EA Sports Ends Partnership With FIFA, Game To Continue Under New Name
EA Sports' iconic gaming franchise, FIFA, will soon have a new name.
The game itself will carry on, but under a new name, as EA Sports announced Tuesday that it has failed to strike a new licensing deal with world soccer's governing body. The game will now be known as EA Sports FC from 2023 onward, after the partnership with FIFA ends later this year.
"We're thankful for our many years of 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. We have an incredible opportunity to put EA SPORTS FC at the heart of the sport, and to bring even more innovative and authentic experiences to the growing football audience."
Cam Weber, EVP, Group GM EA SPORTS & Racing, wrote on EA Sports' website that the features to which FIFA players have grown accustomed will remain in future games.
"Everything you love about our games will be part of EA SPORTS FC – the same great experiences, modes, leagues, tournaments, clubs and athletes will be there. Ultimate Team, Career Mode, Pro Clubs and VOLTA Football will all be there," Weber wrote. "Our unique licensing portfolio of more than 19,000+ players, 700+ teams, 100+ stadiums and 30 leagues that we’ve continued to invest in for decades will still be there, uniquely in EA SPORTS FC."
Weber confirmed in the post that exclusive partnerships with the world's biggest leagues -- Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A, MLS -- will remain.
EA Sports first released "FIFA International Soccer" in 1993, before rebranding to "FIFA Soccer" in 1995 and settling on "FIFA" in 1997. The game has become a global phenomenon over the years and generates billions in sales each year.
EA Sports confirmed in its annual report last year that they generated $1.6 billion in FIFA game sales from April 2020 to March 2021.
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