EA has given the proposed name change for its renowned football gaming series the go-ahead with a new trailer for what would be FIFA 23 imminent. It is, however, unclear whether the name change, reportedly to EA Sports Football Club, will apply to this highly-anticipated follow-up title or a future title yet to be announced.
Tensions have reportedly been mounting between Electronic Arts and the Federation Internationale Football Association (FIFA) concerning the branding rights for the company’s wildly successful AAA title football gaming series. According to reports, the gaming giant and the FIFA governing body have been in heavy disagreement about numerous aspects of the contract entitling EA to the name of the globally recognized football event.
Chief amongst EA’s dissatisfactions is that under the terms stipulated in their contract with FIFA, they are unable to progress the game further than what glorifies the FIFA World Cup. This has led to considerable slumps in the years that the World Cup doesn’t occur as the game is centered so heavily around it. EA CEO Andrew Wilson pointed out specifically that the FIFA governing body had made it impossible for EA to expand their games’ modes beyond the FIFA-staple 11v11 matches. In a VGC report last month, Wilson even went so far as to say that the only value EA receives from its contract during the years when the World Cup doesn’t take place is the ‘four letters on the box.’
Another of EA’s concerns is the sheer cost of the contract. In 2021, the federation and the gaming giant suffered a financial dispute of epic proportions after FIFA demanded in excess of double the previous amount for the next contractual term, an increase which amounted to around $2.5 billion. The contractual terms between EA and FIFA typically last a decade, with the current term expected to expire sometime after the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar in November.
The 2021 dispute is largely regarded as the biggest catalyst for the proposed name change and withdrawal from future contractual agreements with FIFA.
As of yet, it’s unclear when the name change will take effect, but what is clear is that it will signal a brand new beginning for the FIFA series as we’ve come to enjoy it. With EA effectively taking back full creative control of its football franchise, EA FIFA 23 should be a much more innovative, integrated, and globally inclusive start to the football simulation ecosystem.
