News announced by EA Sports today means the next FIFA game due out, FIFA 23, will be the last of EA Sports' FIFA games. But don't fear, EA Sports will continue making football games, complete with licensed players, competitions, clubs and the Ultimate Team mode.
However, the new game will no longer use the FIFA name. From 2023, EA's football title will be called EA Sports FC.
In an announcement made today, EA Sports said: "This new independent platform will bring fresh opportunity – to innovate, create and evolve. This is much more than just a change of symbol - as EA SPORTS, we’re committed to ensuring EA SPORTS FC is a symbol of change.
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"We’re dedicated to meaningfully reinvesting in the sport, and we’re excited to work with a large and increasing number of partners to expand to new authentic experiences that bring joy, inclusivity and immersion to a global community of fans. I look forward to sharing more detail on these plans in the coming months."
EA has promised its EA Sports FC games will be better than "any FIFA title before".
Why is EA Sports not making FIFA anymore?
According to New York Times reporter Tariq Panja, FIFA - the football body - wanted to charge EA more money to use its naming rights. He tweeted: "FIFA wanted EA to pay double the $150m it currently does and also wanted to sell its name to other games developers. Months of wrangling ended in what EA’s separation describes as an 'amicable' split."
EA has said breaking from FIFA will bring "fresh opportunity – to innovate, create and evolve".
It adds: "This is much more than just a change of symbol - as EA SPORTS, we’re committed to ensuring EA SPORTS FC is a symbol of change. We’re dedicated to meaningfully reinvesting in the sport, and we’re excited to work with a large and increasing number of partners to expand to new authentic experiences that bring joy, inclusivity and immersion to a global community of fans. I look forward to sharing more detail on these plans in the coming months."
Is FIFA 23 still coming out?
Yes, FIFA 23, made by EA Sports, is due out in the autumn. It will include the 2022 FIFA World Cup as a competition.
EA Sports says: "We are committed to ensuring the next FIFA is our best ever, with more features, game modes, World Cup content, clubs, leagues, competitions, and players than any FIFA title before."
Will EA Sports FC have real licences for teams, players and competitions?
Yes, EA has licensing agreements with leagues, clubs, players and competitions. That will continue when FIFA evolves into EA Sports FC.
EA said: "Our unique licensing portfolio of more than 19,000+ players, 700+ teams, 100+ stadiums and 30 leagues that we’ve continued to invest in for decades will still be there, uniquely in EA SPORTS FC. That includes exclusive partnerships with the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, the MLS – and more to come."
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: “EA SPORTS is a long-term and valued partner of the Premier League, and we look forward to continuing to work together in the new era of EA SPORTS FC.” UEFA marking director Guy-Laurent Epstein added: “With a shared commitment to serve football fans around the world, we look forward to our continued partnership with EA SPORTS FC to provide players with authentic in-game experiences featuring the club competitions they love.”
However, beyond 2022, securing the World Cup might be difficult, as FIFA owns the naming rights.
