The two have agreed to part ways.
Football’s global governing body FIFA and popular video game makers, Electronic Arts (EA) have agreed not to extend their partnership, which has lasted for almost three decades.
The two combined together to create one of the most popular video games, known as FIFA and will come to an end after the Women’s World Cup in 2023.
Fans of the sport will now have to get used to the new game, which will now be known as ‘EA Sports FC’.
Upon the announcement, EA’s chief executive, Andrew Wilson, said: “Our vision for EA SPORTS FC is to create the largest and most impactful football club in the world, at the epicentre 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.”
EA Sports and FIFA have failed to reach an agreement to extend their deal 💔
Instead, we’ll have to get used to playing a new game: EA Sports FC pic.twitter.com/sBoyxzITmO
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) May 10, 2022
Despite the name change, the New York Times reports that this won’t have too much effect on the overall gameplay and experience, meaning you will still be able to play as some of the biggest clubs and players around the globe.
This has been made possible due to the separate licensing events with teams and leagues however mainstream events such as the World Cup and other events controlled by FIFA will no longer be available to play in the game.
In the last two decades of its existence FIFA has made more than $20bn in sales however it has emerged that problems between FIFA and EA have been boiling for a while.
FIFA were reportedly asking for double the $15om EA Sports already pay annually however EA were unable to find an agreement and therefore have now decided to go their separate ways.
Related links:
- FIFA 22: Diego Maradona removed as EA Sports release statement
- EA SPORTS to remove all Russian teams from FIFA 22
- FIFA reportedly want to charge EA Sports $1billion every four years for name
