Electronic Arts & FIFA end 30-year Partnership

[Withywarlock]

It's rare I say "the end of an era" in video games, but I think this it's worth saying this time. GamesIndustry Biz report that Electronic Arts and FIFA will go their seperate ways after 30 years of exclusively working together, now that the association said they wanted to increase the price to renew the license every four years by 1Bn USD.

I know next to nothing about football, so I'd like to be enlightened: who would be the best suited candidate to handle FIFA, or rather, who is the most likely to acquire it? Will it be used as a strategic move by Sony or Microsoft to sieze the UK's hottest selling game franchise?

Whatever the case, it's unlikely they can handle it much worse than Electronic Arts. I'll leave the betting to others.

Link to the article: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2022-05-10-ea-and-fifa-end-nearly-30-year-old-partnership

[kingpotato]

The yearly release system doesnt work anymore (it never did), publishers and developers should take a year off and rethink the way the game is presented, they could probably go the same route as PES now E-Football and go for a live service and free to play type of game with cosmetics only microtransactions, at least if somebody wants to play the game they dont have to pay every year for a release of a new game. Or if you just want to play some casual co-op soccer matches you can just buy whatever fifa game version from 2018 and below for less than 5 US dollars, even at my local gamestop they are selling used copies of thhe game for less than a dollar.

[Justin11]

That's to say, nothing last forever. EA tried in the past to handle the FIFA license soccer series, but their recent edition of the series aren't what it supposed. So, lots of gamers expressed being disgruntled with what EA offered with FIFA series. I think is the best thing they did with the trademark name 'FIFA, to end agreement. I'll looking forward seeing better version of the FIFA soccer game in the future, when a better video game studio takes over to continue with the brand. 

[Shagger]

I don't see this making any difference. EA football or whatever they plan to name the series from now on will be same, toxic pile of slime as least year's game, like it is every year. The only change to expect is to perhaps see another developer/publisher making the official FIFA game in the future, and I wouldn't expect much from that either. If anything FIFA care even less about the quality and ethics of the EA Sports FIFA games than EA did. They were happy for the games to that toxic pile of slime so long as that topic pile of slime make them money. @Withywarlock may have described this a "The End of Era", but to me it sounds more reminiscent of that time somebody in 1918 said "That was the war to end all war.". Just a prologue to more misery and disappointed.

[killamch89]

2 hours ago, Shagger said:

I don't see this making any difference. EA football or whatever they plan to name the series from now on will be same, toxic pile of slime as least year's game, like it is every year. The only change to expect is to perhaps see another developer/publisher making the official FIFA game in the future, and I wouldn't expect much from that either. If anything FIFA care even less about the quality and ethics of the EA Sports FIFA games than EA did. They were happy for the games to that toxic pile of slime so long as that topic pile of slime make them money. @Withywarlock may have described this a "The End of Era", but to me it sounds more reminiscent of that time somebody in 1918 said "That was the war to end all war.". Just a prologue to more misery and disappointed.

After thinking it over for almost one year, I also realized that this wouldn't change much except the name. You'll have the same idiots buying Ultimate team packs every year so EA's football game (whatever it's called) isn't going anywhere.

[Empire]

One often overlooked consequence: FIFA was a restraining influence on EA, who've been desperate to ruin the simulation aspect by integrating NFTs, MTX etc. into the base experience.

FIFA demanding $300 million for nothing more than to use the word FIFA seems completely out of touch and delusional. It doesn't matter if EA could financially manage it. Its fucking asinine. And who would pay the cost to make sure the game is financially viable? The consumer.

[Darth]

The amount that FIFA was demanding for the name and partnership was absurd. Whilst I don't like the new name they have chosen, I like that they didn't just go ahead with it. Now FIFA can enjoy not having that money because not many developers will be able to quickly start a new football game that rivals EA's version.

[killamch89]

17 hours ago, Darth said:

The amount that FIFA was demanding for the name and partnership was absurd. Whilst I don't like the new name they have chosen, I like that they didn't just go ahead with it. Now FIFA can enjoy not having that money because not many developers will be able to quickly start a new football game that rivals EA's version.

To be fair, there are quite a few companies that are vying for the name so I think that Fifa was trying to use that as a bargaining chip more money from EA. I'm sure EA will be fine but we have yet to see how Fifa will fare.

[Darth]

1 hour ago, killamch89 said:

To be fair, there are quite a few companies that are vying for the name so I think that Fifa was trying to use that as a bargaining chip more money from EA. I'm sure EA will be fine but we have yet to see how Fifa will fare.

It's one thing getting the name though but there is a lot more to purchase. I believe EA own the rights to a lot of the big leagues and clubs so any new game with the FIFA name is going to have unlicensed teams for the majority of the leagues. That's a huge problem because most players want authentic leagues and clubs. That's why PES failed badly.

[Lens]

The collaboration isn't working anymore based on the evolving developments in the gaming world. I am opined that the parties should come out with a better agreement terms rather than the intended separation.

[killamch89]

On 5/15/2022 at 1:29 PM, Darth said:

It's one thing getting the name though but there is a lot more to purchase. I believe EA own the rights to a lot of the big leagues and clubs so any new game with the FIFA name is going to have unlicensed teams for the majority of the leagues. That's a huge problem because most players want authentic leagues and clubs. That's why PES failed badly.

Poor marketing is an even bigger factor in PES' demise than just the licenses and also with Konami turning it into a live service game really killed it.

[Darth]

It's hard to market a game without the licenses, to be fair. You can't even show off some of the big players from around the world in your game trailer. What football fan is going to get pumped up by watching some generic football gameplay. That's the one thing EA can do well even if there are some bad things about the game itself. Their ads are usually pretty good at making you want the game by shoving as many big names into it as possible

[killamch89]

16 hours ago, Darth said:

It's hard to market a game without the licenses, to be fair. You can't even show off some of the big players from around the world in your game trailer. What football fan is going to get pumped up by watching some generic football gameplay. That's the one thing EA can do well even if there are some bad things about the game itself. Their ads are usually pretty good at making you want the game by shoving as many big names into it as possible

You do have a point in that aspect and PES biggest disadvantage is that their publisher is Konami...I don't think we need to go into details about them and their practices.

[Clasher]

On 5/11/2022 at 5:05 PM, kingpotato said:

The yearly release system doesnt work anymore (it never did), publishers and developers should take a year off and rethink the way the game is presented, they could probably go the same route as PES now E-Football and go for a live service and free to play type of game with cosmetics only microtransactions, at least if somebody wants to play the game they dont have to pay every year for a release of a new game. Or if you just want to play some casual co-op soccer matches you can just buy whatever fifa game version from 2018 and below for less than 5 US dollars, even at my local gamestop they are selling used copies of thhe game for less than a dollar.

That's true mate, this game developers should go on a break and design a really professional and good game instead of rushing release. Take for instance EA sports have just been repeating the same pattern of soccer games and each new release had virtually the same glitch. It's time they take a break and work on a more professional game.

[Jasmin]

I like watching football games, but I don't play FIFA. I heard of this news never never took interest in checking in details. By the way who will be the new owner of FIFA franchise.