Spanning nearly thirty years of representation through the global governing body of the beautiful game, EA, from 2023, will now progress with EA SPORTS FC serving as its branding.
This new era has come about after negotiations between EA and FIFA broke down due to disputes. These were reportedly held over the license fee: FIFA wanted to double its annual taking of $150 million as well as the expansion of the FIFA name, with the footballing body wanting to extend its presence into the wider digital sphere.
My childhood was defined in part by playing FIFA with my brothers, so perhaps my stance on this should be tinged with at least a little grief. Really, from here on out, any indication of mourning has most certainly been done away with.
That's because the truth is, the only real change to the series will be the branding, this fact being of no surprise those to familiar with the series. It is truly a pipe dream to believe the loss of the FIFA license will result in EA taking more effort into improving the game. It would make sense too.
However, the fact of the matter is, after 30 years, EA has established its football game as the premier title in its market.
The effects of this are very much felt by the poor, unfortunate consumers who submit themselves to an awful product, year in and year out. That's because, every year, nothing changes. EA's cash cow game mode, the virtual trading card simulation known as Ultimate Team, keeps people leashed to the game, draining their pockets in that very instance.
It's fair to say EA care about that mode alone. The other modes, in providing no monetary return, are simply ignored. Worse yet, the gameplay, that which sustains this whole enterprise, is complete and utter dross, to put it respectfully.
To football fans everywhere, save your money.