Since the first offshoot FIFA International Soccer in 1993, Electronic Arts’ soccer games have enjoyed incredible popularity, topping the sales charts year after year. After FIFA 23 this fall, that’s it, because starting next year, the series will be called EA Sports FC.
EA Sports FC: FIFA series under new name
“In July 2023, a new era begins – After EA SPORTS delivers the most comprehensive FIFA ever,” it says full-bodied in the announcement of the publisher. But quite as rosy as one would like to sell the renaming of the legendary FIFA series, the reality is not. After all, the Football World Federation had withdrawn the license from the publisher.
But even without FIFA in the title, the new sports game EA Sports FC is supposed to raise virtual soccer to a new level next year. All game modes, such as Ultimate Team, career mode, Pro Clubs or VOLTA Football will once again be part of the game, the publisher promises. Only the name is new.
EA Sports FC will feature more than 19,000 licensed players, over 700 teams, over 100 stadiums and 30 leagues from all over the world. And yet, with the relaunch of the best-selling game, they plan some innovations, as it is further said:
We are incredibly excited to be shaping the future of soccer with all of you and look forward to sharing more details about EA SPORTS FC in Summer 2023. […] Soccer has been a part of EA SPORTS for nearly 30 years – and today we’re making sure it stays that way for decades to come.
EA Sports FC: Many big clubs are joining
In a massive social media campaign, many world-renowned soccer clubs already announced their support. Almost simultaneously with the announcement of the name change, identical messages and tweets shot through the vastness of the Internet, in which clubs and national teams confirmed: “We are part of the club. More info, July 2023”.
Included are the German national soccer team, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Liverpool FC, Manchester City and many other clubs, while various leagues, providers and platforms such as Sony PlayStation joyfully joined in.
What we can expect in terms of gameplay in EA Sports FC and with which competitor FIFA will be allied from next year, is currently still completely unclear. What is clear, however, is that FIFA 23 will be the last FIFA game from EA Sports for release in the fall.
In a statement of FIFA it is said that the licenses will no longer be exclusive. At the same time, it is approaching publishers, studios and investors to develop “a major new soccer simulation in 2024”.