American video game company EA Sports are set to rebrand their popular FIFA game series after failing to agree a deal with world football’s governing body, thus ending a three-decade partnership.
The media developer, who have produced the popular series of football games since 1993’s FIFA International Soccer, have confirmed that the game will be renamed following the release of their next edition FIFA 23, later this year.
And as per The Athletic, the video game developers have revealed that the upcoming football games of the popular series will be called EA Sports FC from 2023.
“After nearly 30 years of creating genre-defining interactive football experiences, we will soon begin an exciting new era,”
“Next year, EA SPORTS FC will become the future of football from EA SPORTS. Alongside our 300+ licence partners across the sport, we’re ready to take global football experiences to new heights, on behalf of all football fans around the world.
“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.”
EA Sports said in a statement.
The game in itself is not expected to change much. Most of the world’s famous teams and stars will still be playable due to separate licensing deals with those clubs and leagues but the World Cup itself along with other FIFA-controlled events will no longer be included.
The writing for a split had been on the wall for months. Both the parties are said to have differed financial expectations with FIFA seeking at least double the 150 million dollars it gets annually from the developers, reports the New York Times.
Meanwhile, FIFA chief Gianni Infantino has expressed his ambitious plan to create the world football governing body’s own football game.
“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,”
the Italian was quoted as saying to the media on May 10.
