EA has announced that the FIFA branding would be removed from its popular soccer video games beginning with the release of the game next year. EA Sports FC will be the new title for the games.
Despite the moniker change, it appears that much of the DNA of FIFA games will remain unchanged. “Everything you love about our games will be included in EA Sports FC – the same fantastic experiences, modes, leagues, tournaments, clubs, and athletes,” EA’s Cam Weber said in a blog post. “There will include Ultimate Team, Career Mode, Pro Clubs, and Volta Football.” Our unique license portfolio of over 19,000+ players, 700+ teams, 100+ stadiums, and 30 leagues, which we’ve continued to invest in for decades, will be present in EA Sports FC. This includes exclusive collaborations with the Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and the MLS, among others.”
Weber stated that EA will provide additional details about EA Sports FC in the summer of 2023. He also stated that EA is “dedicated to ensuring the next FIFA is our best ever, with more features, game modes, World Cup material, clubs, leagues, competitions, and players than any previous FIFA release.”
It’s not entirely surprising that EA has dropped the FIFA logo. Last year, EA officially stated that it was “reviewing our name rights arrangement with FIFA.” In addition, leaked statements from EA CEO Andrew Wilson showed that he was unhappy with the company’s branding relationship with FIFA. According to VGC’s report on the comments, “basically, what we receive from FIFA in a non-World Cup year is the four letters on the front of the box.”
In addition, EA has recently demonstrated a willingness to create sports games with less flashy branding. In a new game slated to arrive in the summer of 2023, EA is bringing back college football games sans college players, and the company is also working on a new golf simulation game, EA Sports PGA Tour, which is set to release in the spring of 2023.
