In May of last year, EA Sports confirmed the termination of its 30-year partnership with FIFA, the global football governing body. This development sent shockwaves through the gaming community, especially for long-time FIFA players.
The decision boiled down to financial matters. FIFA had demanded double the $150 million licensing fee from Electronic Arts (EA) to continue using its name. EA, on the other hand, began questioning the value it received for this hefty sum. Andrew Wilson, the CEO of EA, reportedly expressed his concerns to employees, highlighting that in non-World Cup years, they essentially got the four letters ‘FIFA’ on the game’s cover – a point that seemed less significant in the digital age when most gamers no longer even saw physical game boxes.
The history of FIFA and EA
For years, FIFA’s football franchise had enjoyed little competition. However, FIFA’s threat to release its own rival game suddenly cast doubt on the future of the EA game. Would EA lose its licensing rights, resulting in generic teams and players, while FIFA successfully created its own game?
The FIFA-funded film “United Passions,” which starred Tim Roth as the now-disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Sam Neill as the now-disgraced former FIFA president Joao Havelange, apparently inspired EA to consider ditching the Football organisation. The film was so bad that EA’s big wigs became convinced that FIFA would struggle to produce a successful video game despite its substantial financial resources.
A series of cryptic statements from the current FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, appeared to reinforce these doubts and left gamers sceptical about its quality. Over the past year, gamers had been on the lookout for any signs of FIFA’s entry into the gaming market, but thus far no concrete information had emerged.
Big News for the EA franchise
The final blow to FIFA’s hopes came recently during the launch event for EA Sports FC 24, scheduled for release on September 29. EA Sports executives announced that they had secured exclusive rights to the Premier League, La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, and nearly every other men’s and women’s club competition, leaving FIFA’s hypothetical game in a position akin to a cash-strapped lower division team – unable to compete and facing an uncertain future.
The outcome raises questions about the impact on EA’s flagship FIFA franchise, which has been both successful and controversial. While it sells millions of copies annually, fans often criticize its practice of charging full price for incremental updates and new rosters, as well as its use of loot box mechanics in Ultimate Team. The absence of competition from FIFA may further exacerbate these concerns.
More than just the rights
Turning to the features of EA Sports FC 24, the game promises an enhanced pre-match experience through an expanded Frostbite engine, featuring lively crowd scenes and realistic press conferences. Additionally, EA has partnered with Opta, utilizing statistics to determine key players’ special attributes. Notably, EA introduces “Hypermotion V,” a technology that employs volumetric capture and machine learning to replicate real-world player movements from more than 180 matches, captured with high-resolution cameras. Nick Wlodyka, senior vice president and general manager of EA Sports FC, emphasizes that this approach allows for the rapid incorporation of new animations, such as spectacular volleys and memorable celebrations.
The launch event concluded with the introduction of Erling Haaland as the cover star, a fitting choice for a player known for dominating opponents in video games, much like the EA “FIFA football” series itself, which has established itself as a juggernaut in the gaming industry.
When asked if the potential rivalry with a FIFA-made game influenced their approach to this year’s release, Nick Wlodyka played it safe, focusing on delivering great experiences for players while avoiding any dramatic rivalry talk. Nevertheless, gamers are left with a clear picture: EA’s franchise remains firmly in control, with no imminent threat from a FIFA-produced alternative.
