EA Sports FC — if the name didn’t hammer on your head then you are probably not aware of the next-big thing in the arena of football games. But don’t let the FOMO fever take over, Technowize has got you covered.
The erstwhile smash-hit title FIFA has rebranded itself and will be known as EA Sports FC. To be precise, it’s not a case of rebranding. For the uninitiated, EA Sports FIFA, which used to be the ultimate word in the realm of PC football games for almost 30 years, has been discontinued. The blockbuster series EA SPORTS FIFA, was a result of the close-knit relationship between EA (Electronic Arts) Sports and football’s governing body in the world, FIFA.
However, almost a year back, it was learned that a separation is on the cards. Both EA and FIFA let the football fanatics and game nerds know that they were going to come up with separate titles. Hence, long-time friends turned into foes, something which seems unpalatable, even a year after.
Now, EA Sports FC has been announced and some glimpses are already there. You can catch them at the newly-launched site of EA Sports FC. Let’s jump into the field and have some football overdose pumped with next-gen gaming.
It is believed that FIFA was asking EA to pay around $1 billion every four years, to use its name and licensed products, to which the latter declined and the split became inevitable. Now, all eyes will be on the next announcement from EA Sports FC, something which is slated for July, 2023. [Image Credit: EA Sports FC]
EA Sports FC: The Waving Flag Changes Direction
For millions of football fans who are also gamers at heart, the EA Sports FIFA is a pure emotion. With around 350 million copies sold so far, it also holds the Guinness World Records’ best-selling sports video game franchise in the world.
When it comes to mobile football games, Konami’s PES (Pro Evolution Soccer) which was also rebranded as eFootball last year, hails the top spot in terms of popularity. You can check the eFootball 2023 Season 3 that has allowed Konami to thwart away the initial controversies, at least to some extent. However, in PC football gaming, there’s still no match to EA Sports FIFA, which has resorted to its swansong with the ’23 edition.
It is believed that FIFA was asking EA to pay around $1 billion every four years, to use its name and licensed products, to which the latter declined and the split became inevitable. Now, the question arises who’s going to win the bragging rights of the global football games.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino sounded confident — “I can assure you that the only authentic, real game that has the FIFA name will be the best one available for gamers and football fans.”
On the other hand, Nick Wlodyka, SVP & GM, EA SPORTS FC, cleared the air of confusion — “We’re building on 30 years of leadership and history creating experiences that bring the global football community together, and continuing to take it into a fan-first future. EA SPORTS FC will be a symbol for the sport, a symbol of innovation and change, and we’re energized to show our fans more about the future in July.”
However, it seems that EA Sports FC has quite a few aces up its sleeve, enough to get the better of the upcoming variants launched by the world football’s governing body. In this regard, Cam Weber, EVP, Group GM EA SPORTS & Racing, shed light — “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.”
Weber further added, “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. That includes exclusive partnerships with the Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A, the MLS – and more to come.”
For your information, FIFA has already come up with a new football game called AI League, which hasn’t managed to create a stir across the global football gaming community. But to be very honest, the divorce was coming. EA CEO Andrew Wilson expressed his sheer dissatisfaction with FIFA, way back in a statement — “Basically, what we get from FIFA in a non-World Cup year is the four letters on the front of the box.”
However, it would be extremely interesting to see if the battle gets really intense between these two power players. All eyes will be on the next announcement from EA Sports FC, something which is slated for July, 2023. The franchise also promises to invest a whopping $10 million over the next three years across multiple community-level football projects.
We will be vigilant and keep you posted with exclusive updates on how it unfolds. Till then, stay tuned with us for more news on gaming and other top stories from the world of tech.
