC will be the club for every one of them, and for football fans everywhere.”
FIFA 23 will be the final iteration of the game that has reaped billions of dollars for its creators. It will become EA Sports FC next year.
EA Sports have confirmed that the same beloved features of the game will remain in the new iteration.
EA assures that EA Sports FC will keep all the same features and content including new and old exclusive partnerships
More infos to come in Summer 2023 pic.twitter.com/vPzYG2A45b— Nibel (@Nibellion) May 10, 2022
Despite EA's new partnership, fans of the video game shouldn't feel too worried on what impact it will have on the game in the future.
Many teams around the world have already shown their support to EA Sports and their licensing is likely to remain the same.
The Chief Executive of the Premier League Richard Masters also showed his support to EA during their announcement on its break from FIFA.
"EA Sports is a long-term and valued partner of the Premier League, and we look forward to continuing to work together in the new era"
Speaking to The New York Times, Gareth Sutcliffe, a senior analyst specializing in the video games sector at Enders Analysis said the move is likely to affect FIFA worse that EA.
"“If you’re breaking a relationship that goes back over 20 years there will be consequences,” .
“EA will continue to motor on: They have got all the technological smarts, the creative implementation of an absolutely fantastic football game — and it really is fantastic. But what do FIFA have? Their name. And then what?” he added.
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