EA Sports has announced that this fall’s release of FIFA 23 will be the final game with the FIFA branding, as the partnership between the video game giant and soccer’s governing body comes to an end.
Starting next year, the franchise will become known as EA Sports FC.
The move ends a nearly 30-year partnership, as EA released its first FIFA game for the Sega Genesis back in 1993.
“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,” the company said in a statement.
What will change in EA Sports FC?
EA has insisted that very little will change with the rebrand, saying that all of the usual licenses and game modes will remain.
“Everything you love about our games will be part of EA Sports FC – the same great experiences, modes, leagues, tournaments, clubs and athletes will be there,” the company said.
“Ultimate Team, Career Mode, Pro Clubs and VOLTA Football will all be there. 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, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A, the MLS – and more to come.”
The end of the partnership with FIFA does mean that the World Cup will no longer be included in the game – though with the event happening only every two years between the men’s and women’s tournament, EA Sports has determined the loss won’t harm its bottom line too severely.