Fans of the game will be fuming
EA are proposing a radical change to the upcoming FC25 that is likely to leave fans of the game seething.
Since the inception of the game in December 1993 in its first form ‘FIFA International Soccer’, the game has gone on to dominate the gaming scene becoming the go-to football simulation game.
In 2022 the developer split with its former namesake, FIFA, after disagreements over how much money the footballing organisation were demanding for naming rights.
Now with the end of the 2023/2024 set to conclude with the Euros, all eyes are on next season’s instalment, EA FC 25, and it appears there are big changes planned.
According to reports, the video game developer is proposing to insert adverts into all of its games including its flagship football simulator EA FC 25.
This would include other EA sports games such as F1, NBA and Madden.
It is still uncertain to what capacity the advertisements would be presented in the games with FC 24 and its former FIFA form including real world ads on the electronic hoardings around the pitches as well as product placements like boots and kits.
This goes without even mentioning the clubs themselves benefiting hugely as businesses from the game.
Related links:
However, it would appear to big a significant enough of a change to warrant the announcement and fans are understandably furious on social media.
One person X wrote: “It’ll be the end of the game if they do that, games companies seem as out of touch as politicians these days”
While another said: “They can add ads if the game is free to play for all, till you pay £80 no place for ads on the game.”
With the split of EA Sports and FIFA, rivals old and new are attempting to profit off a slight dip in sales that saw an initial 30% drop off before recovering throughout the year, after the FIFA name was stripped from the game.
Cristiano Ronaldo recently launched a new, free football game, UFL, after investing £30m into the new franchise which claims to promote skill and fair play.
Meanwhile FIFA have plans to create their own game, while Konami tick over with eFootball, formerly PES, which although endeared by many fans, has spent most of its life in EA’s shadow.
As these games try to catch up with EA FC, fans will be anxiously waiting to see what this announcement means for the game.
With EA FC 24 being released at £59.99 last year, gamers will be hoping that if ads are to be added, this price is reduced.
